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Weave's Reading 2015


Weave

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You should definitely give it a try Anna :)

O.M.G. lol I tried out about 1/3 of the sample last night and its terrifying!  :o  I am having serious reading motivation problems this month, but I was definitely interested, so much so, I think I might "dump" my current reads and pick it up.

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I hadn't heard of this! I have the Across the Universe trilogy on my TBR, I shall add this to my wishlist / want to read list as it sounds like something I'd enjoy. I'm glad you liked it, great review :)!

 

Athena ~ I heard about 'Across the Universe' here on BCF, a popular book, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, the whole trilogy is great. :)

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O.M.G. lol I tried out about 1/3 of the sample last night and its terrifying!  :o  I am having serious reading motivation problems this month, but I was definitely interested, so much so, I think I might "dump" my current reads and pick it up.

 

I'm pleased you are enjoying (scaring you :lol:) the first chapter is definitely memorable. :)

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A nice review of The Strange Library. I've read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Norwegian Wood and loved both but I was a little disappointed with his last novel. It felt like a poor imitation of himself and I was left wondering if this was worth the time. I may pick it up if the library gets it in but there are a few Murakami novels I want to read. 

 

P.S I love Totoro  :D

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A nice review of The Strange Library. I've read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Norwegian Wood and loved both but I was a little disappointed with his last novel. It felt like a poor imitation of himself and I was left wondering if this was worth the time. I may pick it up if the library gets it in but there are a few Murakami novels I want to read. 

 

P.S I love Totoro  :D

 

Thanks Melodious, I have still to read 'Colorless Tsukuru...' I love 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle & 'Norwegian Wood'.  Who doesn't like Totoro :lol:

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The Asylum by John Harwood ~ Started: 22.01.15 ~ Finished: 26.01.15

 

Title of Book: The Asylum

Name of Author: John Harwood

Edition: Paperback

ISBN-10: 0099578840

Number of Pages: 272

 

Synopsis ~

 

A Gothic suspense novel that will keep you in its grip until the final page.

 

Georgina Ferrars, a young woman living quietly with her uncle in London, wakes to find herself in a private asylum 200 miles away on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, with no memory of the past six weeks. Dr Straker, the charismatic physician in charge, tells her that she has suffered a seizure – and that her name is not Georgina Ferrars, but Lucy Ashton. A telegram from her uncle confirms that Georgina Ferrars is still in London. Her protests only serve to convince the doctors that she is in the grip of ‘hysterical possession', and Georgina is certified insane.

 

So begins The Asylum, a Gothic suspense novel set in late Victorian England. With no friends, no money, and no one she dare trust, Georgina is left with only her stubborn determination to find out what happened during those missing weeks, no matter how terrifying the consequences. 

 

'The Asylum' is the story of Georgina Ferrars, a young woman who has always lived a sheltered life and has suffered tragedy, the loss of her parents and her aunt.  Georgina now lives with her uncle who owns a book store.  Georgina lives a quiet life until she she wakes up one day in a strange bed in a strange place with no memory of how she got there, she discovers that she is in an asylum called Tregannon House where she is told by the mysterious Dr Straker that her name is not Georgina Ferrars but Lucy Ashton and she has voluntary committed herself.  Georgina pleads with Dr Straker to contact her uncle and is shocked when a telegram arrives saying that Georgina Ferrars is in London which leads to Georgina being certified insane.  As Georgina tries to recapture her lost memory, memories from her past are revealed and secrets come to light.

 

What I thought of 'The Asylum' ~

 

I enjoyed 'The Asylum', it was a bit slow at first but as the story progressed I wanted to know what was going to happen next to Georgina.  The story is well written, the characters are wonderful to read.  Georgina is the perfect main character, she is not a damsel in distress, she faces everything with strength, she is scared but still remains strong.

 

Dr Straker is also a well written character, there is a underlying edge to him that Georgina quickly notices but because of the confusion she is feeling, she questions herself, you could feel her frustration towards Dr Straker.  Frederic Mordaunt is a more subtle character I felt, he hides so much from others because of his fears and is more involved with Georgina than he realises.

 

I loved the feeling of the book, the description of Tregannon House, the asylum where Georgina wakes up is brilliantly done, you can envision the house, the surrounding areas, how isolated it is, the description of Victorian London is described well too which I enjoyed. 

 

There are twists and turns throughout the book, at times I thought I had solved the mystery (and I was correct in some ways).  I enjoyed the ending too. 

 

John Harwood is a wonderful writer and I have enjoyed his previous two novels 'The Ghost Writer' and 'The Seance'.  The only downside of the book was it did not enthral me as quickly as 'The Ghost Writer' did, however, I did enjoy 'The Asylum' and I look forward to reading more books by John Harwood.

 

Rating: 4/5

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Deadly Night: Katie &  Jeni's Untold Tale: A Short Story From the As The World Dies Universe (As The World Dies Universe~Book 4) by Rhiannon Frater ~ Started: 26.01.15 ~ Finished: 26.01.15

 

Title of Book: Deadly Night: Katie &  Jenni's Untold Tale: A Short Story From the As The World Dies Universe ( As The World Dies Universe~Book 4)

Name of Author: Rhiannon Frater

Edition: Kindle

ASIN: B00OQT9VPQ 

Number of Pages: 72

 

Synopsis ~

 

All is not well in the small town of Ashley Oaks, Texas as the human inhabitants struggle to survive behind the walls of their makeshift fort. A zombie herd is on the outskirts of the town and the survivors huddle behind the cement walls encompassing their encampment in hopes the undead will pass them by. While Katie is on sentry duty, a child cries out in the night, spurring Jenni into action. Soon both women find themselves fighting against the ravenous undead in a seemingly futile attempt to save other survivors.

 

Deadly Night is an original As The World Dies story that takes place between The First Days and Fighting to Survive.

 

'Deadly Night' is an story from the 'As The World Dies' series and it tells the story of Katie and Jenni as they begin their new lives in the fort in Ashley Oaks.

 

What I thought of 'Deadly Night' ~ 

 

I enjoyed 'Deadly Night', it was just as good as the series and it was nice to read about Katie and Jenni.  There are more short stories in the series and I look forward to reading them at some point.

 

Rating: 3/5

Edited by Weave
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Bird Box by Josh Malerman ~ Started: 26.01.15 ~ Finished: 30.01.15

 

Title of Book: Bird Box 

Name of Author: Josh Malerman

Edition: Kindle

ASIN: B00FIUO8K0

Number of Pages: 305

 

Synopsis ~

 

Most people ignored the outrageous reports on the news. But they became too frequent, they became too real. And soon, they began happening down the street. Then the Internet died. The television and radio went silent. The phones stopped ringing. And we couldn't look outside anymore. Malorie raises the children the only way she can; indoors. The house is quiet. The doors are locked, the curtains are closed, mattresses are nailed over the windows. They are out there. She might let them in. The children sleep in the bedroom across the hall. Soon she will have to wake them. Soon she will have to blindfold them. Today they must leave the house. Today they will risk everything. 

 

'Bird Box' is the story of Malorie and her two four years old unnamed children who have survived through a horror that they cannot look at because it will kill them. 

 

'Bird Box' begins with Malorie living in a house with her two children as she prepares to leave the house they have lived in for the past four years, heading towards the river, blindfolded, to make their escape in the safety of the fog from the unseen monsters outside. As they begin their journey Malorie reminisces about her past. 

 

Before everything changed, Malorie and her sister Shannon had just moved in together in Detroit when Malorie discovered she was pregnant and the world was changing with reports coming from different places in Russia of horrific attacks and suicides, then incidents in Alaska and Canada. 

 

Malorie concerned about her unplanned pregnancy is not as worried as Shannon is but as the days go on, changes appear, blankets over windows, people covering their faces whilst driving. Malorie reads the morning paper where she sees an ad in the classifieds, a home in Riverbridge, a sanctuary which finally makes Malorie realise how dire the situation is. Three months past as Malorie and Shannon hide in their locked home, six months before Malorie's baby is due and their fears are confirmed when they do not hear from their parents as more and more incidents occur, now called 'The Problem' on the news and internet. Malorie reads as much news as she can until there is a media blackout and a mandated national curfew, both sisters live in fear, then Shannon commits suicide after looking out the window which Malorie cannot understand.

 

Malorie, alone, grief stricken and terrified drives to the safe house where she meets other survivors, Tom, Jules, Victor (Jules's dog), Don, Felix, Cheryl and later Olympia (who is also pregnant) and Gary. Malorie now lives in a world with strangers and whatever waits outside for them. 

 

What I thought of 'Bird Box' ~ 

 

I have always been more of a fan of subtle horror as opposed to in your face horror, I enjoy the idea of something or someone that you cannot see and that is what exactly you get with 'Black Box', the idea of the monsters watching Malorie and her children as they try to make their escape. 

 

There is so much that makes 'Black Box' memorable, the characters are well written, you care about each of them as they try to survive, all of them are realistic. Tom, the leader of the group is so determined to keep the group together and to find someone else in the world who is managing to survive. Tom is full of ideas but after his first journey outside, he changes, despite wearing a blindfold, he feels the desolation of what is left of the world but he is still willing to try, to find a way to live outside. 

 

From one of Tom's journeys outside he brings back a box of birds that have been left in a garage with plenty of feed, which they use as a alarm, anyone or anything comes close, the birds make noise which helps the members of the group when collecting water from outside. 

 

Malorie changes throughout the book, at the start of the story, she has just found out she is pregnant, then trying to survive, trusting her instincts when it comes to Gary, who is hiding something, the horror of giving birth while death occurs around her, to raising two children, her own son and Olympia's daughter, teaching them to use their other senses, not to depends on their eyes as they have to wear blindfolds whilst outside. 

 

What is the most heartbreaking about Malorie is how guilty she feels about how she has raised her children, they have not had a normal childhood, what shines through is how strong she has made the children, how strong she has had to be. 

 

As you read the story, you find yourself consumed with emotions, at one point, I was thinking as Malorie had to face the world, 'just take the blindfold off' because like Malorie I wanted to know what was there despite the fear of the outcome. The feeling of being watched is very strong in the story, when anyone is outside and they hear a noise, is it their time?

 

'Bird Bird' is an amazing story of survival and what you are willing to do to protect what you love. I enjoyed it from start to finish, bleak, terrifying, ultimately a great read.  

 

I look forward to more stories by Josh Malerman.

 

Rating: 5/5

Edited by Weave
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Don't Look Now and Other Stories by Daphne Du Maurier ~ Started: 30.01.15 ~ Finished: 02.02.15

 

Title of Book: Don't Look Now and Other Stories

Name of Author: Daphne Du Maurier

Edition: Paperback

ISBN-10: 0141188375 

Number of Pages: 272

 

Synopsis ~

 

The title story is a supernatural tale involving a British couple on holiday in Venice to escape the pain of their young daughter's recent death. An encounter with two sisters in a cafe, and the blind one's claim that she can 'see' the deceased child sitting with her parents, launches a series of events that ends violently. 

 

What I thought of 'Don't Look Now' ~ 

 

I have only read one other book by Daphne Du Maurier and it was 'Rebecca' which I enjoyed, I loved the atmosphere and how Gothic it was.

 

'Don't Look Now' is a interesting collection stories and my favourite story was 'Don't Look Now', it was so tense and full of atmosphere, you could see the dark streets of Venice as John searches for his lost wife, the tension builds to the very end and it was a great ending. 

 

The rest of the stories are well written, some of the language which is used is dated but it does not take anything away from the stories.

 

Rating: 3/5

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Just for you :)

 

Totoro___Busstop_by_Iristhen.jpg

 

 

Oh my god that's so pretty. I love the roughness of paint on canvas. Despite being a digital artist who draws the cleanest images I can manage, I absolute old hand drawn animations and painted canvas. Such a lovely loose, rough quality.

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