It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (9)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.

 

I was planning on reading a lot this weekend, but then I got the flu and spent most of my time sleeping. I'm still not feeling too good, but at least the fever's gone down and my head is functioning normally again (as normal as it can, anyway) so I can get back to reading.

 

READ LAST WEEK

Despite of being ill I managed to finish Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich. I like these books because they don't require much thought, which is especially good when your head is filled with cotton. You guys also had some interesting things to say about the opening line of this book.

CURRENTLY READING

I'll get back to The Secret River by Kate Grenville now, and hope to finish it this week. I don't think I've got more than 150 pages left, so that should work.

WHAT'S NEXT

I have no idea right now. We'll see what I fancy once I've finished The Secret River.

Have a good week everyone!

Book Beginnings on Friday (6)

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

As much as I like The Secret River by Kate Grenville (and I do), I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. So in an attempt to delay the inevitable, and because I felt like reading something light that day, I did what I normally never do and started another book before I had finished my current read. This opening sentence is from Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich:

My name is Stephanie Plum.

Well, duh.

Review: 16 Lighthouse Road

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber
Book 1 in the Cedar Cove series

Read: 8–16 August 2010
Pages: 377


As a family court judge, Olivia Lockhart has dealt with numerous divorce suits but none as peculiar as Cecilia and Ian Randall's. Before the young couple was married the year before, Cecilia and Ian signed a prenuptial agreement stating their marriage would last a lifetime, but now, after the tragic death of their infant daughter, the two wish to rescind the agreement. Sensing that Cecilia and Ian are still in love, Olivia lets her heart guide her decision, and denies their petition. Olivia's decision makes headlines in The Cedar Cove Chronicle and earns her the admiration of the paper's editor, Jack Griffin, a newcomer to the small Washington town. While Jack courts Olivia, and Ian and Cecilia try to repair their marriage, Olivia's daughter is forced to decide whether she should marry a man whom she doesn't love; Olivia's best friend grows frantic over the disappearance of her husband; and Olivia's mother befriends a stroke patient who harbors a secret he would share if he could speak. (Publishers Weekly)

My thoughts
I enjoyed this book, plain and simple. It's not new or controversial in any way, nor does it pretend to be. Instead it's a story of normal people living normal lives – lives that could easily be yours or mine. True, the book is mosty predictable, but there were some events I never would have anticipated.

The main theme throughout the book is divorce. Most of the characters are or are in the process of being divorced, and as my parents are divorced twice (from each other both times), this was something I could relate to. The characters all felt like they could have been my neighbours. I could easily picture them going about their business in the small town and interacting with each other along the way. The address in the title is Olivia Lockhart's, but her story isn't the most significant, at least it didn't feel like it. The focus was more on Cecilia and Ian than the others, but I found what happened to Olivia's friend Grace to be the most interesting and surprising.

The ending is not happy for all of the characters, and there are some questions left unanswered (particularly one big one) that you will have to read the next book in the series to find the answer to. I'm not rushing out to buy it, but when it crosses my path I'll be happy to pick it up and return to Cedar Cove.

My rating: 3.5/6


The books in the Cedar Cove series are:
16 Lighthouse Road (2001)
204 Rosewood Lane (2002)
311 Pelican Court (2003)
44 Cranberry Point (2004)
50 Harbor Street (2005)
6 Ranier Drive (2006)
74 Seaside Avenue (2007)
8 Sandpiper Way (2008)
92 Pacific Boulevard (2009)
1022 Evergreen Place (2010)
and
A Cedar Cove Christmas (2008)

Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's list topic is...

Top Ten Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

1. Pride & Prejudice – I know, I know. I’ve seen the movie and the television series and read various excerpts from the novel in school, but I’ve never read the actual book. I will some day, I promise.

2. The Complete Harry Potter series – It’s been how many years since everyone started raving about Harry Potter? I’ve read the first five books, and love them, but I’m never in a hurry to start the next. In fact, it took me two years to get from four to five. I’m contemplating starting over again from the first one before moving on to six and seven, because I’m afraid I’ve forgotten a whole lot.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird – I really need to read this. It’s been on my shelf for several years, so I don’t have an excuse. Not a good one, anyway.

4. Any Dickens except A Christmas Carol – I love ACC, but I’ve just never gotten around to any of his other works. Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities are eyeing me reproachfully from the shelf next to me. (Although come to think of it, I may or may not have read David Copperfield when I was a kid. But since I can’t remember, I don’t think it counts.)

5. Animal Farm – Assigned reading in my high school English class, but I managed to persuade my teacher to let me read Wuthering Heights instead. I even got out of watching the movie afterwards.

6. A Game of Thrones (and the rest of A Song of Ice and Fire) – It seems that after Lord of the Rings, this is the classic fantasy series. I purchased the first book a while back, fully intending to read it soon after, but so far I haven’t. Truth is, I’m terrified it will bore me to tears.

7. Treasure Island – Another one that’s been sitting on my shelf for ages. I really wanted to read it when I bought it, but somehow I never started it and now I have so many other books I want to read as well. I might have to watch a couple of the Pirates of the Caribbean films to put me in the right mood.

8. The Shell Seekers – Can I really call myself a fan of Rosamunde Pilcher if I haven’t read her greatest work?

9. Outlander/Cross Stitch – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a negative review of this book. It sounds very good (I almost picked up A Breath of Snow and Ashes from a bookstore, before I realised it was part of a series), and I think I will like it. If I ever get around to it, that is.

10. Catch-22 – Seeing as so many others are admitting to never having read this one, I feel I can do so too. This must be one of those famous least-read books. Maybe we should start a read-along?

The Most Beautiful Books of the Year

Grafill (Norwegian Organisation for Visual Communication) holds an annual competition for the visual part of the publishing industry, called "Årets vakreste bøker" (the most beautiful books of the year). The competition is for Norwegian books, and the gold winners are sent to the European book fair ”Die Schönsten Bücher der Welt” in Leipzig as well as to the book fair in Frankfurt. The winners are also exhibited at the National Library in Norway. The jury received 286 entries in 2010.

This year's winners include:

Category: Literature - adult

På vegne av venner by Kristopher Schau

Designer: Terese Moe Leiner

Category: Literature - Children/YA

Category: Cover Design - Children/YA

Håndbok for André by Yngve Sæther

Illustrators/designers: Aslak Gurholt Rønsen and Thomas Nordby from Yokoland

Category: Cover Design - Adult

Min kamp 1-3 by Karl Ove Knausgård

Designer: Yngve Knausgård

Designer/photographer: Asbjørn Jensen

Most Beautiful Book of 2010

SANDAKER VGS, Portrait of a Norwegian High School by Line Bøhmer Løkken

 From the jury's comment: This book is a portrait of the school and its culture and architecture. [...] The photos show the diversity [of students] and makes it interesting. The material of the cover creates associations to the way report cards used to be, and the endpaper has an ornament like the one the school uses on its envelopes.

I haven't seen any of these books myself, so I can't really comment on anything else than these pictures. The cover of the first one, På vegne av venner, looks lovely. The author decided to go to funerals that for different reasons were arranged by the state, because he wanted to see what it was like when there was no one there to say goodbye. Kristopher Schau is a well-known comedian (think TV show Jackass) in Norway, so I'm having a hard time picturing him writing such a serious book. But it has received many positive reviews, so maybe I should put my prejudices aside and read this "small book which grows in your hands" (Grafill jury).

I love the photos from Sandaker high school, and would like to see more of them. I think photographer and author Line Bøhmer Løkken has captured so many different aspects and emotions of the school. I actually found a few more of her photos here - scroll down to "Sandaker skole - en skole for alle" or just do a search for Line Bøhmer Løkken.

What do you think of these books? Do they deserve the title "Most beautiful books of the year"? Do you know of any similar book contests in your country?

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which we share what books we have received in the mail, bought, borrowed or otherwise acquired during the week.

I went to the annual local flee market yesterday, and came home with two books:

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
I've heard a lot of good things about Sophie Kinsella, but I've never read anything by her myself. This sounds like fun.

Goodreads description: Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She's made a mistake so huge, it'll wreck any chance of a partnership.
Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up, in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she's mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they've hired a lawyer; and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can't sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope - and finds love - is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake.
But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does - will she want it back?

The Right Attitude To Rain by Alexander McCall Smith
I love the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, and thought I'd give the Sunday Philosophy Club a chance. This is the third book in the series, so I'll have to find the other two before reading this one (I prefer reading series in order).


Goodreads description: When Mimi, Isabel’s cousin from Dallas, arrives in Edinburgh with her husband, Joe, several confounding situations unfurl. First, Mimi and Joe introduce Isabel to Tom Bruce–a bigwig back home in Texas. The roving eye of Tom’s young fiancée leads Isabel to believe that money may be at the root of her love for Tom. But what, Isabel wonders, is at the root of Tom’s interest in Isabel herself? Then there are the feelings that Isabel has for Jamie, which are certainly hard to ignore. And she mustn’t forget about her niece, Cat, who’s busy falling for a man whom Isabel suspects of being an incorrigible mama’s boy.

Of course, Jamie counsels Isabel to stay out of it all, but there are irresistible philosophical issues at stake–when to tell the truth and when to keep one’s mouth shut, to be precise–and philosophical issues are meat and drink to Isabel Dalhousie, editor of the Review of Applied Ethics. In any case, Isabel is certain of the ethical basis for a little sleuthing now and again–especially when the problems involve matters of the heart.

What books did you get this week?

On My Wishlist (5)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we want to read but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Solomon vs. Lord by Paul Levine

I read a review of the audio book over at Jen's Book Thoughts, and thought it sounded intriguing. I don't read many courtroom dramas, but I have a feeling I might like this one.

Goodreads description: Steve Solomon is the sharpest lawyer ever to barely graduate from Key West School of Law. Victoria Lord is fresh from Yale, toiling for an ambitious D.A. and soon to be married. And Katrina Barksdale is a sexy former figure skater charged with killing her incredibly wealthy, incredibly kinky husband. With all three tangled in the steamiest trial of the century, the case is sure to make sparks fly, headlines scream—and opposites attract.

But with Solomon inventing his own laws and Lord sticking to the real ones, these two can’t stop squabbling, even after teaming up to defend the glamorous widow. With crooks, con men, and a cast of colorful characters swirling around Solomon, and an anxious fiancé waiting for Lord, the two attorneys begin to believe their luscious client has been lying through her perfect teeth. Now Solomon and Lord must solve the case before they end up in ruin, in jail…or in bed.

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven # 1)

This one has a 4.10 avg. rating on Goodreads. I figure 13,958 people can't be wrong.

Goodreads description: For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite... 

Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most.

Book Beginnings on Friday (5)

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

This is from the prologue of The Secret River by Kate Grenville.

"The Alexander, with its cargo of convicts, had bucked over the face of the ocean for the better part of a year."

There's actually a lot of information to be found in this sentence, especially if you consider that the author is Australian. The convicts must be on their way from England to Australia, so we know at least some of the places in which the story takes place, and we know the approximate time period (late 18th to 19th century). Thus I now have the setting, and I can start getting to know the characters.

Think About It Thursday (2)

Think About It Thursday is a new meme hosted by Rachel at 1001 Books. Each week she'll ask a question related to books and reading.

This week's question is:

What is your earliest memory of books or reading? Was it a positive or negative experience?

I learnt to read when I was four, and my earliest reading experience is something I don't actually remember myself, but Mum have told me about it later. I used to sit on my Dad's lap when he was reading the newspaper, and I kept asking him what different letters were (I probably drove him crazy). Then one day I'd been sitting very quiet for a while, trying to put the letters togeter, and then suddenly I asked what a particular word of a headline meant. Imagine my parents' surprise! I wish I could remember that feeling of cracking the letter code, because I'm sure it must have felt wonderful. I can still see myself sitting on Dad's lap, completely hidden behind the paper.


After that we joined a Donald Duck bookclub where we got illustrated books with stories of Donald and his friends (I've always loved Donald Duck), and these were the first books I read. I inherited some old children's books from an aunt which I read over and over again. Then I started school and discovered the library, and my life was complete. :)

Booking Through Thursday (2)

I shouldn't be doing this Booking Through Thursday, because I have a ton of other things I should be doing (like reading!), but I could never resist a good questionnaire.

1. Favorite childhood book?
Oh gosh, I have no idea. I loved series like Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene, The Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Jones and The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. I also remember absolutely loving what I think is The Island of Adventure by Enid Blyton.

2. What are you reading right now?
The Secret River by Kate Grenville.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None. I rarely use the library anymore, too many books on my shelves at home.

4. Bad book habit?
Buying more than I read?

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
See # 3.

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Yes, I recently bough a Kindle 2.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I'm simply not able to read more than one book at a time. I've tried starting two books with the intention of switching between them, but I always end up putting one aside until I've finished the other.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I only started blogging seriously in June, so no, nothing's changed so far - except that my wishlist is a mile longer.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Talk to the Hand by Lynne Truss.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not very often, I'm afraid.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Thrillers, mystery, fantasy, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, women's fiction.

13. Can you read on the bus?
Yes, but I prefer relaxing and looking out the window. I like reading on trains better.

14. Favorite place to read?
Curled up on my couch with pillows and a blanket.

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I only lend books to my mum, because I know she takes as good care of them as I do. No one else asks to borrow books from me anyway, which is just as well.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Heavens, no!

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
No. If I want to make notes, I do it on post-its or a paper pad.

18.  Not even with text books?
Well, yes. A lot. I found it helped me remember.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
Norwegian if the book is written in Norwegian or another Nordic language, otherwise English. I can also read Swedish, Danish and easy French books, but they do require a little more work so I don't do it very often. I probably should, though.

20. What makes you love a book?
A combination of things like interesting plot, solid characters, a sense of humour, that make me go "This is so great!".

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If someone tells me they like a certain genre or topic or element and I've read a book that fits the bill, or I know someone's reading preferences and I've read something that would be right up their alley.

22. Favorite genre?
So many. See # 12.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Historical non-fiction.

24. Favorite biography?
I don't read many biographies, but I remember loving one about Helen Keller when I was a kid.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
One or two.

26. Favorite cookbook?
Two Norwegian ones: Cappelens nye kokebok and 365 sunne middager på en halv time.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
I don't think any of them have been particularly inspirational.

28. Favorite reading snack?
I don't usually snack when I read (only when I watch TV), but chocolate is always good.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Can't think of any at the moment. I usually never get around to those books until the hype has died down.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Sometimes.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don't feel bad about it. I figure a book can't please everyone, and that particular one just wasn't for me. I trust anyone who reads my reviews remembers that what I write is simply my personal opinion.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I already do (English), but I would love to be able to read in French. And German. And Italian.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Hmm... Maybe something I read in uni?

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Pride and Prejudice. Yes, I heard your gasp. I've read excerpts and seen the movie and the tv series, so I know the story well, but I've never actually read the book. I'm afraid I'll hate it, or worse, be bored.

35. Favorite Poet?
Robert Frost.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
None.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
A few times, mostly because they were overdue.

38. Favorite fictional character?
This is very hard to answer, because I have many favourite characters. But if you twist my arm, I have to say Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. He's just about perfect.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
It must be getting late... Can't think of any.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Something that doesn't require too much brain power, because there's bound to be distractions and interruptions.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I didn't read anything but textbooks for a couple of years in high school. Sad, I know.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey. I really wanted to read it, but I gave up after only a few pages. It was written in the form of letters from Ned Kelly, complete with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Lots of them. All I could think of was grabbing a red pen and start correcting. I had to put it down to keep my sanity. Shouting at books is not pretty.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
People talking on the tv or radio and music in another language than what I'm reading.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Lord of the Rings.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I'd like to say War of the Worlds because I found it utterly ridiculous, but I haven't read the book so I guess it doesn't count.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
I have no idea. Physical bookstore - not so much. Online bookstore - a whole lot more.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I don't think I do that. I read the blurb and sometimes the first page to get a feel for the book.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Finding myself not caring about the characters or what happens. An abundance of factual errors. Bad editing.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
You wouldn't think so looking at my shelves, but yes, my books are quite organised. Hey, as long as I know where to find a particular book that's enough, right?

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I used to be a keeper, but since joining BookCrossing (and moving three times in as many years) I've discovered the joys of giving books away. Unfortunately high postage costs don't permit me to send books all over the world anymore.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
The Millennium Trilogy and The Hunger Games Trilogy (yes, I heard you gasping again). I'm sorry, but they just don't interest me.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
Did I mention True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey?

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
I'm not sure. If I don't expect to like a book, I probably won't pick it up in the first place.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Oh, plenty. American Gods by Neil Gaiman, for instance.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Rosamunde Pilcher.

Teaser Tuesdays (7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- Be careful not to include spoilers (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)!
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

"From the tiny window of their room they could see the fowls in Ingram's yard underneath them all day, scratching, bustling, flying at the crusts and peelings flung out the kitchen door by Ingram's cook. The Thornhills would have fought the fows for those crusts, except that Mr Ingram's servant was always in the yard, and watched the Thornhills sourly, knowing what was in their minds."

From The Secret River by Kate Grenville (page 49).

Description: London, 1806 - William Thornhill, happily wedded to his childhood sweetheart Sal, is a waterman on the River Thames. Life is tough but bearable until William makes a mistake, a bad mistake for which he and his family are made to pay dearly. His sentence: to be transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. Soon Thornhill, a man no better or worse than most, has to make the most difficult decision of his life ...

Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted my MizB over at Should Be Reading.

This week the question is: What books are you wishing for MOST right now?

The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan
I've been drooling over this book since it caught my eye on The Lost Entwife's TBR list (she actually put up her review today, which doesn't make me want it any less). This is the first book of a six-part saga, written as a single epic tale divided into individual episodes.

From the author's website: Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out…and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

Doesn't that sound brilliant? I'm almost afraid of reading it, for fear of it not living up to my now sky-high expectations...

A few others that I'd like to read right now include The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, The Secret Life of Wombats by Jackie French and Bad Debts by Peter Temple.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (8)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.

 

READ LAST WEEK

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

Family court judge Olivia Lockhart has a failed marriage, a difficult relationship with her daughter, Justine, and a mother who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them. When Olivia denies a divorce in court, there is a frenzied reaction and, thanks to an article by Jack Griffin in the local paper, everyone's talking about it. (Tanum)

CURRENTLY READING

The Secret River by Kate Grenville

For the Aussie Author Challenge.

Moving between the slums of nineteenth-century London and the convict colonies of Australia, a compelling historical novel chronicles the lives and fortunes of the early pioneers of New South Wales, in a volume based on the author's own family history. (Tanum)

 

WHAT'S NEXT

I've been itching to read The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen since I bought it, as I've heard only good things about it and would like to read some of the books in the Rizzoli & Isles series before I watch the TV show.

On My Wishlist (4)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we want to read but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

 

Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales by Angela Carter

This one caught my eye while browsing abook store in Sydney, but I've forgotten to actually add it to my wishlist until now. It's a collection of fairy tales for adults from around the world, and the illustrations looked really pretty.

Goodreads description: Once upon a time fairy tales weren't meant just for children, and neither is Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales. This stunning collection contains lyrical tales, bloody tales and hilariously funny and ripely bawdy stories from countries all around the world- from the Arctic to Asia - and no dippy princesses or soppy fairies. Instead, we have pretty maids and old crones; crafty women and bad girls; enchantresses and midwives; rascal aunts and odd sisters. This fabulous celebration of strong minds, low cunning, black arts and dirty tricks could only have been collected by the unique and much- missed Angela Carter. Illustrated throughout with original woodcuts.

 

The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan (The Riyria Revelations #1)

This sounds so good, I want to read it right now! It's the first in a series of six, and if it lives up to its description, I'm certain I will love it.

Goodreads description: THEY KILLED THE KING. THEY PINNED IT ON TWO MEN. THEY CHOSE POORLY.
Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats to the murder of the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out…and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

 

ABOUT THE SERIES
The Crown Conspiracy is book one of the multi-book saga: The Riyria Revelations. Instead of a string of sequels this six-book fantasy series was conceived as a single epic tale divided into individual episodes. All were written before the first was released so that plot elements are intertwined, yet each is self-contained and can be read independently from each other.

Book Beginnings on Friday (4)

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

This week I'm reading 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber. This is the opening line:

Cecelia Randall had heard of people who, if granted one wish, would choose to live their lives over again.

Think About It Thursday

Think About It Thursday is a new meme hosted by Rachel at 1001 Books. Each week she'll ask a question related to books and reading.

This week's question is:

Where/When is your favorite literary vacation spot?

I'd like to say the Australian Outback, so vividly described in Tamara McKinley's books, but I know I wouldn't survive a day there. I can't handle the heat, and I'm terrified of  bugs of all sorts, spiders especially. I'd constantly be checking my surroundings to see if there was anything scary nearby. I love reading about it though (the Outback, not the bugs).

Somewhere I'd love to visit is Rosamunde Pilcher's Scotland. Her descriptions of the lochs, the hills, the sea and the changing weather always make me long to see it for myself. I'd also like to spend some time in the small village of Aidensfield, created by Nicholas Rhea for his Constable books (better known from the TV series Heartbeat). And I wouldn't mind visiting the Inkworld from Cornelia Funke's Inkheart trilogy, to see the fairies and the brownies and the strolling players and the Wayless Wood - as long as I knew I would get back to my own world.

Mini-review: The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians book 1

Read: 2–7 August 2010
Kindle edition

Goodreads description 
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse: Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. Percy's mom decides it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends, one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena, Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

My review
This was a quick and easy read, but it soon became clear that it is written for a younger audience than me. As it was, I found it somewhat superficial. I felt the characters could have been more developed, and their bad judgement made me shake my head in exasperation more than once. I didn't quite connect with Percy, but I liked Annabeth and Grover (and Chiron). The author has obviously borrowed more than one idea from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, but he has succeeded in changing them sufficiently to make them suit his own story.

I wish this series had been around when I was twelve, because I think this story is best enjoyed from a kid's point of view. I have a feeling I might like the movie better though (and that's not just because Pierce Brosnan is in it).

My rating: 3

Teaser Tuesdays (6)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- Be careful not to include spoilers (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)!
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I'm currently reading 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber.

"I'll change," Olivia offered quickly, and left the room before Jack could protest. So much for a hot date.

I like this book so far - it's sweet and occasionally funny, as shown by the above quote.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (7)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.

READ LAST WEEK
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
This was the first book I read on my Kindle, and it was a quick read. I actually read half of it in one day, which is rare for me. Whether that's because of the book or the Kindle, I'm not sure. ;)

CURRENTLY READING
16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber
This is about a judge in a family court, her mother and the young couple who appear in her courtroom wanting a divorce. Reminds me a bit about the TV series Judging Amy, which I really liked. I think this the first book in a series, but I'm not sure if the other books have the same characters in them. Anyone know?

WHAT'S NEXT
I've been putting it off for a while now, so I really think it's time for The Secret River by Kate Grenville.

On My Wishlist (3)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we want to read but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

 

Cold Sight by Leslie Parrish (Extrasensory Agents #1)

Recommended by Book Chick City.

Goodreads description: After being made a scapegoat in a botched investigation that led to a child's death, Aidan McConnell became a recluse. Still, as a favor to an old friend, Aidan will help on the occasional XI case. But under his handsome, rugged facade, he keeps his emotions in check—for fear of being burned again.

Reporter Lexie Nolan has a nose for news—and she believes a serial killer has been targeting teen girls around Savannah. But no one believes her. So she turns to the new paranormal detective agency and the sexy, mysterious Aidan for help.

But just as the two begin forging a relationship, the case turns eerily personal for Lexie—and Aidan discovers that maybe he hasn't lost the ability to feel after all...

 

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer

Recommended by Coffee N Crackers.

Goodreads description: This stunning novel of fraud and revenge is the book that launched Jeffrey Archer's career as an international bestselling author. A bogus North Sea oil company and a few well-placed whispers were all Harvey Metcalfe needed to pull off an easy million-dollar scam. Now his victims have decided to get even.

 

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle (Bibliophile Mysteries #1)

Goodreads description: Murder is always a bestseller...

First in the new Bibliophile Mystery series!

The streets of San Francisco would be lined with hardcovers if rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright had her way. And her mentor wouldn’t be lying in a pool of his own blood on the eve of a celebration for his latest book restoration.

With his final breath he leaves Brooklyn a cryptic message, and gives her a priceless—and supposedly cursed—copy of Goethe’s Faust for safekeeping.

Brooklyn suddenly finds herself accused of murder and theft, thanks to the humorless—but attractive—British security officer who finds her kneeling over the body. Now she has to read the clues left behind by her mentor if she is going to restore justice…

 

Crescent Dawn by Clive Cussler (Dirk Pitt #21)

I love Dirk Pitt, and even though bringing in the twins kind of ruined things for me, I wouldn't dare not read any new book in fear of missing something good.

Goodreads description: In A.D. 327, a Roman galley barely escapes a pirate attack with its extraordinary cargo. In 1916, a British warship mysteriously explodes in the middle of the North Sea. In the present day, a cluster of important mosques in Turkey and Egypt are wracked by explosions. Does anything tie them together? NUMA director Dirk Pitt is about to find out, as Roman artifacts discovered in Turkey and Israel unnervingly connect to the rise of a fundamentalist movement determined to restore the glory of the Ottoman Empire, and to the existence of a mysterious "manifest," lost long ago, which if discovered again...just may change the history of the world as we know it.

 

Diamond Dove by Adrian Hyland

Recommended by Desert Book Chick

I'm always interested in finding new Australian authors, and Desert Book Chick's review convinced me I should read this one.

Tanum description: Emily Tempest has been away from Central Australia's outback for a long time - uni, travel, dead-end jobs... finding trouble all over the world. Now, she's back at Moonlight Downs, the community where she grew up, investigating the untimely death of an old friend.

 

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

When I read the opening lines of this book over at Puss Reboots, I knew this had to go on my wishlist.

Goodreads description: "Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator of The Lace Reader, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations, but the disappearance of two women brings Towner home to Salem and the truth about the death of her twin sister to light." The Lace Reader is a tale that spirals into a world of secrets, confused identities, lies, and half-truths in which the reader quickly finds it's nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction, but as Towner Whitney points out early on in the novel, "There are no accidents."

Review: Ice Station

Ice Station by Matthew Reilly

Read: 20 July - 1 August 2010
Pages: 689

Part of the Aussie Author Challenge

Back cover: "At a remote ice station in Antarctica, a team of US scientists has made an amazing discovery. They have found something buried deep within the coastal ice shelf. Something trapped inside a 100-million-year-old layer of ice. Something made of metal.

It is the discovery of a lifetime.
A discovery of immeasurable value.
A discovery men would kill for...

Led by an enigmatic Lieutenant Shane Schofield, a team of crack United States Marines is rushed to the station to secure this discovery for their country. They are a tight unit. Tough and fearless. They would follow their leader into hell. They just did...

In a land without boundaries, the only law is survival."

Fun, non-stop action

This is the fifth Matthew Reilly book I've read (others include the Jack West Jr. series and Temple), and as he writes your typical formulaic thrillers, I knew what to expect: Lots of action and fighting, a conspiracy of some sort and stereotypical characters. I got all that from Ice Station, plus the added bonus of actually liking and believing in several of the characters (as opposed to Temple, which I mostly wanted to throw out the window).

Ice Station is non-stop action: the first gunfight is underway on page 80 and neither the main characters nor the readers get a chance to catch their breath until the very end. Some of the scenes do require some serious suspension of disbelief, but for the most part I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. I wish Reilly didn't feel the need to educate me on all the different types of weapons used though – I don't care if the bad guys are shooting at the good guys with a MP-5 or a FA-MAS assault rifle or even a crossbow – I just want to know who gets hit.

Reilly is not afraid of killing off his characters, which serves to make the story more realistic – yes, good guys die. People are introduced on one page and killed on the next. The main character, Lt. Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield is an interesting guy who comes across as capable and credible – not something that can be said for most of Reilly's characters (I refer again to the utter rubbish that is Temple). There were also a couple of delightful instances of self-irony which I adored.

One of my problems with Reilly is his habit of using italics and/or exclamation marks to underline something bad/unexpected happening, which I find very annoying. It wasn't as prominent in this book as in Seven Ancient Wonders, but it still happens a lot. A few examples:

Kirsty squealed in surprise, looked up, and saw that she had hit the underside of the bridge. She couldn't go any further up!

They were melting the ice around them, and were now starting to slide out from the wall!

I tend to notice the typography more than the actual content in these cases, which interferes with the pace of the story.

All in all this was an enjoyable thriller which made me want to read the next book in the Scarecrow series. My only wish is that Reilly could have found a way of making the Australians and not the Americans the heroes. Now that would have been fun.

My rating: 4

Teaser Tuesdays (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- Be careful not to include spoilers (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)!
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, which I'm reading on my Kindle (sorry, had to make it 3 sentences):

I had weird dreams full of barnyard animals. Most of them wanted to kill me. The rest wanted food.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (6)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.

READ LAST WEEK:
Ice Station by Matthew Reilly

A fast-paced thriller set in Antarctica. For the Aussie Author Challenge.

CURRENTLY READING:

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan (Kindle edition)

My first Kindle book. I've only read the first chapter, but it looks like a quick read.

WHAT'S NEXT:

Not sure, but probably one of the three books I have yet to read for the BookCrossing challenge, either The Secret River by Kate Grenville, 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber or The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle.

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which we share what books we have received in the mail, bought, borrowed or otherwise acquired during the week.

The highlight of my week was of course receiving my Kindle. I haven't had time to sit down and actually read a book on it yet, but I've made sure to stack it with lots of free classics like Les Miserables and Alice in Woderland. I also got some newer books, like the first five books in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. As soon as I've finished my current read, I plan to start reading my very first Kindle book.

I also got Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris from BookMooch.com. I enjoyed Dead Until Dark, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.