tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12304083049897448952024-02-19T03:57:15.167+00:00Book JaySee book. Buy book. Start reading book. See new book. Buy new book. Start reading new book instead of first book. Repeat until no books left in world.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-15284430866420517742015-02-19T18:26:00.001+00:002015-02-19T18:27:58.017+00:00Challenge Sign Up: British Books Challenge 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgup8AZCJObbvk_oUOpKzk4_oKOc_H13wJvMwIcqdEP4JmOmN8YWw7Pu4AVuhOvj_kJP4CqQiHH9muLNFhF1qo9P-ASH6GYOQ7JkTYoPYMDLQcS0FCKKvSEq6P4fG4-6oU-9S6cBnnwEayT/s1600/BBC+pointed+shaded.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgup8AZCJObbvk_oUOpKzk4_oKOc_H13wJvMwIcqdEP4JmOmN8YWw7Pu4AVuhOvj_kJP4CqQiHH9muLNFhF1qo9P-ASH6GYOQ7JkTYoPYMDLQcS0FCKKvSEq6P4fG4-6oU-9S6cBnnwEayT/s1600/BBC+pointed+shaded.png" height="115" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today is my day for signing up to challenges as part of getting back into blogging. As with <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/challenge-sign-up-flights-of-fantasy.html">The Flights of Fantasy</a> challenge I wanted to choose challenges which weren't too restrictive and which would cover books I definitely wanted to read/books I already had on my shelf waiting for me to pick up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flutteringbutterflies.com/2014/11/british-books-challenge-2015-sign-up.html">The British Books Challenge</a> is hosted by <a href="http://www.flutteringbutterflies.com/">Fluttering Butterflies</a> and sets participants the task of reading 12 books by British authors in 2015. I've been wanting to read more UKYA (I think I have failed badly at this in the past) and also have a lot of adult books - like all of Dorothy Dunnett's historicals - which I've been wanting to get to.<br />
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I'm not going to do a full list of 12, as there are bound to be new books that I grab, but on the list at the moment are:<br />
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- Anything by Dorothy Dunnett. I'd love to finish <i>The Lymond Chronicles</i> at least but that is a huge undertaking.<br />
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- <i>Arsenic For Tea </i>by Robin Stevens (I loved <i>Murder Most Unladylike</i> and will review that soon).<br />
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- The UKYA books I've bought so far in 2015: <i>The Sin Eater's Daughter</i> by Melinda Salisbury; The <i>Last Leaves Falling</i> by Sarah Benwell; and <i>Me & Mr J </i>by Rachel McIntyre because seriously I need to get on top of my buying to reading ratio<br />
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- <i>Darkness Hidden</i> and <i>Shadows on the Moon</i> by Zoe Marriott (with a reread of <i>The Night Itself</i>)<br />
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There are others, and I will update this post and my <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/p/2015-challenges.html">2015 Challenges</a> page as I read and review.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-82592359876767359952015-02-19T17:58:00.002+00:002015-02-19T18:27:47.641+00:00Challenge Sign Up: Flights of Fantasy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujtTThyphenhyphenqsp_BcOnJiX0n9xqV9MZgpxIxACpJNSOTvFpec90ZMAm0eeZfp9b6er68oOYlxZGfgkP313yXbHzoReCzsONyCcgNNq08tIZBtuZZzEmPN237rws9J5EefvCz0Bz9exXB0UKPg/s1600/fof_button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujtTThyphenhyphenqsp_BcOnJiX0n9xqV9MZgpxIxACpJNSOTvFpec90ZMAm0eeZfp9b6er68oOYlxZGfgkP313yXbHzoReCzsONyCcgNNq08tIZBtuZZzEmPN237rws9J5EefvCz0Bz9exXB0UKPg/s1600/fof_button.png" /></a></div>
I've been wanting to get back into blogging for a while and so was looking for some challenges to sign up for to a) get me to read more, and b) get me to post/review more. I didn't want to go for anything too restrictive though, as I tend to suck at those.<br />
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So <a href="http://www.alexalovesbooks.com/2014/12/flights-of-fantasy-reading-challenge.html">Flights of Fantasy</a> - hosted by <a href="http://www.alexalovesbooks.com/">Alexa Loves Books</a> and <a href="http://www.hello-chelly.com/">Hello, Chelly</a> - is perfect. The challenge focuses on reading fantasy, which is one of my favourite genres, and the number of books we set is entirely up to us. <br />
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I'm setting myself the challenge of reading<b> 15 </b>fantasy books in 2015. And while I don't want to set myself a list of 15 (because that guarantees I won't read those books) I would like to at least attempt to do the following:<br />
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- Reread <i>Throne of Glass</i> and read <i>Crown of Midnight </i>and <i>Heir of Fire</i> by Sarah J. Maas (preferably before Queen of Shadows is published)<br />
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- Finish reading <i>A Dance With Dragons</i> by George R.R. Martin (preferably before series 5 of <i>Game of Thrones</i> starts - I have this in my desk at work and read it during lunch, so I should be able to do this)<br />
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- Read <i>Clariel</i> by Garth Nix, and possibly reread The Abhorsen Trilogy (one of my favourites) as well<br />
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- Read at least one book by these authors, many of whom are sitting there on my shelf mocking me (the books, not the authors): Leigh Bardugo, Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss<br />
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There are numerous other books that I have on my shelf, and there are some rereads I want to do, but I think the above is enough to be going on with. I'll add to this post and to my <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/p/2015-challenges.html">2015 Challenges </a>pageas I read/review/update.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-47419641427852201062013-07-09T17:58:00.001+01:002013-07-09T17:58:33.859+01:00Ignore this (admin stuff)<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5846393/?claim=h3f984n838p">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-72235148476983924792013-02-14T17:39:00.000+00:002013-02-14T17:43:30.072+00:00Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XgTeSnjZ_BvDVxGgDQiF90NS6HGwGhMC24teHQUN99dzMh8N_Ey6s3Pw_rkserB1I2mP48EcgFLzcV1rJ6M9TcEKDi8uDwPynGuwlKJ7VCdXRkWybwt9R703D2wwsTTlM8qPyGYe2GUB/s1600/12558285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Splintered by AG Howard" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XgTeSnjZ_BvDVxGgDQiF90NS6HGwGhMC24teHQUN99dzMh8N_Ey6s3Pw_rkserB1I2mP48EcgFLzcV1rJ6M9TcEKDi8uDwPynGuwlKJ7VCdXRkWybwt9R703D2wwsTTlM8qPyGYe2GUB/s200/12558285.jpg" title="" uea="true" width="135" /></a></div>
This reimagining of <em>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</em> is just as freaky, scary and wonderful as expected.<br />
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<strong>Title & Author:</strong> <em>Splintered</em> by A.G. Howard<br />
<strong>Published:</strong> 2013<br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 371 (Amulet Books, 2013)<br />
<strong>Read:</strong> 3/2/13 - 13/2/13<br />
<strong>Series:</strong> N/A<br />
<strong>Challenge(s):</strong> <a href="http://hobbitsies.net/debut-author-challenge/">2013 Debut Author Challenge</a><br />
<strong>Source:</strong> Owned book<br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s <em>Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland</em>. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.<br />
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.(from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12558285-splintered">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>Loved/liked:</strong> Loved. This was actually one of the January debuts I passed over when I did my initial list, which now seems mad as this is so good. I'm glad it was picked as the Debut Author Challenge's book club book for February or I might not have read it, which would be a shame as I really enjoyed the read. <br />
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I have to admit, one of the things that made me a tad wary was the love triangle. It's right there in the synopsis and I was sure it would irritate me but no! I actually liked it, mostly because a) it made sense, b) it didn't dominate the whole damn plot, and c) I agreed with the outcome, which didn't feel forced. It was what I was rooting for throughout, which was nice (usually I pick the 'losing' guy).<br />
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The writing is gorgeous, the reimagining of Wonderland superb, and the characters all well-rounded. I liked Alyssa and rooted for her, and her evolution from freaked out teenager to total badass is believable and awesome. Both guys - Jeb and Morpheus - are great, and while I won't say which one I wanted to 'win' the love triangle I didn't feel that either didn't deserve to. Plus, Morpheus has various hats to suit his mood and/or the occasion, which is something I adored.<br />
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Basically, I loved this book and am finding it a bit tricky to put that into words without potentially ruining the whole dame plot. It's the sort of book I want to babble about to someone who's also read it, to point at favourite bits and discuss the sheer wonderful weirdness that was this take on Wonderland.<br />
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<strong>Problems/issues:</strong> None. The length of time it took me to read it was entirely my own fault; whenever I read the book I couldn't put it down. It's only not a 10/10 because, as much as I liked it, I didn't love it as much as I love my favourite books (which is, again, entirely on me).<br />
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<strong>Extra Awesome:</strong> Court intrigue, flying, hats for every occasion, weirdness everywhere.<br />
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<strong>Do I want more?</strong> Definitely. This isn't a series - though there is the potential for a sequel at the end, it's just something mentioned in passing - but I will be reading A.G. Howard's next book for sure (whenever that is *peers at Goodreads author page*).<br />
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<strong>Do I recommend it?</strong> Yes. Especially if you like darker, twistier fantasy - I'm thinking Holly Black and Melissa Marr, the sort of books that occasionally make me go "oh, that's nasty"...but not so nasty that I stop reading. Also, there are hats for specific events which is something I need in my life.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 9/10</span></strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-32955628744630400252013-01-29T17:41:00.003+00:002013-01-29T18:03:38.483+00:00Review: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgRf_0gyaVQpVKtVCOAuFC8EEcXDrul2jl7VnHV_DLUp-f7lWShmOZltetOuJ94JDNWQbJyuMsBlm-C2m7pNR0uqR_CTUpujcokbDr-pQNhbrFEkRlEkr0FCECBIHigMrpCay9m8Q7EYm/s1600/341280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas" border="0" ea="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgRf_0gyaVQpVKtVCOAuFC8EEcXDrul2jl7VnHV_DLUp-f7lWShmOZltetOuJ94JDNWQbJyuMsBlm-C2m7pNR0uqR_CTUpujcokbDr-pQNhbrFEkRlEkr0FCECBIHigMrpCay9m8Q7EYm/s200/341280.jpg" title="" width="126" /></a></div>
This swashbuckling tale of derring do, gambling, drinking, getting money off your mistress because you've spent it all on the gambling and drinking, challenging people to duels, dashing to England and back, and generally being a total seventeenth-century badass is, in short, a fantastic read.<br />
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<strong>Title & Author:</strong> <em>The Three Musketeers</em> by Alexandre Dumas<br />
<strong>Published:</strong> 1844<br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 720 (Penguin, 1982)<br />
<strong>Read:</strong> 13/01/13 - 23/01/13<br />
<strong>Series:</strong> The D'Artagnan Romances #1<br />
<strong>Challenge(s):</strong> <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/p/fill-in-gaps.html">Project Fill in the Gaps</a><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Owned book<br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> <span id="freeText9885509611983755300">One of the most celebrated and popular historical romances ever written, <em>The Three Musketeers</em> tell the story of the early adventures of the young Gascon gentleman D'Artagan and his three friends from the regiment of the King's Musketeers - Athos,Porthos and Aramis.<br /><br />Under the watchful eye of their patron M. de Treville, the four defend the honour of the regiment against the guards of the Cardinal Richelieu, and the honour of the queen against the machinations of the Cardinal himself as the power struggles of seventeenth-century France are vividly played out in the background. (from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/341280.The_Three_Musketeers">Goodreads</a>)</span><br />
<br /><strong>Review:</strong> I have to admit, much of my knowledge of this book comes from the adaptations of it, especially the cartoon <em>Dogtanian</em> (what? It was a favourite of mine as a kid. And my friend who is Dumas obsessed says it's probably the most faithful adaptation she's ever watched). So while I knew the gist of the story going in I wasn't prepared for how dark the book would get - the ending if more tragedy than comedy - or how daft the Musketeers frequently were when it came to anything involving money. They may have been living the lives of seventeenth century heroes, but they could have at least tried to have some money set by for (picking an example purely at random) buying the equipment they'd need to go to war. Seriously, guys, think ahead.<br />
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The plot itself will be familiar to most: D'Artagnan, a young hot-headed Gascon, travels to Paris to seek his fortune as a member of the King's Musketeers. He finds out that he can't just wander in and become a Musketeer, and in the course of discovering this he ends up challenging three of the other Musketeers to consecutive duels. These fights don't actually come off because the four of them are attacked by the Cardinal's guards and I thought the 1970s adaptation (with Michael Yorke as D'Artagnan) was exaggerating how many sword fights these guys get into but it is constant. Anyone who so much as looks at them funny is challenged to a duel. I think it's possibly this that helps them all become friends, though part of it is probably also the aforementioned inability to save money when they could be out drinking and gambling.<br />
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A vast chunk of plot was unfamiliar, however, and this is the part that makes the book so good: Milady and her machinations. The Cardinal isn't as sinister as I was expecting, but Milady is (as the book frequently puts it) a fiend from hell. The Musketeers may challenge those who slight them to duels; Milady simply kills anyone in her way, usually with poison or by getting someone else to do it. She is devious and tricksy and fabulous, and there are so many awesome revelations about her that I'm just going to say you need to read the book because I am not spoiling. The end is dark and reminded me of the darker moments of <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-count-of-monte-cristo-by.html">The Count of Monte Cristo</a></em> - I genuinely didn't expect it to end that way, or that brutally.<br />
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<em>The Three Musketeers</em> is one of those books that I thought I knew, but I was still surprised by it. Well worth reading for the swashbuckling romance alone, it's also a fantastic story that - as usual with Dumas - keeps you turning the pages so quickly that it's size feels less daunting.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 8/10</span></strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-81038289145136116482013-01-14T17:27:00.004+00:002013-01-14T17:29:37.284+00:00Bout of Books 6.0: Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DEgFh6VNFMNE-64Fv1tU9qjN1oSXsU4lmUo3p6AIErrzwW2S5ZDdaygH79l5qAQDnU1dyVQbecmqz6mSEKc9WGWwZkn_0l7nWhRDiD9aIlHUTTagWmLhN_QOhCTnN-VyfNGbluOHGQ1l/s1600/BoB6_0-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DEgFh6VNFMNE-64Fv1tU9qjN1oSXsU4lmUo3p6AIErrzwW2S5ZDdaygH79l5qAQDnU1dyVQbecmqz6mSEKc9WGWwZkn_0l7nWhRDiD9aIlHUTTagWmLhN_QOhCTnN-VyfNGbluOHGQ1l/s1600/BoB6_0-300x200.jpg" /></a></div>
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Bout of Books 6.0 has come to an end and I'm going to detail my achievements. My goals are <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/bout-of-books-60-goal-post.html">here</a> and my progress <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/bout-of-books-60-progress.html">here</a> (I didn't update over the weekend so it has that information newly added).<br />
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My goal was to read 5 books, which I did (pretty much). There's a graphic novel in there, and I did also reread a book so my total is technically 6 although I was thinking that I should read 5 new books. I'm counting my final score as 5.<br />
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<u>Books Read</u><br />
1. <em>Blackwood</em> by Gwenda Bond<br />
2. <em>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</em> by Douglas Adams<br />
3. <em>If I Stay</em> by Gayle Forman<br />
4. <em>Where She Went</em> by Gayle Forman<br />
5. <em>Astonishing X-Men #5 vol 1: Gifted</em> by Joss Whedon<br />
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<strong>Total pages = 1,333</strong><br />
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<u>Also Read</u><br />
- The first 125 pages of <em>The Summer I Turned Pretty</em> by Jenny Han. I wasn't really in the mood for this book so officially paused it on Saturday. I do want to go back to it, but it wasn't right for me at present.<br />
- I reread <em>Witches Abroad</em> by Terry Pratchett just because. I always have at least one reread on the go, even when I feel like I should be sticking to new stuff (286 pages).<br />
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<strong>Including these = 6 books read; 1,619 pages</strong><br />
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I really liked doing Bout of Books, and will definitely do the next one when I will participate more. Twitter chats, yay!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-63663104457937004882013-01-11T17:23:00.002+00:002013-01-11T17:24:53.338+00:002013 Tudor Reading Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://almybnenr.tumblr.com/post/39111868844/sign-up-2013-tudor-reading-challenge"><img alt="Tudor Reading Challenge 2013" border="0" eea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDIKVuRSxlHCtn-e_9lTC4EzGC9idaGUlQOy336cBFXkNdCJ8VRS23rNa-_0HLct-6yQtY6cpXfnJ11-uD9FeqX8vOX1bgA5MzmAg6RaGrREwBkZDHitdLFPnNHqZSAXTy_w8Tw-UPFfJ/s1600/tumblr_inline_mfs6fefV8X1qaeu55.png" title="" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://almybnenr.tumblr.com/post/39111868844/sign-up-2013-tudor-reading-challenge">Tudor Reading Challenge</a> is being hosted by Amber at <a href="http://almybnenr.tumblr.com/">The Musings of ALMYBNENR</a>. I am signing up because I love me some Tudor reading, and because this will give me a kick to finish a series I love that has just been sitting there on my shelf for months. There are different levels and I'm going for <strong>Henry VIII (Defender of the Faith): 10 books</strong>. While we don't need to list our books beforehand, the ones I have in mind to (re)read and review number 11 so that seems like a good level to aim for.<br />
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I'll be listing books read with links to their reviews below.<br />
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01.<br />
02.<br />
03.<br />
04.<br />
05.<br />
06.<br />
07.<br />
08.<br />
09.<br />
10.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-84482292201387551012013-01-08T18:16:00.000+00:002013-01-14T17:21:19.416+00:00Bout of Books 6.0: Progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DEgFh6VNFMNE-64Fv1tU9qjN1oSXsU4lmUo3p6AIErrzwW2S5ZDdaygH79l5qAQDnU1dyVQbecmqz6mSEKc9WGWwZkn_0l7nWhRDiD9aIlHUTTagWmLhN_QOhCTnN-VyfNGbluOHGQ1l/s1600/BoB6_0-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DEgFh6VNFMNE-64Fv1tU9qjN1oSXsU4lmUo3p6AIErrzwW2S5ZDdaygH79l5qAQDnU1dyVQbecmqz6mSEKc9WGWwZkn_0l7nWhRDiD9aIlHUTTagWmLhN_QOhCTnN-VyfNGbluOHGQ1l/s1600/BoB6_0-300x200.jpg" /></a></div>
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So, this week I'm taking part in <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/">Bout of Books 6.0</a>. My goal post is <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/bout-of-books-60-goal-post.html">here</a> but can be whittled down to one thing: read 5 books by Sunday. I'm also giving myself little mini-challenges for my own goal which basically mean 'if I get to my target by this day, I can buy this many books in my celebratory spend up'. I will have fewer owned books in my TBR list; I will need to stock it up again.<br />
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I'm going to put all my progress in one post for ease, and update it each day. Although as I type the days out it's making things feel a bit <i>Torchwood: Children of Earth</i> and argh! <br />
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Anyway, my progress (total progress for the readathon is in brackets):<br />
<br />
<b>Day One</b><br />
<u>Book(s) Started</u><br />
<i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i> by Douglas Adams (26 pages read) - this is my lunchtime book, so I'm keeping it stashed in my desk at work and bringing it out. I hope this will give me the impetus to finish the book as I tried reading it ten years ago and wasn't that into it.<br />
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<u>Book(s) Started & Completed</u><br />
<i>Blackwood</i> by Gwenda Bond (325 pages) - I stayed up far too late to finish this last night, but it was worth it. A good fun read with references to TV shows I love and a fab romance. Definitely full review to follow.<br />
<br />
<b>Books Read = 1; Pages Read = 351</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>Day Two</b><br />
<u>Book(s) Started</u><br />
<i>The Summer I Turned Pretty</i> by Jenny Han (77 pages read) - in keeping with picking short books I've gone with this. Plus I think it's going to be quite a light contemporary and a fun read. I didn't get as much read as I'd have liked yesterday, mostly because I was asleep before midnight which is unheard of, and because the switch from my recent reading of peril to a fluffy read was a bit of a shock. Going to keep reading this evening though.<br />
<br />
<u>Book(s) Continued</u><br />
<i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i> by Douglas Adams (13 pages read; page 39) - bit of a broken lunchtime yesterday during which I did next to no reading. Plus I'm at the point that I think I got stuck on my first attempt at reading this, though I am now past that and into what I think is going to be entertaining galaxy hopping about.<br />
<br />
<b>Books Read = 0 (1); Pages Read = 90 (441)</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>Day Three</b><br />
<u>Book(s) Continued</u><br />
<i>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i> by Douglas Adams (29 pages read; page 68) - this is better. Got some reading done at lunchtime and really starting to enjoy the book. Am going to have to read the rest of the series after this.<br />
<br />
<i>The Summer I Turned Pretty</i> by Jenny Han (48 pages read; page 125) - I feel really bad but I'm not that into this book at the moment. I'll definitely finish it for the readathon and it's a good book, it just doesn't match my mood right now. May put it on hold till Saturday when I intend to have a day of reading.<br />
<br />
<b>Books Read = 0 (1); Pages Read = 77 (518)</b><br />
<br />
<strong>Day Four</strong><br />
<u>Book(s) Completed</u><br />
<em>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</em> by Douglas Adams (112 pages read; complete at 180) - finally read this! And now I want to read the rest of the trilogy of five. And I think that "I wonder if it will be friends with me?" is one of the most depressing lines I've ever read.<br />
<br />
<strong>Books Read = 1 (2); Pages Read = 112 (630)</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Day Five</strong><br />
I kind of ended up taking Day Five off and not doing any real new reading. I did, however, continue with a reread of <em>Witches Abroad</em> by Terry Pratchett which I had started the night before while a little tipsy.<br />
<br />
<strong>Books Read = 0 (2); Pages Read = 0 (630)</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Day Six</strong><br />
<u>Book(s) Completed</u><br />
<em>If I Stay</em> (233 pages) & <em>Where She Went</em> (260 pages) by Gayle Forman - I spent most of the day curled up with a blanket and too much coffee, reading these books. I cried far too much over If I Stay, to the extent that when I texted my flatmate with 'what I was doing' she asked if I was OK. Beautiful, beautiful books. I'm not sure which I prefer but I am a complete fan of Gayle Forman now and need to get my copy of <em>Just One Day</em> now.<br />
<br />
<strong>Books Read = 2 (4); Pages Read = 493 (1,096)</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Day Seven</strong><br />
<u>Book(s) Started</u><br />
<em>The Three Musketeers</em> by Alexandre Dumas (85 pages) - I didn't start this till late at night, having spent most of the evening trying to decide what to read and dismissing a lot of things as not right for my mood. This fitted it perfectly: swashbuckling fun, slight daftness, and promises of Intrigue.<br />
<br />
<u>Book(s) Completed</u><br />
<em>Astonishing X-Men volume #1: Gifted</em> by Joss Whedon (152 pages) - this is where I worry that it was a bit of a cheat, because it took me no time at all to read the graphic novel. But it's Joss Whedon! I count that.<br />
<br />
<strong>Books Read = 1 (5); Pages Read = 237 (1,333)</strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-1227850631153152282013-01-07T17:20:00.001+00:002013-01-07T17:20:25.833+00:00Review: Slated by Teri Terry (Slated #1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_Qq82iaHoCdIJJvS0JNY92b5ouIJlIOsEGN-W-ixnw7Xka3iTf79zXBUbovVGS-uJvm7iB1dL40IZhYh1Z61s2En5blC-dsc_4WjM9zqhu0giE77r_ILbDZv7G7_Cik65GGqJUy3v6Is/s1600/12743472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Slated by Teri Terry" border="0" eea="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_Qq82iaHoCdIJJvS0JNY92b5ouIJlIOsEGN-W-ixnw7Xka3iTf79zXBUbovVGS-uJvm7iB1dL40IZhYh1Z61s2En5blC-dsc_4WjM9zqhu0giE77r_ILbDZv7G7_Cik65GGqJUy3v6Is/s200/12743472.jpg" title="" width="130" /></a></div>
A British dystopia? An intiguing set up, good worldbuilding and a kickass heroine? All present and helping to make <em>Slated</em> pretty damn awesome and a good first book for the year.<br />
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<strong>Title & Author:</strong> <em>Slated</em> by Teri Terry<br />
<strong>Published:</strong> 2012<br />
<strong>Series:</strong> Slated #1<br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 429 (Orchard ,2012)<br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Borrowed from the library<br />
NB: I'm not counting this towards my <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/2013%20Debut%20Author%20Challenge">2013 Debut Author Challenge</a> as, technically, it was a 2012 debut in Britain. Also I started reading it in 2012 so it would all feel like a cheat.<br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> <span id="freeText2750192140819654187">Kyla’s memory has been erased, her personality wiped blank, her memories lost for ever.<br /><br />She’s been Slated.<br /><br />The government claims she was a terrorist, and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth? (from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12743472-slated">Goodreads</a>)</span><br />
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<strong>Review:</strong> I have to get something out of the way right at the top of this review - my biggest problem with the book was the ending. Without spoiling, I'm just going to say that it felt rushed and was so clearly setting up book two (<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13490543-fractured">Fractured</a></em>) that I felt a little cheated. It's actually what knocked this book down a little in my estimation, as there's no real resolution and Kyla has a couple of sudden epiphanies that seem to come out of nowhere and are just there to make you want to read <em>Fractured</em>. I wanted to read it without that ending! It isn't a cliffhanger in the traditional sense, but it feels rushed and as if the book just stops with Kyla making a decision about what to do next and then bam, the end.<br />
<br />
Having said that: I really liked this book otherwise. It's a British dystopia! There were elements that made me go "oh, cool, that references stuff that's happening now - argh, wait, this is stuff that's happening now!" and I particularly liked that the Evil Government Up To No Good were called the Central Coalition (though I then had another argh moment over this). There's also reference to the EGUTNG being a result of severe riots and, yeah, hello 2011. In a weird way, I liked that it was my country that had turned to the Dark Side (in fiction, anyway).<br />
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The science fiction elements are well handled: people under 16 who are deemed an enemy of the government are given a chance to start over again by being Slated - their memories are removed and they're given new families. They're also closely monitored and non-consenting minors* and there are a lot of hints about what happens if you're over 16 and annoy the EGUTNG, but not so much that I have all the answers. I get the feeling that this will be explored more in the rest of the trilogy, and that we'll get more on just why people get chosen and how the technology was developed - more so than we have already, anyway.<br />
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All in all, this was a good first book let down by a rushed ending. I will definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy, but this would have been the case even without the open ending - I was intrigued from page one and really enjoyed the world and characters, I just wish there had been a proper resolution to the story of <em>Slated</em> before we rushed into <em>Fractured</em>, but I still think this a very good, accomplished and taut thriller throughout the rest of the book.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* In most cases. I did like that there was reference to the way in which Slating is used to help people get over severe trauma, as it did suggest that the technology could be used to help rather than oppress, and also stopped it being completely one-sided. Still, complete memory wipe? </span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 7/10</span></strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-26829248837042153272013-01-04T17:29:00.000+00:002013-01-10T18:55:46.971+00:00Bout of Books 6.0: Goal Post<span id="goog_1243664316"></span><br />
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<a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/"><img alt="Bout of Books 6" border="0" eea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DEgFh6VNFMNE-64Fv1tU9qjN1oSXsU4lmUo3p6AIErrzwW2S5ZDdaygH79l5qAQDnU1dyVQbecmqz6mSEKc9WGWwZkn_0l7nWhRDiD9aIlHUTTagWmLhN_QOhCTnN-VyfNGbluOHGQ1l/s1600/BoB6_0-300x200.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. <b>For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Bout of Books</span></a> blog</b>. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team</blockquote>
So, setting my goals for the first Bout of Books I've participated in.<br /><br />- Read at least <strong>5</strong> books.<br /><br />I'm going to be starting off with fairly short books at the start of the week and save the weekend for longer ones/catch up. <br /><br />I'll also do my best to join in Twitter chats and comment on other blogs, especially as something I said I'd do on my <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/2012-end-of-year-book-survey.html">2012 End of Year Survey</a> was join in more, but I don't want to set any definite targets for that.<br /><br />So, five books.</span>
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<span id="goog_1243664316">Update: I'm posting my progress on one post <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/bout-of-books-60-progress.html">here</a>.</span></div>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-41334893493174320262012-12-22T09:40:00.002+00:002012-12-22T09:40:27.844+00:002012 End of Year Book Survey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbkUOIjj9Wr4uCAQKp08BxCZENjVZ3fRA5DpHsTur8EYpFvdz0nNYaYjR_7CRb5gAfWx97YsoO98OYGuG4PILn2EwiO7CXkEkmx_ZkDXKEFJ9XOsAPwJvLksD7eGRbl2YNTts31gPoRJb/s1600/Image17-1024x584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2012 End of Year Book Survey" border="0" eea="true" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbkUOIjj9Wr4uCAQKp08BxCZENjVZ3fRA5DpHsTur8EYpFvdz0nNYaYjR_7CRb5gAfWx97YsoO98OYGuG4PILn2EwiO7CXkEkmx_ZkDXKEFJ9XOsAPwJvLksD7eGRbl2YNTts31gPoRJb/s320/Image17-1024x584.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2012/12/end-of-year-book-survey-2012.html">2012 End of Year Book Survey</a> is hosted by Jamie at <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/">The Perpetual Page-Turner</a>. I posted my <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-i-read-in.html">Top Ten Books of the Year</a> recently, and this is a slightly more in-depth look at all the books I read. Be warned: I'm pretty much just going to fangirl the <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Series%3A%20Chaos%20Walking">Chaos Walking</a> trilogy. This is also likely to be my last post of the year as we head into Christmas and the New Year. Happy holidays to everyone.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Best in Books 2012</span></div>
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<strong>1. Best book you read in 2012? (You can break it down by genre if you want)</strong><br />
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Young adult fiction - <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-monsters-of-men-by-patrick-ness.html">Monsters of Men</a></em> by Patrick Ness (though this covers the whole trilogy)<br />
Adult fiction - <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/published-2011-pages-352-bloomsbury.html">The Song of Achilles</a></em> by Madeline Miller<br />
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Also see my top ten books of the year, as linked above and <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-i-read-in.html">here</a>.<br />
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<strong>2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn't?</strong><br />
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It feels awful to say this, but <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/review-casual-vacancy-by-jk-rowling.html">The Casual Vacancy</a></em> by J.K. Rowling. I knew it wouldn't be the same as Harry Potter but it was still a new book by JKR and I really wanted to like it more. I think I'd have been disappointed by it regardless of who wrote it, but it was somehow worse that it was her.<br />
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<strong>3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012?</strong><br />
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Probably <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-count-of-monte-cristo-by.html">The Count of Monte Cristo</a></em> by Alexandre Dumas. For some reason I thought it would be a slog but it's really fun and as quick a read as a near-1300 page brick can ever be. It was also as mad as <em>Revenge</em> in terms of people not putting two and two together about what the Count was up to, which I found entertaining.<br />
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<strong>4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?</strong><br />
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Pretty much whichever book I'd just read and loved. Though I really pushed John Green and Maureen Johnson on people, especially my flatmate who didn't know what she was in for when she asked to borrow a book ("here, have this stack of great young adult. I'm guessing you're more into contemporaries, so have <em>Beauty Queens</em> and <em>Paper Towns</em> and <em>Girl At Sea</em>. Oh, and <em>Dash and Lily</em>".)<br />
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<strong>5. Best series you discovered in 2012?</strong><br />
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The <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/41725-the-last-apprentice-wardstone-chronicles">Wardstone Chronicles</a> by Joseph Delaney. I really wasn't expecting much but they are fun, scary children's books which make great use of British folklore. Need to finish reading in 2013.<br />
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<strong>6. Favourite new authors you discovered in 2012?</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10229.Christopher_Isherwood">Christopher Isherwood</a> (his prose is beautiful, I need to read everything he wrote); <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2936493.Lauren_Oliver">Lauren Oliver</a> (why did I wait till 2012 to finish a book by her?); and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/176372.Madeline_Miller">Madeline Miller</a> (she's only written one book but I love it. Want more from her).<br />
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<strong>7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?</strong><br />
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I'm not sure. I didn't really read any genres that were radically different for me this year. I think maybe <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6500026-thirteen-reasons-why">Thirteen Reasons Why</a></em> was out of my comfort zone just because it hit way too close to home (I was not a happy teenager) and it was a painful read.<br />
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<strong>8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?</strong><br />
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<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-monsters-of-men-by-patrick-ness.html">Monsters of Men</a></em>. I rushed through that one. It isn't one of the books I read in a day, but I really couldn't put it down.<br />
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<strong>9. Book you read in 2012 that you are most likely to re-read next year?</strong><br />
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6479419-the-demon-s-lexicon">The Demon's Lexicon</a></em> by Sarah Rees Brennan, because I want to finish the series but can't remember all of the fine points of the plot. It isn't a chore at all, though, as that book is fab.<br />
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<strong>10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2012?</strong><br />
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This is surprisingly difficult! I'm looking at my books for 2012 in cover view on Goodreads and so many of them are pretty. But if it has to be one:<br />
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<img alt="A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness" border="0" eea="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkZ4fET3nO5NOub0rJpdzeNErGadZG5aYK_WVy2cwb4JNQ865g-6iZ7rerBmvmKVaGjv4FTBO9jtHYeUCy3ijafo96qb2M9Vvi9siGTUx3RqGqTUFc1hSsz8nCifpT2UfFU-ACRZZWGQL/s200/12998980.jpg" title="" width="157" /></div>
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12998980-a-monster-calls">A Monster Calls</a></em> by Patrick Ness. Partly because it is stunning - as are all the illustrations - but also because it feels nice. I like it when books feel like they're made of good things.<br />
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<strong>11. Most memorable character in 2012?</strong><br />
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<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Series%3A%20Chaos%20Walking">Viola Eade</a>. Total badass.<br />
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<strong>12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?</strong><br />
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Another tricky one, but going with <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969201-liesl-and-po">Liesl & Po</a></em> by Lauren Oliver. Or <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-my-sister-lives-on-mantelpiece.html">My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece</a></em> by Annabel Pitcher.<br />
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<strong>13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?</strong><br />
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Either <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-my-sister-lives-on-mantelpiece.html">My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece</a></em> by Annabel Pitcher or <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12998980-a-monster-calls">A Monster Calls</a></em> by Patrick Ness. Both deal with loss and death in deeply moving and powerful ways.<br />
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<strong>14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?</strong><br />
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I can't believe I waited till 2012 to finish The Chaos Walking trilogy, so this is two: <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-ask-and-answer-by-patrick-ness.html">The Ask and the Answer</a></em> and <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-monsters-of-men-by-patrick-ness.html">Monsters of Men</a></em>. Seriously, I could have read this last year and I didn't! Fool of a Took.<br />
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<strong>15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read in 2012?</strong><br />
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I don't keep track of quotes I love - I need to start doing that - so if it was a library book then I'm stuck, but here's the most recent one I could think of from a book I own:<br />
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"It's not that you should never love something so much it can control you.<br />
It's that you <em>need </em>to love something that much so you can <em>never be controlled</em>." (<em>The Ask and the Answer</em>, p492).<br />
<br /><strong>16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2012?</strong><br />
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Longest book - <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-count-of-monte-cristo-by.html">The Count of Monte Cristo</a></em> by Alexandre Dumas at a mighty 1264 pages.<br />
Shortest book - <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14761360-prater-violet">Prater Violet</a></em> by Christopher Isherwood at 122 pages<br />
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<strong>17. Book that had a scene it it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc, etc). Be careful of spoilers!</strong><br />
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The ending of <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-ask-and-answer-by-patrick-ness.html">The Ask and the Answer</a></em> (argh, what? No!)<br />
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<strong>18. Favourite relationship from a book you read in 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).</strong><br />
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Viola and Todd in the <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Series%3A%20Chaos%20Walking">Chaos Walking</a> trilogy because the obvious romance doesn't get in the way of the plot (and because a love triangle is averted, thank the Lord) and Sunya and Jamie in <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-my-sister-lives-on-mantelpiece.html">My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece</a></em> because they are so sweet.<br />
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<strong>19. Favourite book you read in 2012 from an author you read previously.</strong><br />
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15804070-dash-and-lily-s-book-of-dares">Dash and Lily's Book of Dare</a>s</em> by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan. I love this almost as much as <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/944704.Nick_Norah_s_Infinite_Playlist">Nick & Norah</a></em>, which is saying something.<br />
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<strong>20. Best book you read that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from someone else.</strong><br />
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I didn't read a lot of books because of a recommendation, though I did buy a lot that I need to get to in 2013. If there is one, it's <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-this-dark-endeavour-by-kenneth.html">This Dark Endeavour</a></em> by Kenneth Oppel. I actually read this because of April at <a href="http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com/">Good Books and Good Wine's</a> review of the second book in the series, <em><a href="http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com/2012/08/such-wicked-intent-kenneth-oppel-audiobook-review.html">Such Wicked Intent</a></em>. That's still on order at the library, and I can't wait to get my hands on it, but I really enjoyed <em>This Dark Endeavour</em> though I think <em>Such Wicked Intent</em> is going to be better.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Looking Ahead...</span></div>
<br />
<strong>1. One book you didn't get to in 2012 but will be your number 1 priority in 2013?</strong><br />
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars">The Fault in Our Stars</a></em> by John Green. I bought this when it came out in January 2012 and haven't even touched it. <br />
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<strong>2. Book you are most anticipating for 2013?</strong><br />
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after">Isla and the Happily Ever After</a></em> by Stephanie Perkins. I don't feel that needs any explanation.<br />
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<strong>3. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2013?</strong><br />
<br />
Reading - read more. Seems simple but I procrastinate too much and I really need to make a dent in my TBR pile because it is getting ridiculous.<br />
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Blogging - join in more. Linked to this is being less shy/scared of joining in, but I really want to do more and blog more and that means sucking it up and participating even when I'm a little scared of doing so.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-26167810222123291202012-12-21T17:03:00.000+00:002012-12-21T17:03:19.531+00:00Review: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking #3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZrjXFbIky8VGq6Uk4CQN3X1950dMSsRNWBS68kfkW9Ihft4QbvkkUMUqIv82a-q9lJAlpKg_U5P3h0RLG6iRTMl_OUREkmI278Vy2bmkS5kOIpCkB1zd2hXA-Dy8GjAhmX_0YKL-mPEB/s1600/8100904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness" border="0" eea="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZrjXFbIky8VGq6Uk4CQN3X1950dMSsRNWBS68kfkW9Ihft4QbvkkUMUqIv82a-q9lJAlpKg_U5P3h0RLG6iRTMl_OUREkmI278Vy2bmkS5kOIpCkB1zd2hXA-Dy8GjAhmX_0YKL-mPEB/s200/8100904.jpg" title="" width="130" /></a></div>
In the final book of the Chaos Walking trilogy: oh my God, argh no, seriously? Just when you thought the end of <em>The Ask and the Answer</em> meant things couldn't possibly get any worse, they do. Spectacularly. And then you get repeatedly punched in the gut.<br />
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<strong>Title & Author:</strong> <em>Monsters of Men</em> by Patrick Ness<br />
<strong>Published:</strong> 2010<br />
<strong>Series:</strong> <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Series%3A%20Chaos%20Walking">Chaos Walking #3</a><br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 603 (Walker Books, 2010)<br />
<strong>Challenge:</strong> <a href="http://bookaddictsguide.wordpress.com/reading-challenges/series-catch-up-challenge/">Series Catch-Up</a><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Owned book<br />
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<em>Note: As with</em> <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-ask-and-answer-by-patrick-ness.html">The Ask and the Answer</a><em>, please don't read this review if you haven't read the previous books in the series (</em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-knife-of-never-letting-go-by.html">The Knife of Never Letting Go</a> <em>is #1). While I don't spoil</em> Monsters of Men <em>I do discuss plot details from the earlier books.</em><br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions. The indigenous Spackle, thinking and acting as one, have mobilized to avenge their murdered people. Ruthless human leaders prepare to defend their factions at all costs, even as a convoy of new settlers approaches. And as the ceaseless Noise lays all thoughts bare, the projected will of the few threatens to overwhelm the desperate desire of the many. The consequences of each action, each word, are unspeakably vast: To follow a tyrant or a terrorist? To save the life of the one you love most, or thousands of strangers? To believe in redemption, or assume it is lost? Becoming adults amid the turmoil, Todd and Viola question all they have known, racing through horror and outrage toward a shocking finale. (from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8100904-monsters-of-men">Goodreads</a>)<a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8100904-monsters-of-men#"></a><br />
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<strong>First Line:</strong> "'War,' says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. 'At last.'"<br />
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<strong>Review: </strong>As the end of <em>The Ask and the Answer</em> and the first words of this book suggest, <em>Monsters of Men</em> is all about war. There is a lot of fighting. I didn't find this off putting (I am a huge fan of battle and action scenes, they are often my favourite thing in books and movies) but I know some other readers do - so, just to be warned, lots of fighting and battle and blood and death. It never feels gratuitous, but it is constant for the first 1/3 or so of the book and this can be grinding. It's completely realistic, but there isn't much breathing space.<br />
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Not that this book is all about the action. It is, ultimately, a book about peace. Peace is what most people are striving for, and what characters like Mayor bloody Prentiss (I really think I'm just going to take to calling him that) are constantly trying to prevent. There is the added issue of thousands of settlers being on their way, potentially to land in either a war zone or to be wiped out by the Spackle, which makes a drive for a decent peace treaty - not like the one reached after the first war, which lead to a Spackle slave population - even more important.<br />
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This is all making it sound like a very simplistic plot. And, to an extent, it is. It is a relentless plot, just as the first two books are, and there are just as many twists and turns with as many surprises as you'd expect. A lot of the focus is on the Spackle - there is now a third voice added to Todd and Viola's and it is absolutely awesome and adds a new layer to the debate about peace and war, justice and revenge. The genius of this book, as with <em>The Ask and the Answer</em>, is that there are no simple solutions and pretty much every side is justified in their actions in some way (except Mayor bloody Prentiss). Like the best science fiction it makes you think about the real world, about issues we have to deal with, and does so with an amazing story that left me crying and shuddering and wanting to recommend it to as many people as possible.<br />
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Does it work as the last book in a trilogy? Hell, yes. It is a fantastic finale, which brings together all the themes and works perfectly. I did not feel remotely let down by any part of it. I really don't think I can recommend this trilogy to people enough - it is painful and intense and there are times when you care so much that it hurts, but it is so worth the read. I just wish I'd read all three last year when I first read <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em>.<br />
<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 10/10</span></strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-51458366427478894372012-12-20T17:33:00.001+00:002012-12-20T17:33:35.584+00:00Review: The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking #2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the second book of The Chaos Walking trilogy, just when you think things can't get worse they do. Every time. And it hurts (though not as much as it will in the finale).<br />
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<strong>Title & Author: </strong><em>The Ask and the Answer</em> by Patrick Ness<br />
<strong>Published:</strong> 2009<br />
<strong>Series:</strong> <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Series%3A%20Chaos%20Walking">Chaos Walking #2</a><br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 517 (Walker Books, 2009)<br />
<strong>Challenge:</strong> <a href="http://bookaddictsguide.wordpress.com/reading-challenges/series-catch-up-challenge/">Series Catch-Up</a><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Owned book<br />
<br />
<em>Note: If you haven't read</em> <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-knife-of-never-letting-go-by.html">The Knife of Never Letting Go</a> <em>I strongly recommend you do so before reading this review. While I don't spoil</em> The Ask and the Answer <em>I do, by necessity, discuss the ending of the first book which is not something you want spoiled. Trust me.</em><br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> <span id="freeText10841692919319984498">Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss.<br /><br />Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order.<br /><br />But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? <br />And where is Viola? Is she even still alive?<br />And who are the mysterious Answer?<br /><br />And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode... (from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7003779-the-ask-and-the-answer">Goodreads</a>)</span><br />
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<strong>First line:</strong> "'Your Noise reveals you, Todd Hewitt.'"<br />
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<strong>Review:</strong> So, the ending of <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em> was pretty bad, right? Viola's been gut shot, Todd can't find anyone to help, and Mayor Prentiss has taken over Haven, renamed it Prentisstown and declared himself President. Things can't get much worse, right? Wrong, they get spectacularly worse in epic ways.<br />
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The book is told from Todd and Viola's perspectives, which is great and Viola Eade is a total bamf and Todd is just as cool as ever. What's less great is that neither of them know what's happening to the other, so first there's the tension of Todd wondering if Viola survived, then there's all sorts of misunderstandings as they both try to muddle through and figure out just what the other one is up to. And given that they end up on opposite sides of a fight between Mayor "I'm a nice guy really" Prentiss and Mistress "I know best let's blow stuff up" Coyle there are a lot of things to misunderstand. This could become annoying, but Patrick Ness handles it well and there's only one moment when I wanted to smack myself in the forehead then slap them both because, guys, really, think things through for a bit and see that you're being played. <br />
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Just as <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em> dealt with 'big' issues through a fantastic plot, so <em>The Ask and the Answer</em> addresses the little matters of dictatorship and terrorism while driving relentlessly to an ending with no easy choices. I do like that Patrick Ness didn't make all those in opposition to the Mayor perfect or even likeable; it's more real that way, and opens up two matters for consideration. Because as despicable as the Mayor is, the reaction some of the residents of Haven have to him both make things worse and give him the opportunity to improve his public image. <br />
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And I really feel like I can't say more because, again, spoilers. The one thing I will say is: make sure you have <em>Monsters of Men</em> to hand before you finish <em>The Ask and the Answer</em>. Because if you though the cliffhanger to <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em> was evil you are wildly unprepared for the end of <em>The Ask and the Answer</em>. Every plotline speeds up, rushes towards a conclusion - and then something wholly unexpected happens, which leads to Todd having to make a terrifying decision. And then the book ends.<br />
Ultimately I don't love this book as much as I love <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em>, but it is an exceptionally good read and an excellent middle book of a trilogy.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 9/10</span></strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-86941445441655818722012-12-18T05:00:00.000+00:002012-12-18T17:16:44.777+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Read in 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLrh-y2FMBuKIL8IrFOiWUnN3ABz6FB_JGd6szOVhQRaDpf1vNqyISQtICkQ8lFRUOe-ceUI997UVFemfiL0cdZxoeqFoeTAKfCVCow3bFYjW_HRd289C7HkFezCjngqt4mE3_CHJpRT4/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLrh-y2FMBuKIL8IrFOiWUnN3ABz6FB_JGd6szOVhQRaDpf1vNqyISQtICkQ8lFRUOe-ceUI997UVFemfiL0cdZxoeqFoeTAKfCVCow3bFYjW_HRd289C7HkFezCjngqt4mE3_CHJpRT4/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">Top Ten Tuesday</a> is hosted by the <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/">Broke and the Bookish</a>. This week: top ten books we read in 2012. This list is compiled based on my reading up to 16/12 - a total of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2756766?shelf=read-in-2012">73 books</a> (my target for the year was 100 but I've now dropped that to a somewhat more manageable 75). This was quite a tricky ten to decide, because once I got past number 5 there were a lot of books vying for position. But this is the definitive list of my favourite books for 2012 (unless I read something amazing in the next couple of weeks, which could happen) - with British dates, in case some look weird.<br />
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<strong>1. <em>Monsters of Men</em> by Patrick Ness (3/12 - 9/12)</strong> - This is really for the entire trilogy (this is book 3, <em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/review-knife-of-never-letting-go-by.html">The Knife of Never Letting Go</a></em> is #1 and <em>The Ask and the Answer</em> #2) because oh my God it is so good. Seriously, destructively good. I could be quite obnoxious about recommending people read this, especially if they like science fiction and/or dystopias because it is just so good. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/44939-chaos-walking">Goodreads for the trilogy</a>)<br />
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<strong>2. <em>A Monster Calls</em> by Patrick Ness (from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd) (9/12)</strong> - So, I was in a bit of a Patrick Ness fangirl mood and so I read this as soon as I finished <em>Monster of Men</em>. Which was a bit silly because I spent a day being messed up and teary. The book deals with grief and love and loss in a stunning way that left me feeling like I'd punched in the gut. Brilliant. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12998980-a-monster-calls">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>3. <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/published-2011-pages-352-bloomsbury.html"><em>The Song of Achilles</em> by Madeline Miller</a> (27/6 - 29/6)</strong> - Until I picked up the above books, this was easily going to be my book of the year. The story of <em>The Iliad</em> retold from Patroclus's perspective? With him and Achilles in a relationship (which they blatantly are, it doesn't take that much reading between the lines, people)? How could I not love that - well, if it had been handled badly, but it wasn't! Absolutely beautiful and the ending made me cry even though I knew what would happen. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13516154-the-song-of-achilles">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>4. <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-my-sister-lives-on-mantelpiece.html"><em>My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece</em> by Annabel Pitcher</a> (7/11)</strong> - Another book about grief and loss that had me sobbing (there is a pattern forming). Told from the perspective of wonderful ten-year-old Jamie who really needs a hug, this book is wonderful. A quick read that nonetheless makes you feel all the things. I can't wait to get my hands on her new book. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11722503-my-sister-lives-on-the-mantelpiece">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>5. <em>Thirteen Reasons Why</em> by Jay Asher (5/1)</strong> - I only read this once, at the very beginning of the year (first book of the year, actually) but it stuck with me. It was a little too close to the bone in some cases - I had a fun adolescence - but it dealt with an important issue very well. The sort of book I'd want as many people as possible to read. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6500026-thirteen-reasons-why">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>6. <em>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</em> by Stephen Chbosky (27/2 - 1/3)</strong> - I still haven't seen the film because I am ridiculous but I really liked the book. Simple, beautiful language, wonderful characters, all fabulous. I really need to get my own copy (this was a library book), reread it and watch the film. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4327066-the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>7. <em>Dash & Lily's Book of Dares</em> by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (10/5 - 11/5)</strong> - I love this almost as much as <em>Nick & Norah</em>. A really fun, slightly daft read in a good way. I leant it to my flatmate during one of my moments of indoctrinating her with YA and she liked it too, also making the point that all of the characters are great and Lily could be so annoyingly perfect but she isn't. If you liked <em>Nick & Norah</em> read this (it's also Christmas-y!). (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7741325-dash-lily-s-book-of-dares">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>8. <em>Liesl & Po</em> by Lauren Oliver (13/6)</strong> - Until I read The Song of Achilles this was my favourite book in June. It's my first Lauren Oliver (I know, what have I been doing?) and it's one of the most beautiful children's books I've ever read - my edition is a gorgeous hardback as well as being a gorgeous story. The prose, the characters, the plot, everything is wonderful. And it made me cry. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969201-liesl-and-po">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>9. <em>The Demon's Lexicon</em> by Sarah Rees Brennan (6/1 - 9/1)</strong> - One of my first tasks in the new year will be rereading this and then finishing the trilogy. This is fun, awesome urban fantasy and it's not only set in Britain (woot!) but also in places I know. Oh, Exeter, I miss thee and was probably there when all this was going down. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6479419-the-demon-s-lexicon">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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<strong>10. <em>Giving Up the Ghost</em> by Hilary Mantel (30/1 - 31/1)</strong> - this was the tricky decision but I'm choosing Mantel because her writing is just so good. There's a lot in her memoir about feminism and writing and all sorts of other things that had me marvelling and determining to read the rest of her books. (<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/490619.Giving_Up_the_Ghost">Goodreads</a>)<br />
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Also thoroughly enjoyed: anything by Christopher Isherwood, <em>An Education</em> by Lynn Barber, and <em>Amy & Roger's Epic Detour</em> by Morgan Matson.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-86474054537273285062012-12-17T17:55:00.001+00:002012-12-18T17:32:10.386+00:00Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking #1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em>, subjects such as war, love, feminism, misogyny and death are dealt with in a way that is a) beautiful and b) so intense oh my God I couldn't stop reading even though it hurt. And that's just the start of a series that will wreck you.<br />
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<strong>Title & Author:</strong> <em>The Knife of Never Letting Go</em> by Patrick Ness<br />
<strong>Published:</strong> 2008<br />
<strong>Series:</strong> <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Series%3A%20Chaos%20Walking">Chaos Walking #1</a><br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 479 (Walker Books, 2008)<br />
<strong>Challenge:</strong> <a href="http://bookaddictsguide.wordpress.com/reading-challenges/series-catch-up-challenge/">Series Catch-Up</a><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Owned book<br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> <span id="freeText6514649531702017591">Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. (edited from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6043848-the-knife-of-never-letting-go">Goodreads</a> because hello spoilers much?)</span><br />
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<strong>First Line:</strong> "The first thing you find out when yer dog starts to talk is that dogs don't got nothing much to say. About anything."<br />
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<strong>Review: </strong>This is a difficult review to write because a) I love this book so damn much, I've read it twice now and know I'll reread it repeatedly; and b) I want to say a lot but don't want to spoil. A lot of what makes this book so good is the constant surprise and mystery and wondering just what Patrick Ness is going to drop his characters into next. And then you find out and it hurts and you want it to stop but you also can't stop reading and then you get to the end and let out all the swears because I warn you now, cliffhanger o'clock. Have the rest of the trilogy ready to go because it really needs to be read together or you'll go mad with anticipation.<br />
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So, without wanting to spoil anything: Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown, which is the last settlement on New World. When Todd was a baby the Noise germ (released by the Spackle, the native aliens, during a war that eventually wiped them out) killed all the women of the town and made it so the thoughts of everyone and everything else can be heard. All the time. Forever. This is shown in the book as a mass of words and fonts that are hard to differentiate and give you a sense of just how nightmarish this world is. Todd has learned to hide his Noise a little, but he's still only twelve and stuff leaks out - and when he finds something strange in the swamp, he knows he has to keep it a secret. Only he fails and has to run and then it's a manic chase across New World in which he learns that everything he thought was true isn't.<br />
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And there's death and violence and war and grief and seriously, this book is so good. There's one bit (and people who've read it before know what it is) that I still can't believe Patrick Ness did because you do not do that sort of thing. That is crossing a line. I had forgotten it happened on my reread and I actually tried to convince myself it wasn't going to occur. That it did and it hurt as much this time as before is testament to how this book sucks you in and makes you care about the characters.<br />
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I'm really not sure this review conveys how much I love and admire this book (although maybe the sheer incoherence gets that across). I just think everyone should read it, and then continue with the rest of the trilogy. It made me cry and think and swear, all of which are good things when I'm reading. Read it.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 10/10</span></strong>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-37100261736020866412012-12-15T10:04:00.000+00:002012-12-15T10:04:06.755+00:00Series Catch-Up: Midpoint Check In Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://bookaddictsguide.wordpress.com/reading-challenges/series-catch-up-challenge/">The Series Catch-Up Challenge</a> is hosted by Brittany at <a href="http://bookaddictsguide.wordpress.com/">The Book Addict's Guide</a>. As we're halfway through it's time for a quick check in on my progress. I signed up to the challenge <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/series-catch-up-2012-sign-up-post.html">here</a> and set myself some goals, which are in bold below.<br />
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- <strong><em>Vampire Academy</em> by Richelle Mead (2 to go)</strong> - Haven't started these yet. I need to, as I'm not allowing myself to read <em>Bloodlines</em> or <em>The Golden Lily</em> until I've finished <em>Vampire Academy</em> and I really want to read those. <br />
<br />- <strong><em>Chaos Walking</em> by Patrick Ness (I'm going to have to reread the 1st one)</strong> - I have finished this series! It was brilliant and heartbreaking and made me sob and yell and decide that I want Viola Eade to be real so she can fix all the problems ever because she is that much of a badass. Reviews to follow.<br />
<br />- <strong><em>Gemma Doyle</em> by Libba Bray (again, some rereading is needed, this time of the first two - not that that's a hardship)</strong> - haven't started this either. No <em>Diviners</em> for me till I've finished <em>Gemma Doyle</em>.<br />
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Those were my main ones. I did also say that I hoped to read "EITHER <em>The Hunger Games</em> OR <em>The Demon's Lexicon</em> OR <em>Dream Catcher</em>" although that may not happen. I'm a bit dystopia-ed out after <em>Chaos Walking</em> and am wondering if even <em>The Hunger Games</em> will come close to how bloody awesome those books are. <br />
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Actually, if you take anything away from this little post, I hope it's this: read <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/44939-chaos-walking">Chaos Walking</a></em>. Seriously, read it. It will eat your life and mess you up and make you think, and it is so worth it. Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-57887105453843875182012-12-15T09:49:00.004+00:002012-12-15T09:49:59.986+00:00Harry Potter Readalong: Final Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxv856BquIrwZBZlvOCCA2U9y6L7XyCrdttclxx3gVMGl-hhxLO8yBAaDggZ_I_OxcOPZuzLcvF543rKFB4VEs1zTPw-L0dSuva3H-4MIB3zU5U4uIkoJdXyGq4KiYq-UkeEm93MJlFrQ-/s1600/hpreadalong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Harry Potter Read Along" bea="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxv856BquIrwZBZlvOCCA2U9y6L7XyCrdttclxx3gVMGl-hhxLO8yBAaDggZ_I_OxcOPZuzLcvF543rKFB4VEs1zTPw-L0dSuva3H-4MIB3zU5U4uIkoJdXyGq4KiYq-UkeEm93MJlFrQ-/s1600/hpreadalong.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
So, today is the last day of the <a href="http://lostgenerationreader.com/2012/08/31/harry-potter-read-along-master-post/">Harry Potter Readalong</a>, which was hosted by the wonderful Jenna at <a href="http://lostgenerationreader.com/">Lost Generation Reader</a>. This means I should really do a final post listing everything I've achieved and what I've learnt etc. <br />
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Except I haven't finished rereading the series.<br />
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I stopped at <em>Prisoner of Azkaban</em>.<br />
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I would love to say I have good reasons for failing to do something I was incredibly excited about, but mostly I got behind and then couldn't catch up and, what can I say, it's pretty much my time at university all over again. At least this time I had read the books before so I don't have to sit there nodding along as the lecturer talks about themes and meanings and the like.<br />
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<em>But</em>, I did really enjoy the start of the reread and I am going to finish it in my own time, most likely in January - plus, I really like the idea of rereading a series I love and having a fixed day to post reviews (I did it on Saturdays), so I think I'll make that a feature of my blog in 2013.<br />
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All of this is a long winded way of saying: I haven't finished the series, but I intend to, and will do so (with reviews) in January. And then I will move on to other series I enjoy and have actually completed.<br />
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<u>Posts for the Readalong</u><br />
<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/harry-potter-read-along-signing-up.html">Sign Up Post</a> - fascinating info on my decision to start the readalong.<br />
<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/harry-potter-read-along-beginning.html">The Beginning</a> - in which I wax lyrical about my love of Harry Potter.<br />
<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-harry-potter.html">Top Ten Harry Potter Moments </a>- it was a freebie at <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">Top Ten Tuesday</a> so I went with this.<br />
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<u>Books reread and reviewed</u><br />
<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-harry-potter-and-philosophers.html">Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone</a></em><br />
<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-harry-potter-and-chamber-of.html">Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</a></em><br />
<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/review-harry-potter-and-prisoner-of.html">Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</a></em><br />
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<u>Books to reread and review</u><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</em><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</em><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</em><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em><br />
<em>Quidditch Through the Ages</em><br />
<em>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em><br />
<em>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</em><br />
<em>Harry: A History </em>by Melissa Anelli<br />
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I'll update this post with links to reviews as and when I post them.<br />
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And at some point I will have to do a big write up of my visit to the Harry Potter Studio, especially as I'm hoping to drag my friends there for my 30th next year.<br />
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Finally, thanks to Jenna for hosting the readalong in the first place. Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-12267665988408556192012-12-13T17:19:00.000+00:002012-12-13T17:19:08.119+00:00Quick UpdateI've been really lax in blogging lately, so to anyone who reads/follows - sorry. I've suddenly picked up my reading after a massive slump and have torn through about 7 books in a weekend. So now I need to write about them in review form.<br />
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I also have some challenges to participate in and sign up for, and end of year things to do. Other than that - and the reviews required for said challenges - I'm not going to be posting much again until the new year when I intend to be a lot more organised and scheduled and productive. Yes. Because it is a new year and that is the sort of thing you say as you approach one.<br />
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So, things to come in December, but more stuff in January.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-29240502449835821512012-11-19T17:32:00.000+00:002012-11-19T17:44:43.991+00:002013 Debut Author Challenge: Goal Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://hobbitsies.net/debut-author-challenge/">The Debut Author Challenge 2013</a> is being hosted by Tara at <a href="http://hobbitsies.net/">Hobbitsies</a>. The sign up post is <a href="http://hobbitsies.net/2012/10/debut-author-challenge-information-and-sign-ups/">here</a> and the main link for other goal posts <a href="http://hobbitsies.net/2012/11/2013-debut-author-challenge-goal-post/">here</a>. <br />
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I've set up a <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2756766-jo?format=html&shelf=debut-2013">shelf on Goodreads for all the 2013 Debuts</a> that interest me, and as of writing this post that totals 88 books, which I need to cut down. I settled on 20 books I really want to read, ones that I added as soon as I read the synopsis. It's a pretty varied list, mostly YA with some middle grade thrown in.<br />
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All links lead to Goodreads.<br />
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12930909-between-the-devil-and-the-deep-blue-sea">Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea</a></em> by April Genevieve Tucholke<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12084278-city-of-a-thousand-dolls">City of a Thousand Dolls</a></em> by Miriam Forster<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13401993-dualed">Dualed</a></em> by Elsie Chapman<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16046550-the-falconer">The Falconer</a></em> by Elizabeth May<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15802883-how-my-summer-went-up-in-flames">How My Summer Went Up In Flames</a></em> by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13423346-ink">Ink</a></em> by Amanda Sun<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10861195-level-2">Level 2</a></em> by Lenore Appelhans<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14999965-linked">Linked</a></em> by Imogen Howson<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12291438-the-madman-s-daughter">The Madman's Daughter</a></em> by Megan Shepherd<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10222362-mila-2-0">MILA 2.0</a></em> by Debra Driza<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11988046-pivot-point">Pivot Point</a></em> by Kasie West<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15815409-powerless">Powerless</a></em> by Patrick Matthews<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517338-the-reece-malcolm-list">The Reece Malcolm List</a></em> by Amy Spalding<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13600711-the-s-word">The S-Word</a></em> by Chelsea Pitcher<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13522285-severed-heads-broken-hearts">Severed Heads, Broken Hearts</a></em> by Robin Schneider<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13721341-strands-of-bronze-and-gold">Strands of Bronze and Gold</a></em> by Jane Nickerson<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14744489-the-summer-i-became-a-nerd">The Summer I Became A Nerd</a></em> by Leah Rae Miller<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11044367-taken">Taken</a></em> by Erin Bowman<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11973377-transparent">Transparent</a></em> by Natalie Whipple<br />
<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15777797-truth-or-dare">Truth or Dare</a></em> by Jacqueline GreenJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-61604102291825777022012-11-13T05:30:00.000+00:002012-11-13T05:30:00.642+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'd Want On A Deserted Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">Top Ten Tuesday</a> is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. This week: books I'd want on a deserted island. Limited to ten! Pah! Though, to be honest, this was one where the first few were very easy and then I spent ages agonising over the last handful. And I decided against taking books I hadn't read, because even though a deserted island would be the perfect opportunity to plough through <em>Middlemarch</em>, for example, what if I didn't like it and lamented the books I'd left behind? <br />
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I may be overthinking this.<br />
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<strong>1.</strong> <strong><em>The Cricket Term</em> by Antonia Forest</strong> - my favourite book by one of my favourite writers. This was the first book of Antonia Forest's that I really loved and the reason I understand cricket and can yell appropriate things while watching the Ashes. I think it's one of her best books - although as soon as I say that I remember the others and they're all damn good.<br />
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<strong>2.</strong> <strong><em>The Complete Works of Jane Austen</em> by Jane Austen (shockingly)</strong> - I own the individual volumes but if I'm on a deserted island I want one of those big compendium editions with all six novels and the tiny print and it might be difficult to hold/read but I will have all of Austen with me!<br />
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<strong>3.</strong> <strong><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/review-harry-potter-and-prisoner-of.html"><em>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</em> by J.K. Rowling</a></strong> - my favourite of the <em>Harry Potter</em> books. I am having some <em>Harry Potter</em> with me.<br />
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<strong>4.</strong> <strong><em>Night Watch</em> by Terry Pratchett</strong> - this is where it got tricky, because I reread Terry Pratchett a lot and there are about ten of his books which I have on a near permanent loop of tired/tipsy late night reading. But I went with Night Watch because it has a fantastic plot, it's Vimes being Vimes, and there are all sorts of fun moments as younger versions of familiar characters pop up. Teenage Vetinari badassing it up at the Assassin's Guild is one of my highlights.<br />
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<strong>5.</strong> <strong><em>The Game of Kings</em> by Dorothy Dunnett</strong> - this is a bit of a cheat, as I need to read the rest of Lymond, but if I'm sticking to books I've read then it's this one because it is awesome. And because nothing too bad has happened yet, I get the feeling the rest of the series is going to get mean (in a good way).<br />
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<strong>6.</strong> <strong><em>Have His Carcase</em> by Dorothy L. Sayers</strong> - I could take all of the Harriet Vane books - and it was a toss up between this one and <em>Gaudy Night</em> - but this is fun because Wimsey's around for a lot of it. Much as I like Harriet as singleton sleuth in Oxford, the two of them pairing up to fight crime with Bunter sidekicking is more fun.<br />
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<strong>7.</strong> <strong><em>Paper Towns</em> by John Green</strong> - I reread this book every so often and wonder why I don't add it to my permanent cycle of rereads. It's my favourite John Green (though I haven't read <em>The Fault in Our Stars</em>) and the road trip, oh the road trip. I want that on my deserted island.<br />
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<strong>8.</strong> <strong><em>Maurice</em> by E.M. Forster</strong> - this was the first Forster I read and it's still my favourite. It's a gay love story written in 1913 and Forster himself said that he didn't think there would ever be a time in which it could be published. It's a beautiful, simple book and one I'd recommend to people wanting to try some Edwardian literature.<br />
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<strong>9.</strong> <strong><em>Nick and Norah's Inifinite Playlist </em>by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan</strong> - need I explain this? Everyone I've leant this book to has devoured it in one sitting and then raved to me about how much they love it, which is the best thing that can happen when I lend my books. A fun read that also says a lot about life and made me want to go to New York (some day I will achieve this, some day).<br />
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<strong>10.</strong> <strong><em>Devil's Cub</em> by Georgette Heyer</strong> - this last spot had some contenders - The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford and The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss amongst them - but this won because, well, because I like it so much. I do admit to skipping the first few chapters on most rereads and going straight to the awesome banter sections, but it is such a fun book and my favourite Heyer.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-1074833343315126592012-11-12T17:26:00.002+00:002012-11-12T17:26:20.100+00:00Review: Highland Fling by Nancy Mitford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In Nancy Mitford's first novel, all of the elements are there but she hasn't quite found her style yet.<br />
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<strong>Published:</strong> 1932<br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 185 (Hamish Hamilton Ltd, 1975)<br />
<strong>Read:</strong> 8/11/12 - 9/11/12<br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Borrowed from the library<br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> Albert Gates goes to stay at Craigdalloch Castle in Scotland for a shooting party. There he meets a host of mad characters, plays some pranks, and falls in love.<br />
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<strong>First line:</strong> "Albert Gates came down from Oxford feeling that his life was behind him."<br />
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<strong>Review: </strong>This is the second time this year when I've read the first book by an author I like and wondered if I'd be a fan of them if I'd started with their debut (the other was Christopher Isherwood's <em>All The Conspirators</em>). I'm a huge fan of <em>The Pursuit of Love</em> and <em>Love in a Cold Climate</em> to the extent that I've lost count of how many times I've read them, especially the former, but <em>Highland Fling</em> is definitely an early effort. It's not bad, but it doesn't sparkle like those books do.<br />
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Still, if you expect upper-class eccentricity and moments when you're not sure if you should be judging the actions of the aristocracy positively or negatively, then this has those elements in spades. And those are things I like about Nancy Mitford's work, it's just that here they've yet to reach the pitch of absurdity she manages in her later books. There are definite hints at what she'll achieve - General Murgatroyd is a forerunner of Uncle Matthew - but she hasn't got there yet. If anything, this felt a bit like reading an Evelyn Waugh novel, and you can see his influence clearly. Not a bad thing (though I've only read <em>Brideshead Revisited</em>) but not what I'm looking for in a Nancy Mitford.<br />
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So, I would definitely recommend this to people wanting read more Nancy Mitford, but I would say read <em>The Pursuit of Love</em> or <em>Love in a Cold Climate</em> first so you can see what all the fuss is about. I would also say that the book ends so abruptly that I had to do a quick double check that the library book hadn't been defaced. A fun read, and interesting for people who are already fans of Mitford's work, but not something I'd recommend as a starting point.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Rating: 6/10</span></strong><br />
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<strong>Other Reviews:</strong><br />
<a href="http://desperatereader.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/highland-fling-nancy-mitford.html">Desperate Reader</a><br />
<a href="http://preferreading.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/highland-fling-nancy-mitford.html">I Prefer Reading</a><br />
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-14341564855928065332012-11-10T10:16:00.003+00:002012-11-10T10:16:32.746+00:00Review: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcWvfRJFGDOcU98JmgAWkIspVMS2Geit7MaEfWagZSwxqdFhgeEtCjqXTZYjZ-WcRlUSUav5jDdQ3WGWOMqpIKNa9a-LfZHA5hnbCQNgF7Vwvi4lLecrgbn9S1XUnLdoLbuzfjeEWbL_k/s1600/11722503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher" border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcWvfRJFGDOcU98JmgAWkIspVMS2Geit7MaEfWagZSwxqdFhgeEtCjqXTZYjZ-WcRlUSUav5jDdQ3WGWOMqpIKNa9a-LfZHA5hnbCQNgF7Vwvi4lLecrgbn9S1XUnLdoLbuzfjeEWbL_k/s200/11722503.jpg" title="" width="131" /></a></div>
In this beautiful book, subjects such as grief and intolerance are dealt with in a wonderful, non-preachy way and it is marvellous.<br />
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<strong>Published:</strong> 2011<br />
<strong>Pages:</strong> 221 (Indigo, 2011)<br />
<strong>Read:</strong> 7/11/12<br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Borrowed from the library<br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> Ten-year-old Jamie hasn't cried since his big sister, Rose, was killed five years earlier. His family has fallen apart as a result of her death: his mum left, his dad drinks, and Jasmine, Rose's twin, isn't eating. When his parents divorce, Jamie moves with his dad and Jasmine to the Lake District in an attempt to rebuild their lives.<br />
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<strong>First Line:</strong> "My sister Rose lives on the mantelpiece."<br />
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<strong>Review:</strong> This review is tricky to write because I loved this book so much. I read it at the start of what was meant to be a Day of Reading and then found that I couldn't pick up another book afterwards, I was that caught up in <em>My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece</em> and my reaction to it. I cried, I cringed, I laughed, and I was taken back to my own time as a ten-year-old. All in one slim volume of elegant prose and fully realised characters. <br />
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I'm tempted just to stop here and say: read it! Read it now!<br />
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But I won't, though I may just list reasons for reading it:<br />
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1) Jamie himself. He is a wonderful narrator, and it really feels like a ten-year-old view of the world. Not just in the language, which is beautiful yet still, somehow, childlike, but in how he treats the universe: if he wears a Spider-Man t-shirt then it will be ready for when his mum visits, and wearing it will <em>make</em> her visit. There are constant imaginings of how life <em>should</em> be and <em>will </em>be and I really wanted to be able to Thursday Next my way into the book and give him a hug.<br />
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2) Sunya, Jamie's friend at school. Sunya forever, she is badass and incredible and I kind of wish she'd been my friend when I was that age although I would have been terrified that one of her fantastic vengeance plots would get us in trouble. Not that it would have done, she is too badass for that. <br />
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3) Tough issues are dealt with in a fantastic way. <em>My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece</em> deals with grief, intolerance, abandonment, alcoholism, anorexia, bullying and exclusion in a way that never feels heavy-handed or as if Annabel Pitcher is forcing a moral on the reader. Jamie puzzles things out for himself and has constant moments of trying to put together a right way to act from the hypocrisies of the adults around him.<br />
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4) It perfectly captured what being at primary school is like. The school in this book is a local village one, very heavily C of E and though this is clearly set in the 21st century, but it reminded me a lot of being at primary school in the late 80s/early 90s, although none of my teachers were as hideous as Mrs Farmer. The way in which teachers often make favourites of the most hideous children was very accurate though.<br />
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5) There is a total <em>Britain's Got Talent</em> parody/piss-take which I loved. I don't even watch the damn show and I appreciated it.<br />
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6) It made me cry. <br />
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Oh, just read it! I don't want to spoil anything - I haven't even said how Rose died, because I went in not knowing and I quite liked it having a bit of mystery as to what happened to her, although I know some book blurbs do include it - I just want to recommend it to people and buy a copy so I can lend it to my friends with instructions that they read it. And you should, too.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>Rating: 10/10</strong></span><br />
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<strong>Other Reviews:</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.wondrousreads.com/2011/03/review-my-sister-lives-on-mantelpiece.html">Wondrous Reads</a><br />
<a href="http://foreveryoungadult.com/2012/09/05/ill-teach-this-village-how-to-mourn/">Forever Young Adult</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bethfishreads.com/2012/11/review-my-sister-lives-on-mantelpiece.html">Beth Fish Reads</a>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-53896341748347015092012-11-07T13:54:00.002+00:002012-11-07T13:54:21.097+00:00Review: This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In <i>This Dark Endeavour</i>, Kennth Oppel writes a prequel to <i>Frankenstein</i> that reminds me why I want to punch Victor. And that is a good thing.<br />
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<b>Published:</b> 2011<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 366 (David Fickling Books, 2011)<br />
<b>Series:</b> The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein<br />
<b>Read: </b>30/9/12 - 16/10/12<br />
<b>Status:</b> Borrowed from the library<br />
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<b>Synopsis:</b> When his twin brother falls dangerously ill, Victor Frankenstein sets out to find the Elixir or Life. The quest is fraught with danger, not least because of Victor's arrogance and a bitter love triangle that threatens to derail the entire endeavour.<br />
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<b>First Line:</b> "We found the monster on a rocky ledge high above the lake."<br />
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<b>Review:</b> <i>This Dark Endeavour</i> is a prequel to the <i>Frankenstein</i> story, but you don't need to have read <i>Frankenstein</i> for it to make sense. It works just as well as a standalone novel (though it is the start of a series) and prior knowledge of Mary Shelley's work isn't essential. I have read Frankenstein, but it was ages ago so my memory of it is sketchy; though there were bits I remembered that helped me with this book, there were some times when I thought "hang on, is that canon?" but this was my issue rather than the book's. There was foreshadowing of the original novel, and a few references that cheered my eighteenth-century literature student heart - Polidori lives on Wollstonekraft Avenue, yay! - but none of this is noticeable as part of something the reader might not understand.<br />
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As a book in it's own right, <i>This Dark Endeavour</i> stands up. It would work even without the Frankenstein connection, although that adds an extra dimension to Victor's actions. <i>This Dark Endeavour</i> is well plotted and the prose is good, without too many attempts at eighteenth-century language and without any modern slips. There are elements of genuine Gothic horror, and the Swiss setting gives even more opportunity for things like, I don't know, being stuck up a tall tree in a thunderstorm while being attacked by giant birds or almost being eaten by a giant cave-dwelling fish. It wouldn't be a quest if there wasn't some peril.<br />
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Victor himself is well-drawn and fits in with how I think of Victor Frankenstein, a.k.a. I want to punch him really hard in the face. I've felt that since reading <i>Frankenstein</i> and<i> This Dark Endeavour</i> just proves I'm right (which is nice). I really like that Kenneth Oppel doesn't shy away from making Victor an arrogant, presumptuous little git whose actions might break the laws of nature and cause all sorts of problems but who doesn't care about this as long as he's Right. That you don't stop reading even though the narrator is driving you mad is a sign of a good book.<br />
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Not that Victor is all bad (which is part of the reason why it works). He does genuinely care about his brother, and he has moments of complete honesty in which he recognises that his own motives aren't completely pure. That he also admits to seeing a cold-blooded way of dealing with the book's love triangle is something else in his favour (awful though it is), as I like that Kenneth Oppel took the story there and allowed his character to have those thoughts. It would have been unnatural (hoho) if he hadn't.<br />
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<i>This Dark Endeavour</i> works well as a book by itself, and I will definitely be reading the sequel - <i>Such Wicked Intent</i> - when it comes into the library. A prior knowledge of Frankenstein isn't necessary (and I think most people, even if they haven't read the book, know the gist of the story) but it does add a little extra depth/knowledge to the reading. Definitely recommended for fans of Gothic horror and flawed narrators.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Rating: 8/10</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Other Reviews: </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com/2011/08/this-dark-endeavor-the-apprenticeship-of-victor-frankenstein-by-kenneth-oppel-book-review.html">Good Books and Good Wine</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://astormofwords.net/2012/10/07/this-dark-endeavour-by-kenneth-oppel/">A Storm of Words</a></span><br />
<a href="http://bookaddictdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/book-review-this-dark-endeavor-by.html">Diary of a Book Addict</a><br />
<a href="http://thebooksmugglers.com/2011/08/book-review-this-dark-endeavor-by-kenneth-oppel.html">The Book Smugglers</a>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-74846735875240061082012-11-06T06:00:00.000+00:002012-11-06T06:00:00.859+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Harry Potter Moments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">Top Ten Tuesday</a> is hosted by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/">The Broke and the Bookish</a>. This week is a freebie, so I'm going with my favourite Harry Potter moments. I chose this because a) I am a sad, sad fangirl; and b) I am behind on my <a href="http://lostgenerationreader.com/2012/08/31/harry-potter-read-along-master-post/">Harry Potter Readalong</a> reading and so this is my way of doing something HP-related to keep things ticking over. This is spoiler-y for the whole series. All references are to the UK paperbacks.<br />
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1. "Lily's...eyes...search his face hungrily as though she would never be able to look at him enough." (<em>Deathly Hallows</em>, 560). This makes me cry every time, even if I read it out of context. That entire chapter is one massive gut punch, but when Harry sees his parents, Sirius and Lupin and they talk about death and they stay with him to protect him...gah, my tears. It's also one of the culminating moments of the theme of maternal love that runs right through the books.<br />
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2. "After all this time?" "Always" (<em>Deathly Hallows</em>, 552). We finally get the Snape back story we've been waiting for, as well as the answers of which side he was truly on and just what the hell Severus has been up to all these years. I have to admit that, though I did cry when he died, I didn't give him one of my full blubbery stopped reading send offs because I saw the next chapter would be all about his past and oh how I wanted that info. Also glad to be right that he was good.<br />
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3. "Is this the moment?" (<em>Deathly Hallows</em>, 502). I may, while reading <em>Deathly Hallows</em>, have yelled a specific page number at my friends and it may have been the one in which Ron and Hermione finally kiss. I had been waiting for this since <em>Goblet of Fire</em> and was starting to think it was never actually going to happen. Then they go for it in the middle of a battle and Harry has to remind them that there's a war on. Perfect.<br />
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4. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" (<em>Deathly Hallows</em>, 589). Another moment of maternal love, this time proof that you do not mess with Molly Weasley's children. If you are Bellatrix Lestrange, you do not even get within fifty feet of them because Molly will end you. And what makes this even better is J.K. Rowling's commentary on it on <em>The Women of Harry Potter</em> featurette (<em>Deathly Hallows Part Two</em> disc 2).<br />
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5. "Give her hell from us, Peeves" (<em>Order of the Phoenix</em>, 595). The twins leave in spectacular fashion, having caused utter havoc at Hogwarts. There's a lot about Order of the Phoenix that I'm not much of a fan of, but the entire section of people getting vengeance on Umbridge is one of my favourite parts of the whole series.<br />
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6. "[Luna] appeared singularly uninterested in such mundane things as the score" (<em>Half-Blood Prince</em>, 388). Luna. Commentates. Quidditch. Need I say more?<br />
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7. "More likely there's a very shellshocked cat wandering around somewhere, covered in potato peelings" (<em>Goblet of Fire</em>, 142). This is one of the things that makes me consider Goblet of Fire the funniest book. It's really Amos Diggory's full description of Moody's reaction to someone approaching his house, but the image of this cat amuses me the most - though when you know what really happened it's less funny...<br />
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8. "This is the weirdest thing we've ever done" (<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/review-harry-potter-and-prisoner-of.html">Prisoner of Azkaban</a></em>, 291). The Time Turner sequence, or Harry Potter goes all wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey and it is wonderful. It locks not just the plots but the themes together perfectly and is one of the reasons <em>Prisoner of Azkaban</em> is my favourite book.<br />
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9. "Harry - yer a wizard" (<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-harry-potter-and-philosophers.html">Philosopher's Stone</a></em>, 42). And we're off. The first few chapters of <em>Philosopher's Stone</em> are interesting and compelling and I like reading them, but it isn't until Hagrid shows up that we get a lot of explanations and back story that kick the plot into overdrive and which will be useful for the rest of the series - though, of course, we don't get everything...<br />
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10. "Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison" (<em><a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-harry-potter-and-chamber-of.html">Chamber of Secrets</a></em>, 176-7). Another moment that I just find funny, and which feeds into my fanon view of this book which has McGonagall and Snape plotting to get rid of Lockhart over tumblers of whiskey. I also think there's an (un)intentional reference to Dorothy L. Sayers in there - the number of valentines Lockhart gets is the same as the number of proposals Harriet Vane receives. <br />
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Those are (some) of my favourite <em>Harry Potter</em> moments - what are yours?Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230408304989744895.post-41737814528615792372012-11-05T15:31:00.003+00:002012-11-07T14:08:01.739+00:00Month in Review: October 2012Having said last month that I was picking up with my blogging and reading, this month I failed to make any real improvement. I read two books! Two! That is just poor, especially given that I had a bit of a mad birthday book haul:<br />
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That pretty much sums up this month: more books acquired than read, though that also describes my usual approach to books and reading.</div>
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<u>Books Read in October 2012</u></div>
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60. <em>Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?</em> by Mindy Kaling</div>
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<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/review-this-dark-endeavour-by-kenneth.html">61. <em>This Dark Endeavour</em> by Kenneth Oppel</a></div>
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<u>Stats</u></div>
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Total Books Read = 2</div>
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Total Pages Read = 597</div>
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Average Book Length= 298</div>
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Owned Books = 2</div>
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Library Books = 0</div>
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<u>Books Reviewed</u></div>
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<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/review-casual-vacancy-by-jk-rowling.html"><em>The Casual Vacancy</em> by J.K. Rowling</a></div>
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<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/review-harry-potter-and-prisoner-of.html"><em>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</em> by J.K. Rowling</a></div>
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<u>Most Popular Blog Post</u></div>
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<a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-childhood.html">Top Ten Childhood Favourites</a></div>
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<u>Month Ahead</u></div>
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1. Continue with the Harry Potter Readlong, hopefully get all 4 remaining books read.</div>
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2. Start the Series Catch Up Challenge - my sign up post is <a href="http://bookjay.blogspot.com/2012/10/series-catch-up-2012-sign-up-post.html">here</a>. Get at least one of those series finished!</div>
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<u>The Year Is Almost Over</u></div>
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My Goodreads challenge was to read 100 books this year (and I only count books that are new to me; including rereads I've probably done it, blast). I have read 62, which means I need to read 38 books in two months/8 weeks/56 days. That is so not doable but I'll give it a shot.</div>
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Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590771003661857591noreply@blogger.com0