Purple Princesses Reading 2010

[Purple Princess]

Finished Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella:

 

 

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true a shopping friend for life! But it s trickier than she thought two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping.

 

She can create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is Mine , and she s even started bidding for designer bags on ebay.

 

On top of everything else, there s a big financial crisis. People are having to Cut Back including all of Becky s personal shopping clients and she and Luke are still living with Becky s Mum and Dad. To cheer everyone up, Becky decides to throw a surprise birthday party on a budget but then things become really complicated.

 

Who will end up on the naughty step, who will get a gold star and will Becky s secret wishes come true?

 

 

I have read all the other books in the shopaholic series and so really wanted to read this one too when I saw it was being released. This book didn't disappoint me as it was just Becky getting herself into more ridculous sitations again except this time she has two year old daughter Minnie in tow. Minnie is certainly quite a handful and seems to love going to the shops just as much as her Mum does but causes a lot more chaos in them. The story mainly centres around Becky trying to plan a massive surprise birthday party for Luke, but due to the financial crisis she has to do it on a budget - something which Becky isn't very good at. The story is very easy going and very easy to read but I think that is why I enjoy the shopaholic books, they are a total break from anything serious. It flowed along very nicely and at no point did I get bored by the story, it had lots of funny bits all the way through that made me have a good chuckle.

 

Overall it was a lovely light read with lots of laughs and love - just what a chick lit book should be!

 

9/10

[Purple Princess]

Finished The Memory Garden by Rachel Hore, synopsis from Amazon:

 

 

Lamorna Cove, in Cornwall's far west, is a tiny bay set at the mouth of a secluded wooded valley of wild beauty, the haunt, a hundred years ago, of a close-knit colony of artists. Here, to a rented cottage in the overgrown gardens of Merryn Hall, Melanie Pentreath retreats from her busy London life as a lecturer in art history to research a book about the painters, and to seek solace following the death of her mother and a broken love affair. In this magical place, full of echoes of the past, Mel helps her landlord, Patrick Winterton, restore the garden and starts to pull together the shreds of her life. Patrick finds some old paintings in a glory hole in one of the attics, and as they uncover the identity of the artist they are drawn into an extraordinary story of illicit passion and thwarted ambition from the Edwardian past which proves resonant in Mel's own life. Merryn is an idyll, and Mel and Patrick, himself here to escape a romantic disappointment, find themselves drawing closer to one another - until the reality of the outside world once more intervenes and everything is threatened.

 

I saw Kate's review of this book and she made it sound so lovely so I was happy when she put it up as a bookring.

I thought this was a lovely light read with great characters. The descriptions of Cornwall were so good I almost felt as if I was there. I was intrigued by the story as I really wanted to know who would win Mel's heart, if anyone. I liked the way the author wove in Pearl's story from almost a century before into the story although I was almost hoping for some sort of ghostly interferance from Pearl but this was not that type of book. It was overall a love story but the story of Pearl made it much more than chick lit for me. I thought it was wonderfully writen with very realistic characters and a beautiful setting - a lovely, light and refreshing read.

8.5/10

[Purple Princess]

Finished a couple of books recently, firstly Dead In The Family by Charlaine Harris, synopsis from Amazon:

 

 

If you think your family relationships are complicated, think again: you haven't seen anything like the ones in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being, who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbour (and ex), Vampire Bill Compton. In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favour, and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favour for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War.

 

This is the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and with this series I think you really need to read them in order as this book continues right where the ninth book finished and the storylines frequently mention things that happened in previous books so you wouldn't understand some parts of the story if you started with this book. I think maybe this book lacked some of action that was in the previous books but I did like the story overall. Sookie was still recovering fro the injuries she received in the ninth book and I liked the way the author just didn't skim over her injuries and involve her in more energetic storylines instantly. This book did seem to explore the more emotional side of Sookie and her relationship with Eric. I liked how in this book we actually got to go inside Eric's house which I think says a lot about how important her relationship with Eric has become. I didn't really enjoy the storyline that involved Eric's maker and brother coming to visit him, I found it a bit of a pointless sub-plot but apart from that I enjoyed the reat of the book even though it had a more relaxed pace than she usually writes with. At some points in the book I did feel as if she was wrapping loose ends up and I'm unsure whether she is wrapping up the series or if she is maybe just getting ready for the next book in the series.

 

Overall I did enjoy the book but perhaps not as much as some of her previous ones 9/10

 

 

 

 

[Purple Princess]

Someone Else's Son by Sam Hayes, synopsis from Amazon:

 

 

A tense and powerful emotional thriller from Sam Hayes that asks: Do we ever really know our children?

 

'What would you do if your teenage son was stabbed to death at school?' That's a question chat-show host Carrie Kent can well imagine posing to any one of her studio guests. Her daily morning TV show deals with real life in all it's grubby glory - from underage sex to benefit swindlers, cheating partners to DNA testing. It's a million miles away from her perfect, polished existence. But when she gets a call to say that her beloved son Max has been murdered, Carrie and her ex-husband Brody will have to enter a world of poverty, fear and violence if they want to find out what really happened. And when the shocking truth is finally revealed, will they be able to live with it...?

 

 

I have read all of Sam Hayes books so far so was very much looking forward to reading her newest offering. The style of writing in this book is very similar to her previous books and I love the way she draws the reader in, her writing flows so naturally and just makes you want to continue reading. The way the story moves around between the different main characters in the book also compels you to continue reading but is written in such a way as to not cause any confusion. The storyline in this book was very harrowing and I'm sure some parts would be extremely difficult for someone with teenage children to read. It is very sad that someone like Max who could have anything he wanted had such an unhappy life due to the non-exsistent communication with his parents. The police investigation following the stabbing brings a twist to the story in the traditional Sam Hayes fashion. Overall the characters in the book were very believable and the story very poignant but beatifully written.

 

9.5/10

 

 

 

 

[Purple Princess]

Happyslapped by a Jellyish by Karl Pilkington, synopsis from Amazon:

 

 

A hilarious guide to travelling, from the man behind The World of Karl Pilkington; one of our most innovative thinkers, visionaries and prophets, or as Ricky Gervais knows him, 'the funniest man alive in Britain today'. Pack your suitcase and take an irreverent trip with the unlikely star of The Ricky Gervais Podcast Show, Karl Pilkington, to the furthest corners of Europe. From sunbathing in t-shirts and lizards the length of Toblerones, to a toxic apartment in Ibiza with a used loo that can't be flushed; these witty musings could put you off travelling forever! Gain insight into the curious life of this comic genius from pithy anecdotes. Find out about his mum's obsession with keeping gnomes indoors and his experiences getting high on dope chocolate, to his childhood dentist who filled his perfect back teeth to give them extra protection. Featuring Pilkington's original illustrations and imaginative scribblings.

 

This is an extremely unusual book for me to read, it is very very rare that I read anything other than fiction. I picked this up when someone at work leant it to my boyfriend and found I just couldn't put it down. If anybody watched the An Idiot Abroad series on Sky One which starred Karl Pilkington they will quickly realise that the way in which this book is written feels just as if Karl is speaking directly to you. The anecdotes are very funny and you can actually imagine that some of the situations would only ever happen to someone like Karl. Overall a very differnt book for me to read but found it hillarious and enjoyed it immensely.

 

10/10

[Purple Princess]

Cover the Mirrors by Faye L Booth, synopsis from Amazon:

 

 

 

It is 1856 and Spiritualism is at the height of its popularity. Molly Pinner has left behind her childhood in the Preston slums and inherited her late aunt Florrie’s mantle as Preston’s most successful medium. It soon becomes clear that her aunt was something far more cunning than a magnet for the spirits of the dead, but Molly puts aside her qualms and takes well to her new trade.

 

Molly’s relationship with her oldest friend, Jenny, is jeopardized when she begins a passionate affair with local businessman William Hamilton. Before she knows it, Molly finds herself married to a man she cannot love, and pregnant with a child she does not want. In desperation, she makes a decision that will cast her relationship with William in a completely new light.

 

Trapped and traumatized, and longing to regain her friendship with Jenny, Molly is about to receive a blow that will turn her life upside down. It seems Aunt Florrie lied about more than just her ability to commune with the dead: a truth hidden for years is about to emerge, and it will threaten not only Molly’s livelihood, but her very life.

 

Cover The Mirrors is a dark and zesty historical novel of distorted truths and suppressed Victorian desires.

 

 

I picked this book up randomly in the library as I liked the blurb on the back, it is a little different from what I usually read but I am attempting to include a little bit of historical fiction in my reading. To be honest I was half expecting a ghost story but there were no ghosts in this book, instead there was some quite unexpected sex scenes, but they were very nicely written. This book isn't really about spiritulism, it's more about Molly and her life. The relationships Molly has with her husband, her best friend and her Aunt form the main focus of the story and are very interesting as to be honest I know very little about life in Victorian England. I found it a lovely read that was very well written and obviously well researched, I wouldn't rave about it but it did keep me interested and I did enjoy it.

 

8.5/10

Edited January 2, 2011 by Purple Princess

[frankie]

A hilarious guide to travelling, from the man behind The World of Karl Pilkington; one of our most innovative thinkers, visionaries and prophets, or as Ricky Gervais knows him, 'the funniest man alive in Britain today'. Pack your suitcase and take an irreverent trip with the unlikely star of The Ricky Gervais Podcast Show, Karl Pilkington, to the furthest corners of Europe. From sunbathing in t-shirts and lizards the length of Toblerones, to a toxic apartment in Ibiza with a used loo that can't be flushed; these witty musings could put you off travelling forever! Gain insight into the curious life of this comic genius from pithy anecdotes. Find out about his mum's obsession with keeping gnomes indoors and his experiences getting high on dope chocolate, to his childhood dentist who filled his perfect back teeth to give them extra protection. Featuring Pilkington's original illustrations and imaginative scribblings.

 

This is an extremely unusual book for me to read, it is very very rare that I read anything other than fiction. I picked this up when someone at work leant it to my boyfriend and found I just couldn't put it down. If anybody watched the An Idiot Abroad series on Sky One which starred Karl Pilkington they will quickly realise that the way in which this book is written feels just as if Karl is speaking directly to you. The anecdotes are very funny and you can actually imagine that some of the situations would only ever happen to someone like Karl. Overall a very differnt book for me to read but found it hillarious and enjoyed it immensely.

 

Hello Purple Princess, could you do me a favor and enlighten me about one thing: Who is this Karl Pilkington fella? I'm familiar with Ricky Gervais and The Office, but that's all I know. The book sounds like a really interesting read, especially now that I've become infatuated with travel writing. Do you think it would make an entertaining reading even for someone who's not from the UK and doesn't know anything about Pilkington and his career?

 

 

I picked this book up randomly in the library as I liked the blurb on the back, it is a little different from what I usually read but I am attempting to include a little bit of historical fiction in my reading. To be honest I was half expecting a ghost story but there were no ghosts in this book, instead there was some quite unexpected sex scenes, but they were very nicely written. This book isn't really about spiritulism, it's more about Molly and her life. The relationships Molly has with her husband, her best friend and her Aunt form the main focus of the story and are very interesting as to be honest I know very little about life in Victorian England. I found it a lovely read that was very well written and obviously well researched, I wouldn't rave about it but it did keep me interested and I did enjoy it.

 

This sounds like a great read as well. I fear my wishlist is expanding yet again. Oh the temptations on this forum...

[Purple Princess]

Hello Purple Princess, could you do me a favor and enlighten me about one thing: Who is this Karl Pilkington fella? I'm familiar with Ricky Gervais and The Office, but that's all I know. The book sounds like a really interesting read, especially now that I've become infatuated with travel writing. Do you think it would make an entertaining reading even for someone who's not from the UK and doesn't know anything about Pilkington and his career?

 

 

Hi Frankie, he's kind of hard to describe to be honest! I think basically he is a man who just says completely what is on his mind - most of the time it's stupid things. Ricky Gervais kind of discovered him on a radio show a while ago so with the help of Sky TV they sent him abroad to various locations and made him do things that they knew he would hate. He hates change and different food and he doesn't appear to like anything cultural so when they sent him to China or India he was just so funny with his reactions to both the food and the differnet people. I'm not sure if I would recommend it to someone who doesn't know him as you might not understand his dry humour and to be honest it doesn't reveal alot about travelling the world, it's just a collection of random stupid stories where he gets himself into random situations and they happen to be based around his holidays. Quite a few of the stories happen here in the UK as well - it's upto you though if you fancy giving it a go....hope that helps you!

[Kylie]

Great review of Karl Pilkington's book, PP. I hope to read it one day.

 

I've listened to some of the podcasts he did with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and they were brilliant.

[frankie]

Hi Frankie, he's kind of hard to describe to be honest! I think basically he is a man who just says completely what is on his mind - most of the time it's stupid things. Ricky Gervais kind of discovered him on a radio show a while ago so with the help of Sky TV they sent him abroad to various locations and made him do things that they knew he would hate. He hates change and different food and he doesn't appear to like anything cultural so when they sent him to China or India he was just so funny with his reactions to both the food and the differnet people. I'm not sure if I would recommend it to someone who doesn't know him as you might not understand his dry humour and to be honest it doesn't reveal alot about travelling the world, it's just a collection of random stupid stories where he gets himself into random situations and they happen to be based around his holidays. Quite a few of the stories happen here in the UK as well - it's upto you though if you fancy giving it a go....hope that helps you!

 

Isn't that the best? Send a person who hates new things to different countries and cultures and make him experience new stuff I guess it would help if one knew Pilkington and his quirks, hmmm... I'll have to think about it. Thanks for the info, though!