Kylie

In the novel. I was wondering if it ended in a way that might make one think there would be another book. I guess not, though!

Was it a toy cat or did he get to take his pet cat in? I'd use it as an excuse to take my cat to school! Although I suppose that wouldn't go down any better than dressing as Christian Gray. We never really did anything like this at my school. The only book character I remember dressing as was the Little Match Girl from Hans Christian Anderson's story, but I'm not sure if that was part of a book-related thing or something else. I suspect we chose the match girl because it was such a simple outfit: some scruffy clothes and a box of matches. The only other thing I remember dressing as was...wait for it...seaweed (rolls of green crepe paper hanging off me). Unfortunately I have photographic evidence of this. I'm not sure if that was book-related either. My brother is dressed as a pirate in the same photo, so it might have been a sea theme. What I'd like to know is, why didn't I get to go as a pirate?!

Is there any indication that there will be a third book? I've read a bit more of Insurgent.

What a bargain for books in such great condition! Yay you! Great review of Cat Out of Hell. I have almost everything Lynne Truss has written, except of course this one, which means it'll be added to my wishlist!

I was a bit worried how the exchange rate to Australian dollars would go. Knowing our luck, I thought they might be priced at around $5, but they're only $2! Hooray! I think I need to go to the bookshop soon.

Me too, Marie! They are soooo cute!

If I had been in your position, I probably would have used the opportunity as an excuse to buy extra books (buy those two without the voucher and then use the voucher another time). In fact, I have a feeling that I have done exactly that before. I wish I had a better memory... I think you'll really enjoy The Shadow of the Wind. (Oh dear. I hate saying that in case I'm wrong .)

Have you read any other books by Jacqueline Wilson? Frankie has a read a couple, and someone else here has too (oops, can't remember who!) I've only read The Story of Tracy Beaker, which I thought was very good, but Frankie didn't like it as much as her others, as I recall. Would you try anything else by her (Jacqueline Wilson, I mean, not Frankie )?

Oh, how disappointing! I hope you can go back and buy them soon.

Apparently one boy went as Christian Grey from 50 Shades and was not allowed to participate.

Aw, so cute! I want to go there too!

Oh dear, Frankie. Glad you got your bookmark back!

I tried to get a better photo, but Pip absolutely wasn't interested in posing for me. I don't even think she knew I was there. There was too much excitement in her surroundings. I would have thought so too, but because I've been removing the crusty stuff from his eyes regularly since I got him, I guess he's just given up and realised he can't win this one. He did win the war against me trimming his claws though. I never bother anymore. I just put up with the pain (like I did just a minute ago) when he stood on my lap and kneaded me with his claws through my thin pants.

I want to buy this island, kick all the humans off and rename it 'Kylie's Cat Island'.

I just finished watching Divergent for the first time, after reading the book a few years ago. I thought it was pretty good, and now I have a real hankering to read Insurgent, so I'll probably start that alongside my other current reads. And happily this is on my list of priority reads for the year.

I finally got around to watching Divergent. It's been a few years since I read the book, but the movie seemed to stay pretty faithful, from what I remember of the book.

I win!

Great opening line, Frankie. It immediately placed me in Don's mind again. 'This is a true story.' The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson (Meh. I thought I'd have a more interesting opening line to contribute.)

In our world, maybe, but I'm pretty sure full-blood wizards (those from Slytherin, anyway) would say that two half-bloods cannot ever make one full-blood.

Oh my goodness...twice?! That's terrible! I think you'll have to do what Karsa suggested. Maybe a smaller shop will be able to personally order it in for you. You poor thing.

Buy two copies of everything. No problems then.

Awesome movie, hey, Frankie? I watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when it was on TV the other day. Oddly enough it was on TV just a few weeks ago, and I watched it then too. I'm kind of ready to watch a different HP movie next.

You two crack me up. My word, you do manage to find the loveliest looking books, Kay! I'm sure I never see such beautiful covers when I'm out and about. With pretty much ever cover you post here, I think 'that's such a Kay cover' (if you know what I mean!) I'm starting to wonder whether publishers have started designing their covers with you in mind. I wouldn't put it past you to be that influential!

I've just finished The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson. I had placed this in my book jar as a priority read for this year, but I couldn't wait to read it after Poppyshake's review, so I just jumped in. It was absolutely wonderful! If you're interested in mental health and stories of crazy/weird people, as well as how they're treated in society and mental institutions, you'll find this interesting. Ronson has an engaging way of writing that makes the pages fly by, and the book was very difficult to put down. Partway through reading it I decided to research a bit more about Robert Hare, who invented a widely used checklist for determining whether a person is psychopath. Ronson interviewed him extensively for his book. I found Hare's website, which has published two pieces regarding Ronson's book. One is a general commentary by members of the Psychopathy Society, and the other is a longer piece by Hare himself. People who have read the book might be interested in reading them; I certainly found them interesting! Unfortunately, Hare and other psychologists have not been at all impressed with Ronson's book. They generally seem to think that he has been irresponsible in his flippant use of the checklist to try and diagnose people. I can understand their point, but I don't think most people reading the book would believe that it is quite as simple as that checklist. I think the checklist is basically a summary of a very long book Hare wrote about psychopaths. You have to go on an expensive course and pay even more money to view the book...I would love to be able to read it! Also, Hare mentions that Ronson has taken artistic licence when recounting their interviews, but I could tell when reading the dialogue that it wasn't verbatim. Don't let all of this put you off reading it though! It's such a fascinating look at mental health. I have five other books by Ronson on my TBR pile, which all focus on his meetings with eccentric people. I think I'll read The Men Who Stare at Goats next.

I just finished The Psychopath Test. Brilliant stuff! Not to mention that I think I might have accidentally bought a second copy of this book at some stage, so I probably talked about buying it twice. Maybe you registered the second discussion as me reading it! I don't usually like to read an author's books one after another for some reason. This is why I have so many series that I've started reading but haven't finished. And then of course I take such a long time between books that I forget what happens in between. But that's getting off topic a bit. I find Ronson to be so engaging and easy to read that I am actually tempted to start another one of his books immediately...that's how good he is! Oh noes! I've just realised that I don't have Lost at Sea listed on my TBR pile, even though I actually own a copy (actually it might have been that one that I bought two copies of). Anyway, that means I have to put my TBR pile up again, having just brought it down by one (which means my TBR pile did reach 2000 books, but now stands at 1999...again). I have 5 more of his books on my TBR pile, so it's a good thing I enjoyed TPT! I might read The Men Who Stare at Goats next, because that's the first one of his that I bought.