Weave

Fi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (sorry ) I just watched it, love it, not so sure about the new Victoria! but I love it!!!

Hi Kylie, how are you? sorry I took so long to reply, I have read 'That Eye, the Sky', I enjoyed it but not as much as 'Cloud street', the characters were much stronger in 'Cloud street', more likeable, people you would care about. Have you read 'The Riders', its really good

Vacant Possession by Hilary Mantel ~ Started: 08.03.10 ~ Finished: 10.03.10 Synopsis ~ Newly released from the institution in which she was housed after her mother’s suspicious death. Muriel Axon has acquired a taste for revenge ~ and the means to pursue it. At the top of her hit list are hapless husband and school teacher Colin Sidney and his ex-lover Isabel Field: unsuspecting victims who have no idea that this mistress of disguise is going to re-enter their lives for one last tangle. Ancient scores will be settled and uncomfortable truths faced as Muriel attempts to gather her prey for one last explosive encounter. ‘Vacant Possession’ is the sequel to ‘Every Day is Mother’s Day’ by Hilary Mantel. ‘Vacant Possession’ begins 10 years after the events at the Axon’s house which ultimately led to Muriel being placed in Fulmers Moor in the Greyshott Ward as part of her rehabilitation to eventually return to society, which she does, but Muriel has changed, she can now mimicry (mimic) and is a mistress of disguise, one of Muriel’s hidden traits is that she watches people and for ten years she has been watching everyone in Greyshott Ward. Colin Sidney is now living in the Axon’s old house, his sister Florence still lives next door, his wife, Sylvia has reinvented herself, she has become more confidence, more sociable. Isobel Field is now married and no longer a social worker, everyone is living their lives but unknown to them, Muriel is amongst them. ‘Vacant Possession’, I felt was the stronger of the two books, you find out more about Muriel and also how devious (and scary) she is, with ‘Vacant Possession’, you find out the lengths which Muriel will go to, to get her revenge. An interesting read. Rating: 7/10

Every Day is Mother’s Day by Hilary Mantel ~ Started: 06.03.10 ~ Finished: 08.03.10 Synopsis ~ Evelyn Axon is an aging agoraphobic and a reluctant medium. Plagued by vengeful poltergeists, she and her daughter Muriel spend their days holed up in a crumbling house avoiding the demonic spirits that have taken over their kitchen. Isabel Field is the latest social worker assigned to break their self-imposed siege. But she has problems of her own to deal with: an over-sexed father who scours the laundrettes of their provincial town for conquests and an enthusiastic but anxiety ridden lover, Colin Sidney, who attend night classes to escape his demanding wife As these dazed lives collide likes flies in the summer hear, a spider is awakening. Is Muriel, that large and sullen presence, quite the idiot she seems? And along came Muriel... ‘Every day is Mother’s Day’ is the story of Evelyn and Muriel Axon, a mother and daughter who live a reclusive life in the house that Muriel was born. Evelyn has raised Muriel alone since the death of her husband, Clifford when Muriel was 6 years old, Clifford unfortunately saw Muriel as an ‘inconvenience’ and not having any more children because it would ‘risk repetition’. Evelyn, not in the best of health will not accept help and when social services come into their lives, Evelyn finds that Muriel is changing, something which scares Evelyn, Muriel attends a community day care centre and life becomes worse when Evelyn discovers that Muriel is in fact pregnant and is unable (or unwilling) to tell Evelyn who the father is, Evelyn decides to keep the baby a secret and lock Muriel in their house. Meanwhile, Isabel Field their latest social worker is having problems of her own, she is having an affair with a married man, Colin Sidney, his sister Florence is the Axons neighbour (unknown to Isabel) and she has also lost Muriel’s file. Colin, Isabel, Florence, Muriel and Evelyn finds themselves coming together and no one knows what the outcome will be. It’s hard to describe ‘Every Day is Mother’s Day’ without giving too much away, it is full of dark humour, Evelyn’s ideas are questionable, Muriel is manipulative, scary, not what she seems, Isabel and Colin, two very different people, I found it hard to believe why they would have an affair (which was the point), there is constant feeling of something about to happen, you find yourself becoming more and more suspicious of Muriel and despite Evelyn’s actions, you do feel sorry for her and in some ways, you feel sorry for Muriel. There is also the paranormal aspect, what exactly is in the spare room? And what does Evelyn see? The book also highlights how people can be missed, how sometimes the system does not work. The ending is left open, there is more to come from Muriel. Rating: 7/10

No Muse???????? Thanks for the info Fi as always, you rock!

That is entirely your choice Lexie

I know most of us have seen it by now and I hope you don't mind me posting, but here it is, all ten seconds of 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse', enjoy ~

Great wallpaper Kate, vladstudios are so cool Here's mines ~

I went to Fopp and Waterstones today and bought ~ After the Quake by Haruki Murakami 69 by Ryu Murakami

Fantastic review Kylie! I love 'Cloudstreet', great story, great characters, just a great book

I will keep my eye out because Sam was lovely, such a great character and perfect for Connie

I started reading 'Every Day is Mother's Day' by Hilary Mantel, the two characters remind me so much of people I know, its quite scary!

I am glad you enjoyed it too Charm, like your good self, I am definitely looking forward to her next book

Thanks peacefield, Grace was a great character, I loved how her and Connie both knew what each other were doing, it gave the book a nice feel

The Lost Book of Salem by Katherine Howe ~ Started: 28.02.10 ~ Finished: 06.03.10 Synopsis ~ While clearing out her grandmother's cottage for sale, Connie Goodwin finds a parchment inscribed with the name Deliverance Dane. And so begins the hunt to uncover the woman behind the name, a hunt that takes her back to Salem in 1692 . . . and the infamous witchcraft trials. But nothing is entirely as it seems and when Connie unearths the existence of Deliverance's spell book, the Physick Book, the situation takes on a menacing edge as interested parties reveal their desperation to find this precious artefact at any cost. What secrets does the Physick Book contain? What magic is scrawled across its parchment pages? Connie must race to answer these questions - and reveal the truth about Salem's women - before an ancient family curse once more fulfils its dark and devastating prophecy. ‘The Lost Book of Salem’ tells the story of Connie (Constance) Goodwin, a student at Harvard, who has been recently advanced to candidacy for a PhD and now considering which subject to cover in her dissertation, during this time she receives a telephone call from her mother, Grace, asking her to sell her mother’s, Connie’s grandmother (Granna) house in Marblehead, Massachusetts, on a street called ‘Milk Street’ (which I thought was a great name for a street). Connie finds the house in disrepair, without electricity, no telephone, etc. Whilst exploring, Connie finds a key in an old bible with a piece of parchment with name of ‘Deliverance Dane’ written on it and a key, this discovery opens a world for Connie, which she is more connected to than she realises. I thought ‘The Lost of Book of Salem’ was brilliant, interesting, exciting, a great insight into the Salem With Trials and the ripple effect of the trials which in some ways are still apparent in modern day Massachusetts. I found Connie, the main character to be likeable and easy to read, she kept her feelings hid but they showed in different ways as you read the book, especially the feelings she had about her Mother, which was an occurring theme throughout the book, Connie and her mother, Deliverance and her daughter, Mercy. The story is told from two points of view, Connie and the Dane women at certain points in history, well researched, the fear of the trials is shown brilliantly, there were some parts where I felt sadness for the characters, especially what happened to Deliverance and the rest of the women who were accused. I found with ‘The Lost Book of Salem’ there is much more to the Salem Witch Trials, which I found interesting. A great read. Rating: 10/10

Oh I tripped over my trousers and fell against the wall, leaving a bruise, I saw my doctor and told her I had bruises that I did not know how I got, we talked, I am just accident prone

Thanks CaliLily, good stuff on the power walk, do you listen to music while you walk?

I don't have a lot of pain getting tattoos but I am a bleeder, which can be a bit scary to see, the most pain I had was with Yomisha reading, it was at one point, so painful, I was almost crying!

I have been going to the same tattooist for years, I take a picture, if not a picture, explain what I am after.

Great review peacefield, do you think you will read any more books by the author?

I'm with poppyshake, its 'The Fifth Element', I love that movie! Well done

I didn't know that, thanks JCW, but you know thinking about it, the song could cause endless problems, its cheery but in a sly way, I can see Michael Stipes's point. Thanks for the info