chrysalis_stage

Hey there fellow book lovers, As some of you may know I signed up to take part in the 'UK Three Peaks Challenge' in September, which is to climb the 3 highest peaks in the UK in 24 hours, that includes climbing and travelling to locations. The first peak to climb is Ben Nevis is Scotland, then onto Scafel Pike in England (climbing in the dark!) and finally Snowdon in Wales. I am very excited but also nervous about this task and would appreciate any support you are willing to provide whether that be a donation/sponsor money or tips from people who have tackled these peaks before singularly or in 24 hours. I have signed up to do this for my own personal goal as well as in order to raise money for the charity Mind. Mind is such an important charity, it affects us all, we all know people suffering from mental distress whether that be a family member, friend or even yourself. Mind is there to care, educate and encourage good mental health. I personally know of many people affected by mental health problems, short term and long term but I am doing this challenge in memory of my Uncle John who took his own life in 2008. I believe Mind is a much needed charity as mental health is still such an taboo subject, they need all the help they can get in order to help us in return. Anyone that would like to know more about Mind here is the '[/url]So I ask all the generous souls out there to help me raise £500 for Mind, £400 needs to be raised by the 1st of July. Pennies or pounds, whatever you can afford, it all makes a difference and thank you for taking the time to read this. Sponsor me online by going to If anyone would like to sponsor me but is not a fan of using an online system they may contact me for my address. People not a resident of the UK may also sponsor me, their donation will just be processed in GBP. I would like to also say a big thank you to Michelle and Roland Butter who have both kindly sponsored me already, much appreciated!

Prince of Persia & Centurion

Oh I have that on my tbr list, looks like a great read, looking forward to it. Currently reading Soulless by Gail Carriger and started The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins on friday - love it!

Oh new territory is always fun, Kidsmum, good to hear you have this ready to read, I hope you love it and maybe end up reading other books of Mieville's, he is a rare writer

I use goodreads - slightly addicted to it.

Hey chesilbeach, I read Nature's Numbers in April and it is an interesting read. I hope you enjoy it! I happen to work in the same building as Prof. Stewart at the moment. Have his latest book to read, Mathematics of Life, which I hope is better. Good to hear, I have Game of Thrones ready to begin, my personal plan is to start it after seeing the 10th episode. Currently making my way through a few books, focusing on Soulless by Gail Carriger, a light, humorous read.

H. G. Wells - The Island of Dr Moreau - 176 pgs Synopsis: Adrift in a dinghy, Edward Prendick, the single survivor from the good ship Lady Vain, is rescued by a vessel carrying a profoundly unusual cargo – a menagerie of savage animals. Tended to recovery by their keeper Montgomery, who gives him dark medicine that tastes of blood, Prendick soon finds himself stranded upon an uncharted island in the Pacific with his rescuer and the beasts. Here, he meets Montgomery’s master, the sinister Dr. Moreau – a brilliant scientist whose notorious experiments in vivisection have caused him to abandon the civilised world. It soon becomes clear he has been developing these experiments – with truly horrific results. My random thoughts: Enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone but especially any biology students or people that work with animals. I was prepared to give this book a definite 4 stars but the final chapter 'The man alone' really touched me as did 'Doctor Moreau explains' so for those two chapters I give this book 5 stars. As the back of the book states 'A parable on Darwinian theory......a fascinating exploration of what it is to be human' that it sure is. A very thought provoking book which hopefully encourages every reader to look at other animals as our cousins not unreasonable beasts and to take a hard look at our power over other species. First published over 100 years ago in 1896 and still, maybe even more, relevant today, a total classic, I wish I'd read this sooner. Seeing as the story itself is barely over 100 pages, everyone should read this!

China Mieville - Kraken - 481 pgs Synopsis: Deep in the research wing of the Natural History Museum is a prize specimen, something that comes along much less often than once in a lifetime: a perfect, and perfectly preserved, giant squid. But what does it mean when the creature suddenly and impossibly disappears? For curator Billy Harrow it's the start of a headlong pitch into a London of warring cults, surreal magic, apostates and assassins. It might just be that the creature he's been preserving is more than a biological rarity: there are those who are sure it's a god. A god that someone is hoping will end the world. My random thoughts: Packed with fantastic ideas and thought-provoking elements. There were moments I wanted more description (I felt the same reading perdido street station) and wondered where the story was heading but I am in awe of Mieville's imagination, I love it, he makes me want more from him. His style of writing with new or unused words is always refreshing and challenging which I totally enjoy. Loved the idea of Wati's character, Collingswood's chavy style did irritate me at times although I enjoyed her witty remarks. I liked the character of Marge, she felt like me as a reader, delving into the unknown, more so than Billy. Even the 'bad guys' were brilliant, Goss & Subby and Tattoo brought horrific but great imagery. I will definitely need to re-read this book, it is jam-packed with imaginative scenes, many paralleling problems in our society. Random comment: The kraken cult's location beneath the church always reminded me of Midian and the Nightbreed in Cabal by Clive Barker. As much as I enjoyed it, I do prefer the bas lag books but overall I would recommend it, it is the most humorous book of Mieville's I have read so far with many references to British pop culture. This book won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it is definitely worth a look to see if it is! I was personally hooked as soon as the natural history museum was mentioned, although only really used as a locale at the beginning and the end of the book.

Planet terror