Liebster Award

The lovely Lynn @ Lynn’s Book Blog has kindly nominated me for the Liebster Award. Thank you Lynn! This award is a little more long-winded than other awards I have taken part in before but I hope my condensed version covers all the important elements.

The Liebster Award Rules:

1. Thank the Liebster Blog presenter who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Post 11 facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions you were asked.
4. Nominate 11 blogs who you feel deserve to be noticed.
5. Create 11 questions for your nominees.

Eleven Facts:

1. I studied Theatre and Performance.
2. I currently work for a charity theatre group.
3. I volunteer at a school for disabled children and young adults.
4. I love to read (obviously)
5. I read fiction and non-fiction.
6. I also love to watch film, stage, and TV adaptations of books.
7. I am a little person coming in at just over 5 foot.
8. I am a practicing Christian.
9. I have been belly dancing for over two years.
10. I enjoy visiting historical sites and houses.
11. Other hobbies include cooking, photography, swimming, music, and Sudoku puzzles.

Eleven Questions:

1. Beer or Wine?: Beer
2. Dogs or Cats?: Dogs
3. Fantasy or Sci-Fi?: Fantasy
4. Book or Film?: Book
5. Star Wars or Star Trek?: Star Wars
6. Batman or Superman?: Batman
7. Anime or Manga?: I’m sorry Lynn but neither!
8. Gaiman or Tolkien?: Tolkien
9. Reading or Music?: Reading
10. Chocolate or Cheese?: Chocolate
11. Morning or night?: Morning

Eleven Nominations:

If you see your name and blog listed below please don’t feel any pressure to take part. I am just using this award as a great way to let others know how much I enjoy your blog, and why they might want to check you out too.

1. Charlie @ The Worm Hole - Charlie reads an interesting mixture of historical fiction and modern literature. As well as book reviews Charlie mixes things up with thought-provoking literature based discussions.
2. Cheryl @ Tales of the Marvelous – Cheryl reads a lovely mixture of fantasy and sci-fi. As well as book reviews Cheryl also shares some lovely photographs.
3. Amanda @ Opinions of a Wolf – Amanda reads a vast array of genres with a special interest in horror and sci-fi. As well as book reviews Amanda shares with us her life as a vegetarian and librarian.
4. Helen @ She Reads Novels – Helen reads a lovely mixture of classics and historical fiction. Helen is a fellow member of The Classics Club.
5. Lynn @ Lynn’s Book Blog – Lynn reads an interesting mixture of fantasy, sci-fi, and modern literature. Lynn is now also a fellow member of The Classics Club.
6. Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm – Meghan reads a vast array of historical fiction and non-fiction with some fantasy and sci-fi thrown in for good measure!
7. Jo @ The Book Jotter – Jo reads an interesting mixture of crime, women’s and modern literature. As well as book reviews Jo shares with us her book club chats and the many book events she attends.
8. Ana @ Things Mean A Lot – Ana reads a vast array of genres in fiction and non-fiction!
9. Dot @ Dot Scribbles – Dot reads a great mixture of new releases with a special interest in crime and women’s literature.
10. Anbolyn @ Gudrun’s Tights – Anbolyn reads a lovely mixture of classics, historical fiction, and women’s and modern literature. Anbolyn is a fellow member of The Classics Club.
11. JoV @ JoV’s Book Pyramid – JoV reads a mixture of genres with a special interest in foreign and translated works. As well as book reviews JoV shares with us her lovely travel photographs.

If any of the above do fancy taking part instead of eleven questions I would like you to discuss eleven books you think other readers must read before they die?

Re-Read: The Horse and His Boy

One of my goals for 2013 is to make more time for re-reads of my beloved favourites, in which case I thought this year would be the perfect opportunity to rediscover the wonderful ‘Land of Narnia’. Recently I have been reading long and pretty intense novels so over last weekend to lighten up my reading again I reached for The Horse and His Boy by C S Lewis the third instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia series.

The Horse and His Boy follows Shasta a young boy who has grown up in a small fishing village in Calormen. Arsheesh the man who Shasta calls father is a fisherman who works the poor boy very hard. One night Shasta meets a talking horse named Bree who convinces the boy to run away with him. And so begins their adventure through the mighty city of Tashbaan, over the vast desert, through the mountains of Archenland, and finally to the magical land of Narnia. Where Bree and Shasta hope they will find freedom from slavery and servitude that they were subjected to in Calormen. I haven’t read The Horse and His Boy since I was a child and I found I’d forgotten much of what happens. This re-read felt almost more like a new read! What I loved the most about this instalment is how it gives us a glimpse into the lives of people living in the lands around Narnia. Calormen is an exotic country with little to no magic, it reminded me of Middle-Eastern countries here in our own world. This instalment also stands out because it doesn’t involve anyone travelling from our world into Narnia instead it involves characters that already live there.

The Horse and His Boy has an interesting collection of characters. The protagonist Shasta is young, naïve, kind, and he finds out along the way he is also pretty brave. With his blonde hair and fair skin he has always felt an outcast in Calormen. Bree the talking horse was captured when young and brought to Calormen so knows where he truly belongs, and convinces Shasta that he too must come from the north. Along the way they also meet Aravis a Calormene princess and her own talking horse Hwin who are both seeking freedom too. What I enjoyed the most was to meet the Pevensie siblings when they are all grown up and are in the middle of their golden reign of Narnia. I particularly loved seeing Mr Tumnus again!

I am no stranger to Lewis’s work. I think his writing style in The Chronicles of Narnia is simple and fun which works well for adults and children alike. Lewis has been criticised for his use of archaic language especially when it is used by his young characters, however I find the language rather charming and feel it adds to the magically atmosphere of the books. When I first read The Chronicles of Narnia I read the books in publication order because I think for your first time nothing beats encountering ‘Narnia’ through the most famous book The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. For my re-read I purposefully decided to read the series in chronological order so I could get a full idea of the detail and history Lewis put into ‘Narnia’ and the characters that inhabit it. Reading The Horse and His Boy as the third instalment really helped me to understand better Narnia and its relationship with the lands around it. Plus it also gave me more detail about Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy’s reign over Narnia.

The Horse and His Boy is an utterly charming children’s tale of magic, friendship and adventure. A wonderfully comforting read for a cold Saturday evening. I am keen to move on to Prince Caspian next, the fourth instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia.

Have you read The Horse and His Boy? Have you read The Chronicles of Narnia?

I’m counting The Horse and His Boy as Fantasy for Once Upon a Time VII hosted by Carl V @ Stainless Steal Droppings.

New Read: The Lives She Left Behind

During the cold and snowy weather of March I happily let myself get lost in the world of Ferney by James Long. A beautiful a novel that left me wanting more. Luckily for me I already had a copy of the long-awaited sequel The Lives She Left Behind sitting on my shelf. The weather has slightly improved in April and I found I couldn’t wait any longer to find out what happens to Ferney and Gally next!

Jo is keen to escape her distant mother and the mind dulling drugs she makes her take to blot out the voice of her friend Gally. Jo finally gets her chance when she joins her friends on an archaeological dig. Luke is keen to escape too he is not close to his mother or stepfather and has no friends due to the odd things he says. After a chance meeting on the archaeological dig Jo and Luke make an instant connection, and find themselves inexplicably drawn to the small Somerset village of Pen Selwood. There they are to find their story is tangled up with school teacher Mike Martin a man living in the shadow of a dark tragedy.  Going into reading Ferney I really had little idea what I was getting myself into with The Lives She Left Behind there were elements I was looking forward to seeing. There is the never-ending romance, history, life-stories, and ’time-slippage’. The Lives She Left Behind certainly didn’t disappoint me.

Within The Lives She Left Behind there is a host of characters more than were included in Ferney. These include Jo’s faithful friends Ali and Lucy, the fun-loving archaeological team, independent woman Fleur (Jo’s mother), Luke’s trouble making parents, the dogged Detective Meehan, and the kind-hearted Rachel. But once again the real focus is on Ferney and Gally (Luke and Jo). Ferney and Gally are such bright and timeless individuals that normal folk are only left walking in their shadows. Then of course there is also poor old Mike. I really felt for him the first time round however the second time round it is seems even worse. My heart went out to him completely. While I sympathised with Ferney and Gally’s situation too it is again so unusual that I don’t think I totally accepted or understood it, I do think I understood better after this book though.

James Long was a new author to me but I am very glad I have been introduced to him as I thought Ferney and The Lives She Left Behind were both beautifully written. Long’s style is steady and has quite a lilting quality to it, once I’d started reading I found myself completely swept off into the emotionally charged tales of Ferney and Gally. Long also managed the present time period and the several historical periods effectively all times seemed to have been well researched even though some time periods were only briefly glimpsed.

The Lives She Left Behind was another enchanting journey through the unusual love, lives and history of Ferney and Gally. I highly recommend to those readers who loved Ferney. I also recommend Ferney and The Lives She Left Behind to those interested in romance, history, and ‘time-slippage’. After enjoying these novels so much I am interested in reading more of Long’s work now.

I received a free copy of The Lives She Left Behind from the publisher in return for my honest opinion.

Have you read James Long? Any recommendations for similar work?

New Books: March and April

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Doll (Short Stories) by Daphne du Maurier

I picked these books up on one of my regular mooches in the local charity shops. I am keen to read more by Daphne du Maurier so while I’ve never heard of The Doll I was excited to get it. On the other hand I have been purposely on the look out for A Discovery of Witches because last year I won a beautiful copy of the sequel Shadow of Night. I can’t wait to try Harkness’ work.

Call for the Dead by John Le Carré

Progressive Dinner Deadly by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Sealed with a Kiss by Rachael Lucas

I spotted this interesting mixture of fiction offered for free on Amazon. I am particularly looking forward to trying the modern classic work of John Le Carré.

The Anne of Green Gables Collection by Lucy Maud Montgomery

The E M Forster Collection

The Tarzan Series: Volumes 1-8 by Edgar Rice Burroughs

I also spotted these nice collections of these classics with full working table of contents offered for free on Amazon. These are not on my Classics Club list but I thought they were too good to be turned down.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Time Machine & War of the Worlds by H G Wells

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum

I spotted these nice editions of these classics with working table of contents offered for free on Amazon and as they are all on my Classics Club list I didn’t hesitate in downloading them.

A Very Brief History series by Mark Black

Alcatraz
George Washington
John F Kennedy
Richard Nixon
Titanic

Behind Jane Austen’s Door by Jennifer Forest

Dancing in the Arms of God by Connie Neal

The Impossible Mentor by Ray Hollenbach

The Truth of the Cross by R C Sproul

I spotted these interesting non-fictions offered for free on Amazon. One of my continuing aims in 2013 is to read more non-fiction especially on history and faith so these looked like they could be great reads for me.

This is another large haul for my kindle with a few for my bookshelf too. I would normally have felt unnerved about bringing home so many new books but with most of them being digital I don’t have to worry about them taking up space so no stress about when I get round to them.

Have you read any of these books? What new books are you excited about?

New Read: Thomas Cromwell

One of my continuing aims in 2013 is to try to read more non-fiction in particular about history. I noticed that over the last month or so different editions of A Very Brief History series by Mark Black have been offered for free on Amazon so I have been collecting them. After enjoying Anne Boleyn from the collection I was keen to read more from this time period so moved on to the Thomas Cromwell edition.

Before reading this book what I knew of Thomas Cromwell was very little. I knew he was a powerful man during the reign of Henry VIII who played a key role in the downfall of Anne Boleyn and the disastrous match with Anne of Cleves. What I learned from reading this book was that Thomas was born a commoner who grew up to travel Europe where he learnt several languages and tried out various jobs. He returned to England where he made a name for himself in legal circles and used his connection with Cardinal Wolsey to gain power. What surprised me was that Thomas like Anne Boleyn was a big supporter of reforms in the Church. He was crucial in the publication of The Bible in English which he then had distributed to all the parishes of England. This fact makes it sadder that he so easily turned on Anne Boleyn when King Henry grew tired of her. Some would say Karma awaited him though. As after the disastrous match he made with Anne of Cleves Thomas found himself out of favour, accused of treason, and executed. Unlike Anne Boleyn I don’t really feel the greatest sympathy for Thomas. He may have helped reform the Church but he was also instrumental in the ravage of England’s monasteries and the death of many people. Thomas seemed to only care about power.

This brief history of Thomas Cromwell is separated into chapters on his time abroad, his successful return to England, his rise to power, the reforms he pioneered in the Church, his fall from favour, the accusations against him, and finally his execution. Now this is called a very brief history and they aren’t lying if you are someone looking for in-depth history of Thomas Cromwell you won’t find it here. Yet I knew little to nothing about Thomas to begin with so this book was great for me. I thought it was a wonderful introduction and taster of the important events in his life. I thought each chapter was really interesting and could be great places to discover what you would like to read and research further.

Mark Black is a relatively new author for me but I am glad to have discovered him and this series. There were a few typos in this but other than that I thought it was clear, concise and well-written. I thought each chapter was an easy bite-size length and each flowed on very well to the next. An easy and entertaining read which like the previous edition I read on Anne Boleyn only took me two sittings to finish! I am really keen to read more from this series.

A Very Brief History: Thomas Cromwell was a simple but interesting introduction to the politically charged life of Henry VIII’s ill-fated chief minister. I recommend to those interested in reading more history non-fiction. I have plenty more from this series to read but I am particularly keen to read more from this time period, which leaves me with the choice between editions on Henry VIII himself or his daughter Elizabeth I.

Are you interested in history? What do you think I should read next?

Meme: Book vs Film

I spotted this fun little meme over at Lynn’s Book Blog and being a big fan of adaptations as well as books I thought it would be great for me to try out here. Lynn simply asks us to contemplate the following:

1. Films that I enjoyed better than the book (is that possible??? )
2. Books that I liked better than the film
3. Books that I can’t decide between because the film did a pretty damned good job of bringing the book to the screen.

To keep things simple you only have to think of 5 answers for each category (more difficult in some categories than others!).

1. Films I enjoyed more than the book:

1. Stardust (2007) vs Stardust by Neil Gaiman
2. Harry Potter (2001-2011) vs Harry Potter by J K Rowling
3. The Lovely Bones (2010) vs The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
4. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1993) vs Dracula by Bram Stoker
5. Blade Runner (1982) vs Do Android’s Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick

2. Books I enjoyed more than the film:

1. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman vs The Golden Compass (2007)
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams vs The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
3. The Host by Stephenie Meyer vs The Host (2013)
4. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden vs Memoirs of a Geisha (2006)
5. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury vs Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

3. Books and films I can’t decide between:

1. The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
2. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Rebecca (1940)
3. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and Sense and Sensibility (1995)
4. The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia (2005-2010)
5. Angels and Demons (2009) and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

What about you? Books? Films? Or both?

New Read: A Game of Thrones

I was gifted with a full set (to-date) of the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin for Christmas. I picked up the first instalment A Game of Thrones in March thinking it would be a great read leading up to the release of season 3 of the TV adaptation Game of Thrones on the 1st April. I finished the book just after this date!

A Game of Thrones starts the action in the Seven Kingdoms with the death of Lord Jon Arryn the Hand of the King. King Robert turns to his childhood friend Lord Eddard Stark to become his new Hand. Reluctantly Ned (Eddard) agrees and moves south to the capital King’s Landing to start a new life of political schemes, intrigue, and flattery that the royal court is rife with. It is not long before Ned discovers a secret that threatens The Iron Thrown and the lives of those he loves. Meanwhile in the North beyond The Wall winter is returning and with it an ancient evil. While across the sea in the East the last descendants of the Targaryen Dragon Lords are making plans to retake The Iron Throne. As you can see there is a lot going on in A Game of Thrones I needed my wits about me to keep up with it all. On the other hand though I can’t say this was a dull read. There was always something going on and I was eager to read on to find out more!

Alongside all the action and adventure of A Game of Thrones there is a whole host of interesting characters to get to know too! I couldn’t possibly discuss them all here so instead I will just focus in on my favourites. Lord Eddard Stark better known as Ned is a good, loyal, kind, and honourable man, possibly too honourable. Arya Stark is the youngest daughter of Ned and makes the journey to King’s Landing with him. Arya is spunky and intelligent I loved hearing about all the scrapes she manages to get herself into. Jon Snow is the illegitimate son of Ned who is sent to The Wall to join the Brothers of the Night’s Watch. Jon starts out rather naïve and bitter but I loved watching his progression during his training to become a great warrior but also a loyal friend. Tyrion Lannister is the youngest of King Robert’s brothers-in-law. Tyrion is a dwarf who receives much abuse and prejudice against him for it even from his own family, however Tyrion is very intelligent and witty! Daenarys Targaryen is the sister to Viserys Targaryen the heir to The Iron Throne. While I disliked Viserys I found Daenarys appealing as she is young, beautiful, and poorly used by her brother but through the book she begins to find her own strength.

While I have watched the television series, George R R Martin and the book A Game of Thrones are new to me. I have been contemplating reading this book since the first season of the television show came out but if I’m honest the sheer length of the book put me off. At nearly 800 pages this is a long book! I could have read two possibly three books in the time it took to read this one book. My real fear though was that the story would be slow and would drag which fortunately turned out to be an unfounded fear. A Game of Thrones is long because it needs to be long. It is jam-packed with action, adventure, intrigue, love, war, hardships, lies, secrets, and shocks! Martin’s writing is detailed and compelling, and his choice to break the book up into bite-size chapters which focus on different characters was a great idea. As a reader I found myself completely immersed in the Seven Kingdoms as I got to explore different cities, castles, and lands from the view-point of the different characters.

A Game of Thrones is an excellent example of epic/high fantasy. I highly recommend to those who enjoy fantasy and for some reason haven’t already read this! This book does contain sexual and violent content so recommended for adults only. Now I have season 3 of the Game of Thrones television show to watch I may leave starting the second instalment of this series A Clash of Kings until that has finished.

Have you read A Game of Thrones? Are you watching the television show?

I’m counting A Game of Thrones as Fantasy for Once Upon a Time VII hosted by Carl V @ Stainless Steal Droppings.

The Classics Club: April Meme

Another month means another meme question for The Classics Club. April’s question much like March’s questions has been relatively easy for me to answer. I instantly knew who my best literary hero was without even thinking! While my best literary heroine didn’t take too much thinking about either.

We’ll start with the best literary hero in my opinion as that took no thinking about, and that honour goes to Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien. Samwise, better known as just Sam, is a hobbit who is a loyal friend and gardener of Frodo Baggins. When Frodo is sent on a dangerous mission to destroy the one ring he couldn’t possibly set out without good old Sam. I am a little bit in love with Sam. He is not particularly clever or witty or talented but he is kind, selfless, brave, faithful, and loving. Sam is pretty much the best friend you could ever have! Let’s face it as much as I like Frodo he wouldn’t have stood a chance of reaching his destination if it wasn’t for Sam.

The best literary heroine in my opinion took a little longer to think of but is no less worthy, the honour goes to Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Elinor is the eldest daughter of Henry Dashwood from his second marriage. When Henry dies Elinor, her two sisters, and her mother find themselves forced from their home by Henry’s heir from his first marriage. The family move to a cottage and try to learn to live a new life. Thinking literary heroines I instantly thought of the strong female protagonists of Austen’s work. I narrowed it down to Elinor in particularly because she is the one that I relate to the most. Plus I wish I could be more like her. Elinor is kind, forgiving, and intelligent but her best feature is her selflessness. While her own heart is breaking she is still able to keep her head up and help those around her.

Samwise Gamgee and Elinor Dashwood come from two very different books but the qualities I admire in them are very similar.

Who in your opinion is the best literary hero/heroine?

Monthly Reflection: March

Hello my fellow bookworms, I hope you are happy and well? March has been an odd old month just as we looked forward to Spring what we in fact got was more snow! I’ve tried to not let this get me down though as there have been the highlights of Easter and my friend’s hen party to brighten the month. Cold weather is also a great excuse to curl up under a blanket with a cup of tea and a good book. Now let’s have a look at what I read under that blanket during the month.

Fiction: 4               Non-Fiction: 2               Poetry: 0

I started March by finishing off the classic Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, my third foray into Dickens’s dark Victorian world which I thoroughly enjoyed. Still being in a historical mood I then moved onto Ferney by James Long. A beautifully written novel with a ‘time-slippage’ twist! I continued my Christian reading with The Gospel in Ten Words by Paul Ellis and my historical reading with A Very Brief History: Anne Boleyn by Mark Black. I thought both were excellent reads. After my historical mood waned little I found myself reaching The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C S Lewis. A wonderful re-read which was just what I needed for the cold and dreary evenings we have been having. Then to finish off the month I managed to join my theatre group for a reading of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. I read the part of the young, naïve, and flighty Cecily. I thought it was all very funny!

Pick of the Month: Ferney by James Long

And those are just the books I finished. During March I have continued to dip in and out of The Complete Brothers Grimm’s Fairytales which I started in January. I am making quite slow progress but have enjoyed what I’ve read so far. Similarly I have also been dipping in and out of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself. In mid-March I actually started reading A Game of Thrones by George R. R Martin the first instalment in the cult classic series A Song of Ice and Fire. I am yet to finish it though I’m afraid as it is at least equal in length to two or three books I would usually read! I am really enjoying it though and am very close to the end now.

How was your March? What did you read?

Happy Easter

I hope today is a day filled with love, faith, and plenty of chocolate eggs for you all