chesilbeach

WARNING --- THERE MAY BE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR CHAPTERS 1-4 I'd read Miss Brooke a few years back, and I found an audiobook of Middlemarch at a very reasonable price, so I decided I'd listen to the first book a couple of weeks ago. I actually listened to it twice, the second time straight after the first, as it took me a while to get used to it. I loved it. The characters are wonderful, and she brings them to life with her descriptions of their personalities, their dialogue and the different quirks. I wanted to shout at Dorothea not to marry Casauban, but having been orphaned and not brought up in the home of a married couple, her ideas of relationships are naive and foolish. Towards the end of the book, we are introduced to Rosamond, who I loathe as a person, but love her as a character, and her brother Fred, who is far more amiable but who we leave knowing he has trouble ahead with his finances. I'm looking forward to reading book two. Do you have a date in mind for finishing the next book? If we go for three weeks again, that will take us up to the 15th March.

I've just finished The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton, and going to read another of the Waterstone's shortlist next … Violet and the Pearl of the Orient by Harriet Whitehorn.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton Synopsis (from waterstones.com): Foolish love appears to be a Roux family birthright. And for Ava Lavender, a girl born with the wings of a bird, it is an ominous thing to inherit. In her quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to join her peers, Ava ventures into the wider world. But it is a dangerous world for a naive girl - a world which may view her as girl or angel. On the night of the summer solstice celebration, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air and Ava's journey and her family's saga reaches a devastating crescendo. First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and unforgettable mythology of what it means to be born with hearts that are tragically, exquisitely human. Shortlisted for the Best Fiction for Teens category of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2015 Review: This book is so much more than the synopsis tells you. More than just Ava's story, this is the story of her grandmothers family, how love affected them, shaped their lives and their deaths, and the impact it will have on the future generations. It then follows Ava's mothers life, and again, how love shapes her life, and finally onto Ava's own life. But we're not talking about happy, comforting love … this family is doomed by their love, almost as if their lives have been predetermined, and that they are not destined for happiness and love to comfort their lives. There's a feeling of mythology to the story, almost fable like, but with the brutality and harshness of real life grounding it. There's a wistfulness about the story and the writing, and you think you know where you are, then it pierces you with something very real and physical. Definitely one for older teenagers, with some brief sex and violence. I've only just finished reading it, so I maybe a bit close to it still, but I think the story is one that will haunt me for a while.

The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald Synopsis (from waterstones.com): Oscar Dunleavy, who used to make the world's most perfect apple tarts, is missing, presumed dead. No-one seems too surprised, except for Meg, his best friend, and his little brother Stevie. Surrounded by grief and confusion, Meg and Stevie are determined to find out what happened to Oscar, and together they learn about loyalty and friendship and the power of never giving up hope. The second sensational novel from Irish author, Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, following her debut, BACK TO BLACKBRICK, perfect for fans of Annabel Pitcher and Siobhan Dowd. Shortlisted for the Best Fiction for Teens category of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2015 Review: What a great book to start my reading of the Teen category with. The story starts in the middle at a memorial service, then with alternating narrative from Meg and Oscar, we find out how it all started and led to the memorial service, and what happens afterwards. It deals with a whole range of things that teenagers might experience, including bereavement and bullying, along with growing up and figuring out who you are. One of the highlights for me, where the scenes near the sea, with a real feeing of what growing up in a seaside town can mean, and how the sea can work its way into your psyche and become part of you. If I had one tiny criticism, it's that maybe it's a bit too lightweight for the subject matter, almost lacking a touch of reality, but I'm really nitpicking here, and I did love reading it.

… which is less than three weeks away now Not that much longer to wait

I just saw in The Bookseller that there will be a film adaptation of Where'd You Go, Bernadette and I know it was a favourite of yours, so thought I'd pop the link in here for you.

It was from my local independent bookshop, but I just checked on Amazon, and although they don't have it in stock at the moment, they do have it listed, so I imagine it might be available elsewhere too. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gift-Wrap-Penguin-Book-Spines/dp/B0051EKA64/

What a great selection. Lucky for me you ended up with the two I chose … I almost bought you both Campari for Breakfast and A Month in the Country!

It looks to me as though the bookshelves go on into infinity in the background, that's why I thought there were plenty of books!

Hmm, I'm in two minds about the picture of the new Helsinki library, frankie. It looks huge, and plenty of bookshelves, but the books are all too low … I rarely look at the bottom two shelves in a shop or library, because I get lightheaded when I bend down to look at them, so almost all my reading comes from the shelves above it! I know a lot of older people don't like low shelves either as they can't get down to them.

Glad you liked them I should have bought you another sheet of wrapping paper as an additional present!

Fortunately, I don't think I'd want to read all of them, so a small selection would look smashing on the shelf. I'm sure I can release a few others to the charity shop to make space!

That's a great price for the Kindle editions, although I have to say, even as an ardent Kindler, I do love seeing series of matching books liked up on the shelf, all looking organised and neat.

I've just seen that Bill Bryson's next book will be out in the summer as is the follow up to Notes From A Small Island, and will be called The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island. A few more details on The Bookseller article: http://thebookseller.com/news/transworld-publish-first-travel-book-bryson-15-years

Well, how can I not love it then???? Think I'll be reading this one soon

A late breakfast ...

There are 28 libraries across the city, so that's one quarter of them threatened with closure, and a third of the staff may lose their jobs, so there there will be fewer librarians across the remaining libraries too.

I received The Beautifull Cassandra by Jane Austen for my birthday, and it was the first time I'd see one of the Little Black Classics that Penguin have issued. Looking into it a bit more, Penguin are releasing 80 of these books, priced at 80p each, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first Penguins being published. They've set up a website for them: http://www.littleblackclassics.comso you can see the full list of books available. Beware: far too tempting to want to buy the whole series!

Oh no, frankie, what a nightmare! Although, I have to say, it does sound a bit comical too, now that we know the outcome is ok

I know … I saw an article yesterday saying one of the cities near to me are considering closing seven of their libraries as they have to make over £1 million in cuts to the library budget for the next financial year. Then I saw someone local to one of the threatened libraries say that they'd closed a community centre to use the building for a new school, and now they've heard the library was closing to make the building a new community centre Nothing confirmed yet, but it does make me sad when any community loses their library.

The posters are much nicer than the cover … but then again, like I said earlier, I don't mind the cover, and when I read it on my Kindle, it won't make any difference to me anyway!

I've never seen any figures for the UK, although at the rate they're closing libraries over here, it'll increase exponentially for most people soon

There was an interview with him in the Guardian about the book recently http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/feb/22/david-duchovny-holy-cow-hell-highwater-x-files-rachel-cooke I never watched The X-Files, so don't really know much about him, other than he's famous for that series, but the book does sound rather quirky, and if I see some positive reviews, I might read it myself.

I'm still reading The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, but should finish it today. That came out of the box quickly! I hope you enjoy it, Hayley, it's a cracking book.

Just going to brave the weather and get some shopping, then I'm going to bake a cake later on, so I can use some of the bergamot curd up … not that that's a chore, it bloomin' delicious!