The Classics Club: Spin #2

“Good morning, Clubbers!

It’s time for another Classics Spin for any who are interested. What is the spin?

It’s easy. At your blog, by next Monday, May 20, list your choice of any twenty books you’ve left to read from your Classics Club list – in a separate post.

This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books in May & June. (Details follow.) So, try to challenge yourself. For example, you could list five Classics Club books you are dreading/hesitant to read, five you can’t WAIT to read, five you are neutral about, and five free choice (favourite author, re-reads, ancients — whatever you choose.)

Next Monday, we’ll post a number from 1 through 20. The challenge is to read whatever book falls under that number on your Spin List, by July 1. We’ll have a check in post for July, to see who made it the whole way and finished the spin book”

I wasn’t able to take part in the first Classic Club Spin and I really felt like I missed out, so this time I was determined to make time for it. Here is my Spin List:

1. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
3. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
5. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
6. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
7. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
8. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum
9. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
10. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
11. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
12. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
13. War of the Worlds by H G Wells
14. The Time Machine H G Wells
15. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
16. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
17. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
18. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
19. The Railway Children by E Nesbit
20. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Purple = Classics I can’t wait to read.
Read = Classics I am hesitant to read.
Blue = Classics I’m neutral about.
Green = Classics I don’t own a copy of yet.

I am rather nervous and excited about which book I will end up reading! Wish me luck!

Are you taking part in the Classics Club Spin #2?

New Books: April and May

The Lion’s World by Rowan Williams
This was a gift from some close friends who know my love of The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis. I was so excited about it that I pretty much started reading it straight away!

A Lifetime Burning by Linda Gillard
After reading and enjoying The Glass Guardian my fourth Linda Gillard read. Linda kindly offered to send me a copy of one her novel’s I hadn’t read. I opted for A Lifetime Burning and I can hardly wait to read it!

Sister Mercedes and the Temple of Doom by Brian C Petti
I received a free copy of Sister Mercedes and the Temple of Doom from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Body in the Backyard by Elizabeth Spann Craig

Stories from the Golden Age by L Ron Hubbard
Hurricane
The Iron Duke
Under the Black Ensign

The Silver Locket by Margaret James

I spotted this interesting mixture of fiction offered for free on Amazon. I was particularly excited to spot A Body in the Backyard as I downloaded another instalment from this series last month.

A Very Brief History series by Mark Black
The Berlin Wall
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Ronald Reagan

Fifty Shades of Lady Catherine Grey by T S Wiseman
(The Sex Scandals That Shook the Tudor Court)

Historical Non-Fiction by Charles River Editors
Cicero
King Arthur
King Solomon
Martin Luther and John Calvin
Ramesses II

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 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?

The Classics Club: May Meme

Another month means another meme question for The Classics Club. This is a very wide open question/s which I find I always struggle with more, but I’m keen to keep up with these memes.

I have just finished reading The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald; I will leave my thoughts on that though for my full post on it. I am continuing to dip in and out of The Complete Brothers Grimm’s Fairytales which I started in January. This has been a very slow read for me I have however read over a hundred short-stories already which in any other collection would be excellent progress. I made decent progress in April on it but still a lot of stories to go!

After finishing The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald I find myself not knowing what classic novel to read next. I think I’m most drawn to either A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens or Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Two very different books I think what is really drawing me to them is the authors. I’m in the mood for a new classic from an author I already know and love. I have a few books that I already plan to read over the next week or so but I am hoping to get round to one of these before the end of May.

What classic do you think I should read next?

What classic are you reading or looking forward to reading in May?

Monthly Reflection: April

Hello my fellow bookworms, I hope you are happy and well? April saw the start of Spring here in the UK! I signed up for a teaching agency at the beginning of the month and have been getting a lot more work over the last few weeks. With the odd splattering of sunshine and great career prospects all in all April has been a great month for me. To top the month off I have also spent a great deal of time reading in the sun or tucked up inside during the sporadic April showers. Now let’s have a look at what I read under that blanket during the month.

Fiction: 4               Non-Fiction: 3               Poetry: 0

I started April by finishing off the gigantic A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin the first instalment of the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. Despite the epic length I found A Game of Thrones detailed, thrilling, and utterly un-put-down-able! After that I decided to have a break from fantasy and picked up The Lives She Left Behind by James Long the long-awaited sequel to Ferney which I read in March. Another beautifully written novel from Long highly recommended to those who loved Ferney. My break from fantasy wasn’t long because I couldn’t resist a re-read of the charming The Horse and His Boy by C S Lewis the third instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia. I finished the month off with The Glass Guardian by Linda Gillard. Another wonderful piece of women’s literature with a supernatural twist from Gillard who rapidly becoming one of my favourite modern authors.

Alongside those works of fiction in April I also made excellent progress towards my goal of reading more historical non-fiction. I finished off the memoir Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself a moving and fascinating look through the eyes of a young orphaned slave in America. I also managed to polish off two more editions from the A Very Brief History series by Mark Black, one on Thomas Cromwell and the other one Queen Elizabeth I. Two more short and interesting reads.

Pick of the Month: A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin

And those are just the books I finished. During April I have continued to dip in and out of The Complete Brothers Grimm’s Fairytales which I started in January. Made decent progress but still a lot of stories to go! At the end of the month I also started reading The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald and The Lion’s World by Rowan Williams.

How was your April? What did you read?

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?

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?

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?

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?

Meme: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror. Oh My!

I spotted these interesting meme questions over at Sarah Says Read who found it on SF Signal. I love fun memes like this but I thought how appropriate this one was as I have just signed up for Once Upon a Time VII challenge. I have slightly tweaked this meme to suit me and an UK audience.

Science-Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?

Fantasy! Although I am certainly not adverse to a bit of Science-Fiction and Horror too.

Hardback or Paperback?

On the whole I prefer paperbacks just for the pure easy of carrying them about as they usually smaller and lighter. I do have some hardback copies of cherished favourites that I want to re-read again and again.

Heinlein or Asimov?

I’ve actually read neither, but my father has recommended reading Heinlein.

Amazon or Brick and Mortar?

For physical books I don’t think you can beat a physical brick and mortar shop but now I have a kindle too I use Amazon for that.

Hitchhiker or Discworld?

How can you make me choose?! I love both! Narrowly Discworld is possibly my favourite, I stress narrowly though.

Bookmark or Dog-ear?

Bookmark. Folded pages even just folded corners annoys me yet I am a self-confessed spine-breaker…no one can be perfect I guess.

Magazine: Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?

Neither. I’ve heard of them but I don’t read any magazines.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?

I keep the books I think I would like to re-read. The rest I pass on to friends and family, or donate to charity.

Year’s Best Science Fiction series (edited by Gardner Dozois) or Years Best SF series (edited by David G. Hartwell)?

Erm…I don’t know what these are…

Short story or novel?

I’m open to reading both but I prefer novels.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

This is an easier one as I’ve never read Lemony Snicket so Harry Potter it will have to be.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I really try to get to a chapter break but if I fall asleep mid chapter I don’t have much choice in the matter!

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

“It was a dark and stormy night”

Buy or Borrow?

Buy but sometimes borrow.

Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?

I tend to go mostly by recommendations and browsing.

Lewis or Tolkien?

Again how can you make me choose?! Again I love them both but for different reasons which mean I don’t think I can pick between them.

Hard SF or Space Opera?

Neither. I read a bit of Science-Fiction but not enough to know about these.

Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?

I read both but prefer collections.

Hugo or Nebula?

Neither. Are these awards? I don’t tend to take much notice of awards.

Golden Age SF or New Wave SF?

Neither. Again I don’t know enough about Science-Fiction to know about these.

Tidy ending or Cliff-hanger?

Tidy ending. I can only put up with a cliff-hanger if it’s in the middle of a series and have the next instalment ready to read!

Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?

I’m happy to read most times of the day but I think the best time to read is in the afternoon. There is nothing better than a lazy afternoon spent snuggled up with a book and a cup of tea.

Standalone or Series?

I read a mixture of both.

Urban fantasy or high fantasy?

High fantasy.

New or used?

Both!

Top 5 favourite genre books read last year?

1. (re-read) The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien (Children’s Fantasy)
2. The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett (Fantasy)
3. The Moon Coin by Richard Due (Children’s Fantasy)
4. Sacrifice by Tara Maya (Fantasy)
5. Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (Fantasy)

Top 5 favourite genre books of all time?

1. The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien (Children’s Fantasy)
2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Horror)
3. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C S Lewis (Children’s Fantasy)
4. The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham (Science-Fiction)
5. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (Fantasy)

Top 5 favourite genre series?

1. The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien (Fantasy)
2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis (Children’s Fantasy)
3. Discworld by Terry Pratchett (Fantasy)
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Science Fiction)
5. The Dark Tower by Stephen King (Fantasy/Horror)

What about you; Science-Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror?

If you’ve had a go at these meme questions too please let me know and leave a link to your post in the comments below.