Kell

TEASER TUESDAYS 1. Grab your current read 2. Open to a random page 3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser: Synopsis: New York jeweller Garet James has her fair share of problems: money, an elderly father, a struggling business. One day she comes across an antiques shop she’d never noticed before. The owner possesses an old silver box that’s been sealed shut. Would she help an old man and open it, perhaps? She does… and that night strange things begin to happen. It’s as if her world – our world – has shifted slightly, revealing another, parallel place that co-exists without our knowledge: the world of the Fey… Garet learns that one of her ancestors was ‘the Watchtower’: an immortal chosen to stand guard over the human and the fey worlds – a role that she has, it seems, inherited from her mother. But the equilibrium between these two existences is under threat. The 16th-century magician and necromancer Dr John Dee has returned, the box has been opened and the demons of Despair and Discord released. In a race against time and impending apocalypse, it is Garet who must find Dee… and close the box. What I think of it so far: This is my second of four choices from the Transworld Book Group. It’s an intriguing urban fantasy with a mystery built in. The characters are engaging and the story is gripping. I an enjoying this one a great deal – not quite as much as I enjoyed Caligula, but I’m not even half way in yet, so there’s every chance that could change fast!

I played the violin as a child, but was thrown out of the class when it was discovered that the entire year and a half, I'd been unable to read music and had been getting my friend (also in the class) to play to music to me to I could learn to play it by ear. It was only discovered when we were given an unseen piece of music as a tst and I couldn't play it. I'd never hidden the fact I couldn't play - nobody had ever asked! Rather than just saying "Well, we obviously have someone who is interested enough in music and can opick things up easily, let's teach her to read music as well," they said I was now too far behind (even though I could play each piece we'd done as well as or better than the rest of the class!) and that was that. So I went from being joint first vioinist of the school orchestra(with my friend who had helped me learn the pieces) to not being allowed to play at all. It broke my heart and I never picked up the violin again. I play a little piano, but fnid it very difficult because my hands are very small - and I don't read music - LOL! Recorder is the only other one. Oh, and a teeny tiny bit of drums. The instrument I REALLY wanted to play was the cello. I was too small so I learned violin instead (really, I was tiny for my age and couldn't wrap myself around the instrument enough to be able to play!). I fancied trying clarinet, but I wasn't allowed to start because, wait for it, I couldn't get the flute to work! Go figure - they work on completely different principles, but they wouldn't let me play the one I wanted because I couldn't get a completely different instrument, in which I had absolutely no interest, to work! I didn't bother trying any more instruments after that, although one day I may try another...

For the more adventurous foodie, there's always the Discworld publication Nanny Ogg's Cookbook.

I got my email prety quickly - within a couple of days.

Ooh, I've just received Black Swan Rising and after reading your review, Michelle, I'm REALLY looking forward to getting into it!

My four choices are: 1. Caligula by Douglas Jackson 2. Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll 3. Crippen by John Boyne 4. The Colour of Death by Michael Cordy I've finished the first book (Caligula) and have just received my second book (Black Swan Rising) this morning, so I'll be starting it within the next couple of days at the latest (if not tonight!). You can see my review for Caligula by Douglas Jackson HERE.

I know there are a few people taking part in the Transworld Bok Group this year and thought it might be nice to have a thread for it. If anyone is interested in officially joining, they're still taking people living in the EU till the end of August - you just have to leave a comment on theor post HERE then llet them know your four choices. Of course, if you don't live in the EU and want to take part, you can always choose four books and either buy or borrow them yourself. The books on the list are: 1. The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark 2. Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll 3. The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas 4. Teacher, Teacher! by Jack Sheffield 5. Death Sentence by Mikkel Birkegaard 6. Crippen by John Boyne 7. Caligula by Douglas Jackson 8. Twelve by Jasper Kent 9. The Obscure Logic of the Heart by Priya Basil 10. Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson 11. The Colour of Death by Michael Cordy 12. Odin’s Mission by James Holland 13. Legacy by Danielle Steel 14. The Water Room by Christopher Fowler 15. The Bomber by Liza Marklund

You're both right - the name Sirius IS from Sirius, the dog star. She chose the name on purpose as he turns into a large dog and the Dog Star is the largest, brightest star in the sky (other than our sun). And I always pronounced "accio" as "atch-ee-o" for some reason (with a hard "ch" as in "change" sound in the middle).

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY Fluff You’ve just had a long, hard, exhausting day, and all you want to do is curl up with something light, fun, easy, fluffy, distracting, and entertaining. What book do you pick up? I don’t have a “go to” book – I just pick up whatever I happen to be reading at that point in time. At the moment I’m reading two books by the Scarrow brothers – Young Bloods (Revolution 1) by Simon Scarrow, and Day of the Predator (TimeRiders 2) by Alex Scarrow. They’re both completely different – an historical fiction and a young adult sci-fi. The hardback (Young Bloods) is by my bed to read at night, the paperback (Day of the Predator) is in my bag for reading on the move.

I just read The Notebook. I'd never read any of his books before (not my usual kind of thing) and was blibbing like a baby. It's an excellent read and well worth trying if you haven't already.

W... W... W... Wednesdays * What are you currently reading? * What did you recently finish reading? * What do you think you’ll read next? What are you currently reading? Alex Scarrow – Day of the Predator (TimeRiders 2) I read the first book in this series back in June and so far this one is just as good. Simon Scarrow – Young Bloods (Revolution 1) I’ve read all the Romans series to date and thought it was about time I gave the Revolutions quadrilogy a try, since I’ve had the first three books on my shelf waiting to be read since they were first published! What did you recently finish reading? Douglas Jackson – Caligula - 4/5 Transworld Book Group – see full review HERE. Nicholas Sparks – The Notebook - 4/5 This is not the kind of book I normally read. Although it’s written by a man, it’s a bit “chick-lit” and romantic for my usual tastes, but this is utterly compelling. As the story slowly unfolds, I’m finding myself falling in love with Noah and Allie, and I desperately wanted things to work out for them. It’s not often that a book makes me cry, but this one had me in tears, both of sadness and of joy. It’s a wonderful book and I recommend it even if it’s out of your comfort zone. What do you think you’ll read next? Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll Crippen by John Boyne The Colour of Death by Michael Cordy All three of these are my remaining choices from the Transworld Book Group, so whichever one arrives first will be the next I read. Abandoned this week Kevin Crossley-Holland – The Seeing Stone (Arthur Trilogy 1) It’s 338 pages long, but has 100 chapters. By page 50, I had read 17 chapters and that was more than enough to know this wasn’t for me. To be honest, starting a new chapter every other page disrupted the flow – not that there was much flow anyway, as everything seemed to chop and change each time a new chapter began. As some chapters were literally less than a single page in length, I very quickly grew weary of it and dumped it. I won’t be returning to it or the rest of the series, despite being a huge fan of the Arthurian legends. A shame, because I was looking forward to it. Transworld Book Group

Noll, I prmise I haven't cried yet, but I can't promise I won't at some point. However, being a non-chick-litter/non-romance-reader, I am very surprised at how much I'm enjoying it. I've avoided Sparks despite osme of my other pals raving about him, as I don't tend to share their tastes, but this is rather refreshing. I can't say I'll definitely pick up anything else by this author, but I won't rule it out either. I was actually given this one several years ago and needed a paperback for my bag that wasn't too long (as I'm expecting my second Transworld Book Group choice any day now), so I thought I'd give this one a go. I'm not regretting it! PS I love that I managed to surprise you!

TEASER TUESDAYS 1. Grab your current read 2. Open to a random page 3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser: Synopsis: A man with a faded, well-worn notebook open in his lap. A woman experiencing a morning ritual she doesn’t understand. Until he begins to read to her. Set amid the austere beauty of the North Carolina coast, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner recently returned from the Second World War. Noah is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories…until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again. Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. It is a story of miracles and emotions that will stay with you forever. What I think of it so far: This is not the kind of book I normally read. Although it’s written by a man, it’s a bit “chick-lit” and romantic for my usual tastes, but this is utterly compelling. As the story slowly unfolds, I’m finding myself falling in love with Noah and Allie. I’m only half way through but I desperately want things to work out for them, however I get the sinking feeling things won’t go smoothly… Either way, even if I’m out of my comfort zone, I’m enjoying it.

Ooh, which one is it, Samsiren?

Title: Caligula (Roman Trilogy 1) Author: Douglas Jackson ISBN: 978-0-552-15694-3 Publisher: Corgi First Published: Feb 2009 No. of pages: 496 Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (back cover): Rufus, a young slave, grows up far from the corruption of the imperial court. He is a trainer of animals for the gladiatorial arena. But when Caligula wants a keeper for the emperor’s elephant, Rufus is bought from his owner and taken to the palace. Life at court is dictated by Caligula’s ever shifting moods. He is as generous as he is cruel – a megalomaniac who declares himself a living god and simultaneously lives in constant fear of plots against his life. His paranoia is not misplaced however; intrigue permeates his court, and Rufus will find himself unwittingly at the centre of a conspiracy to assassinate the emperor. Review: Fans of intrigue, action and historical drama will all be thrilled by the first novel in the Romans trilogy by Douglas Jackson. From the first sentence, the reader is totally immersed in the unfolding drama – once can almost taste the paranoia dripping from each page as it is turned. Caligula’s sadistic tendencies, even as a child, are quickly revealed, but so is the constant fear with which he lives and I, very surprisingly, found that on occasion, I actually felt some sympathy for him – I wasn’t prepared for that and it was a refreshing change. Rufus, and his friendship with Cupido, were written with such devotion that one could almost believe the author was writing about close friends of his own, such was the realism of both their characters and their relationship. As for Bersheba, the emperor’s elephant, she has such character that it’s no stretch of the imagination to feel her presence and hear her huffing breath as one reads – she’s right there beside you. There’s excitement by the barrel load and the roar of the crowds in the arena is almost palpable, along with the stench of the animals and the stink of sweat and blood. It’s a vividly recreated world that one feels could almost be touched. It’s not just a story, it’s an experience. I highly recommend this novel and am champing at the bit to read the rest of the trilogy.

If there are publishers who do not recognise Jane Austen when they read it, then they shouldn't be in the business - LOL! She's quite possibly the most instantly recognisable author and if a publisher didn't instantly pinpoint that a) it was Austen and b) someone was possibly plagerising (if they only read the very first page or so) then they're no use!

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY Anticipation What’s the last book you were really EXCITED to read? And, were you excited about it in advance? Or did the excitement bloom while you were reading it? Are there any books you’re excited about right NOW? I collect certain authors and always get excited about new releases by them. The ones I’m anxiously awaiting right now are: Kelley Armstrong – Spellbound (WotOW 12) – out now! Kelley Armstrong – Becoming (WotOW graphic novel) – Aug 2011 Kelley Armstrong – Hidden (WotOW novella) – Dec 2011 Kelley Armstrong – The Gathering (Darkness Rising 1) – out now! Kelley Armstrong – The Calling (Darkness Rising 2) – Apr 2012 Brian M Bendis – Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm (graphic novel) – Sep 2011 Christopher Brookmyre – When the Devil Drives – Jun 2012 Richard Castle – Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3) – Sep 2011 Philippa Gregory – The Lady of the Rivers (Cousins’ War 3) – Sep 2011 Stuart MacBride – Birthdays for the Dead – Jan 2012 Terry Pratchett – Snuff (Discworld 39) – Oct 2011 Simon Scarrow – Praetorian (Romans 11) – Nov 2011 Simon Scarrow – Fight for Freedom (Gladiator YA 1) – out now! Simon Scarrow – Street Fighter (Gladiator YA 2) – Feb 2012 Some of them are already out, but it’s my birthday next month and I hope to get some books and / or vouchers… The last book I was really excited about reading in advance was The Legion by Simon Scarrow (Romans 10), as I love Scarrow’s Romans series and it was the most recent one I hadn’t read. I was practically salivating at the prospect. It lived up to expectations. Two books that grabbed me as I read them were Ferney by James Long and Room by Emma Donoghue. Both were novels I was a little apprehensive of starting, but it quickly became obvious that they were exceptional – real 5/5 reads! National Book Week It’s National Book Week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status. Quite a descriptive sentence there – taken, mid-speech, from a character called Cupido, a publically acclaimed gladiator, lamenting the fate that he knows will one day await him, but taking it stoically. * This is my first of four choices as part of the Transworld Book Group.

Go to our BCF Reviews Blog and use the contact form there to submit a request to the team.

JK Rowling herself was turned down by a dozen publishers before being picked up by Bloomsbury, so being turned away is no indicator of how well a book (or indeed, a whole series!) can do. More and more authors are turning to self-publishing - even those who are well established are self-publishing for the Kindle and I think that's great. It's opening up their work to a whole new audience who find e-books far mre affordable than physical books and the authors are pulling in more of their well-deserved profits. It's a win-win situation there.

TEASER TUESDAYS 1. Grab your current read 2. Open to a random page 3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser: Synopsis: Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the third Roman Emperor, is better known by another name: Caligula, a name synonymous with decadence, cruelty and madness. His reign was marked by excess, huge building projects, the largest gladiatorial battles Rome was ever to see – men and animals killed in their hundreds – conspiracies, assassination attempts and sexual scandal. Rufus as a young slave grows up far from the corruption of the imperial court. His master is a trainer of animals for the gladiatorial arena. Rufus discovers that he has a natural ability with animals, a talent for controlling and schooling them. It is at the arenas that Rufus meets his great friend Cupido, one of Rome’s greatest gladiators. It is his growing reputation as an animal trainer and his friendship with Cupido that attracts the cruel gaze of the Emperor. Caligula wants a keeper for the imperial elephant and Rufus is bought from his master and taken to the imperial palace. Life here is dictated by Caligula’s ever shifting moods. Caligula is as generous as he is cruel, he is a megalomaniac who declares himself a living god and simultaneously lives in constant fear of the plots against his life. But his paranoia is not misplaced, intrigue permeates his court, and Rufus and Cupido find themselves unwittingly placed at the centre of a conspiracy to assassinate the Emperor. What I think of it so far: This is my first of four choices as part of the Transworld Book Group. I picked it up last night and started reading, Before I knew it, I’d read eight chapters. I adore historical novels, especially those set in ancient Rome, so this one is right up my street. It gripped me from the very start and I only put it down last night because I was so tired I almost dropped the book!

That's great to know - and I, for one,will be off t ohave a look at that blog right about now.

I've found some self published authors who turned out to be complete gems - but I didn't pay for them - I was sent the books for review. Now, I keep my eyes peeled for more by those authors - I've been anxiously awaiting further works by Andrew E Shipley after finding his debut self-published novel (The Messenger) to be nothing short of brilliant. (Sorry, but I just HAVE to leave a link to it in the hope that it will encourage someone else to read it too!*). If I had a Kindle, I would be very inclined to give some of the self-published authors a try as I'm sure that if there is one gem, then there are others, and they need all the support they can get. And when they self publish using Kindle, they get all the profits from the sale, no matter how large or small, which is a great improvement on having to charge more for a physical book and getting only a small percentage of the returns for your work. My only hope/wish is that more self-published authors would take the time and care to get a professional, or at least experienced, proof reader in, as there are often myriad errors in the form of spelling, grammar, plot holes and layout that crop up and the author doesn't seem to notice. Fresh eyes are always a good idea! * Incidentally, it's also available on Kindle now.