Kylie Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Actually I should be thanking you Gyre. I'm a fair way into The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I bought it because of your recommendation (and because I couldn't resist the cover you posted with your review, which is adorable; in fact, I love all of the artwork in the book!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 (edited) Actually I should be thanking you Gyre. I'm a fair way into The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I bought it because of your recommendation (and because I couldn't resist the cover you posted with your review, which is adorable; in fact, I love all of the artwork in the book!) Kylie, I am so glad you are enjoying 'The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear' and you don't need to thank you, it was recommended to me by someone else, happy reading Edited November 22, 2009 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 The Wind~Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami ~ Started: 08.11.09 ~ Finished: 20.11.09 Synopsis ~ Toru Okada is an apparently happy man - his domestic routine seems familiar and comfortable. Admittedly, he has recently quit his job, the cat has disappeared, and a strange woman has begun to bother him with explicit phone calls. Then one day his wife does not come home from work. This is my second time reading ‘The Wind~Up Bird Chronicle’ by Haruki Murakami and I enjoyed it more this time. Toru, the main character story begins with his cat going missing, following onto his wife leaving him. Toru finds himself in a world with the strange sisters, Malta and Creta Kano and the unforgettable May Kasahara, Lieutenant Mamiya, Nutmeg & Akasaka Cinnamon, all of the characters are unique in their own way and in some way connected the Wind up bird, a bird which is never seen but is there at various points in the character’s lives, a bird that winds the spring of the world and brings changes to everyone. Haruki Murakami, as I have mentioned before is a very singular author, his style of writing is at times random, as are his characters but they always seem to come together. I will no doubt read it again and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Eva’s Story by Eva Schloss (with Evelyn Julia Kent) ~ Started: 20.11.09 ~ Finished: 21.11.09 Synopsis ~ Refugee in 1938, betrayed and arrested in 1944, Eva was 15 years old when she was sent to Auschwitz -- the same age as her friend Anne Frank -- only now, over 40 years later, has Eva felt able to tell her story... Eva’s story tells the true story of Eva Schloss who survived Auschwitz along with her mother. Eva’s mother married Otto Frank (Anne Frank’s father) after the war. Eva’s story is a sad story and at times I felt like crying because of everything which happened to her, the loss of her beloved father and brother, the feeling of loss is strong throughout Eva’s story, not just Eva’s loss but all of the survivors. A powerful story with a positive ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Sounds like a really interesting read, glad you enjoyed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Sounds like a really interesting read, glad you enjoyed it It was a interesting read, thanks Lexie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson ~ Started: 21.11.09 ~ Finished: 25.11.09 Synopsis ~ An excellent host finds himself turned out of his home by his own guests, a woman spends her wedding day frantically searching for her husband~to~be; and in Shirley Jackson’s best known story, a small farming village comes together for a terrible lottery. The creeping unease of lives squandered and the bloody glee of lives lost is chillingly captured in these tales of wasted potential and casual cruelty by a master of the short story. ‘The Lottery and Other Stories’ is the third book by Shirley Jackson, following on from ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ and ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle , two books I enjoyed reading. All the stories in the book are different in their own ways but have the common theme of the main character trying to justify who they are, mainly what type of woman they are and given the time the book was written in and the fact that Shirley Jackson was a strong feminist, this book is somewhat progressive in its nature which I found interesting to read, what I have read about Shirley Jackson you see aspects of her personality coming through in the story, mainly of how she saw herself, not in a negative way but as most people see themselves, ‘can I be better?’, ‘I wish I was prettier’, Shirley Jackson explores this with a fierceness which I found to be very individualistic. My favourite story was ‘The Daemon Lover’, the unnamed main character, a woman searching for her husband to be, finds herself looking for him and also questioning herself, you could feel the frustration as she worried about fianc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 (edited) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro ~ Started: 25.11.09 ~ Finished: 26.11.09 Synopsis ~ Kathy, Ruth and Tommy were pupils at Hailsham - an idyllic establishment situated deep in the English countryside. The children there were tenderly sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe they were special, and that their personal welfare was crucial. But for what reason were they really there? It is only years later that Kathy, now aged 31, finally allows herself to yield to the pull of memory. What unfolds is the haunting story of how Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, slowly come to face the truth about their seemingly happy childhoods - and about their futures. Never Let Me Go is a uniquely moving novel, charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of our lives. This is the first book I have read by Kazuo Ishiguro and it was definitely a great book to start with. I read ‘Never Let Me Go’ until the early hours of this morning, I could not put the book down. The story of Kathy, Ruth and Tommy to me was sad and cruel and the hardest part for me was the fact that they were so accepting of their fate, Ruth’s life was almost nomadic , I felt she had no home to call her own, moving from care centre to care centre while Ruth and Tommy collectively recovered from donations. I also found it sad that Ruth looked forward to not being a carer, it felt like someone who is reaching the end of their career and looking forward to their retirement but of course Ruth would not be retiring, she would be waiting to make a donation. I found ‘Never Let Me Go’ to be a powerful but at the same time, very understated, the three main characters accepted who they were and where they going while at the same time aware of their surroundings, I found the idea of the Gallery for them to be slightly immature but hopeful and I felt bad when they found out the truth. I wanted everything to be different for them, a better existence, someone to fight their corner but no one would when the characters did not see the point or the capacity to fight back themselves, and they accepted their destiny. The title of the book was so poignant too, ‘Never let me go’ but in a way they were letting go. I have read books in the same genre, I still think about ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood and ‘Never Let Me Go’ will stay with me. Edited November 27, 2009 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I love your review Paula! Nomadic is the perfect word for Ruth's adult existence. I found this book has stayed with me, in a similar way to 'The Handmaid's Tale', so I would be very surprised if you don't find your thoughts drifting back to this book again and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 I love your review Paula! Nomadic is the perfect word for Ruth's adult existence. I found this book has stayed with me, in a similar way to 'The Handmaid's Tale', so I would be very surprised if you don't find your thoughts drifting back to this book again and again. Thanks Chrissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Great reviews Gyre. I picked up Never Let Me Go in the bookstore last night, but I put it down again. I wish I had bought it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Great reviews Gyre. I picked up Never Let Me Go in the bookstore last night, but I put it down again. I wish I had bought it now! Thanks Kylie, I hope you get a chance to read it, I know you will enjoy it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb ~ Started: 26.11.09 ~ Finished: 27.11.09 Synopsis ~ Family Guy meets Election in this hilarious young adult debut! Twelve-year-old Oliver Watson's got the IQ of a grilled cheese sandwich. Or so everyone in Omaha thinks. In reality, Oliver's a mad evil genius on his way to world domination, and he's used his great brain to make himself the third-richest person on earth! Then Oliver's father - and archnemesis - makes a crack about the upcoming middle school election, and Oliver takes it as a personal challenge. He'll run, and he'll win! Turns out, though, that overthrowing foreign dictators is actually way easier than getting kids to like you. . . Can this evil genius win the class presidency and keep his true identity a secret, all in time to impress his dad? I read about ‘I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil...’ on Shelfari and as much as I enjoy reading YA literature, this book was not the usual type of read (adult or YA) for me but I read it with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised. This book is just a fun read, you take an character like Oliver, an average teenage, a individual and not the person that everyone thinks he is, in fact he is the third richest person the country and last summer he constructed a fully functional command centre (with minions) beneath his house. As much as Oliver tries to deny it, everything he does is to seek the approval of his Father, a man indifferent to everyone, he wants to fix the world and that does not include his wife and son. Oliver view of world is slightly worrying but he knows what he is doing. There is so many laugh out loud moments in this book, I find it difficult to pick one because they were all equally funny. A fun read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 This sounds like a fun read, Paula, and I love the title! I have added it to my wishlist . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 I love the title of the book, I think I'll be adding this to my TBR Thanks for the review Paula! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Thanks Frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Thanks everyone, and I hope you get to read it Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Great reviews hun, glad you're enjoying them! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley ~ Started: 27.11.09 ~ Finished: 02.12.09 Synopsis ~ A lyrical and humorous retelling of the "Sleeping Beauty" legend. Brought up in a tiny backwater village, Rosie has no idea she's a princess - and she doesn't much want to marry the prince, either. This is the third book I have read by Robin McKinley (‘Sunshine’ is my favourite). Spindle’s End tells the story of Rosie, born a princess and brought up as the niece and cousin of two fairies in a small town, Rosie does not know she is princess, the reason? A curse was placed on her when she was 3 months old by Pernicia, a fairy who wants on revenge on the royal family. Katriona a 15 year old girl from the town of Gig is chosen to attend the princess’s name~day where the princess is named Princess Casta Albinia Dove Minerva Fidelia Aletta Blithe Domina Delicia Aurelia Grace Isabel Griselda Gwyneth Pearl Ruby Coral Lily Briar~Rose when Pernicia interrupts the celebrations and curses the princess to died on her 21st birthday by the prick of a spindle needle. Katriona find herself rescuing and raising the princess as her cousin and naming her Rosie. Rosie has been blessed by various gifts by her 21 godmothers (a god mother for each of her names), not all of them helpful but as Rosie grows she finds she can talk to animals and as her 21st birthday approaches, unknown to Rosie, preparations are being made to thwart Pernicia. I enjoyed ‘Spindle’s End’, there was something for everyone, and the folklore was particularly interesting for me. Rosie is an excellent character, she is everything a princess is not but at the same time not your usual feisty heroine, Rosie is just Rosie. Another great book by Robin McKinley, I know I will read more of her books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 I have 'Beauty' on my TBR mountain. I think I may just have to add 'Sunshine' and 'Spindle's End' to it! Lovely review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 I have 'Beauty' on my TBR mountain. I think I may just have to add 'Sunshine' and 'Spindle's End' to it! Lovely review. Thanks Chrissy, I know you will enjoy them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 I loved Beauty so I definitely need to get this! Great review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 I loved Beauty so I definitely need to get this! Great review! I know you will enjoy it hen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwish Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Oh, I have heard of Beauty before and have wanted to read it and this is sounding quite good too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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