Review of 2010

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Another relatively poor year of reading - definitely need to get my head into the game ;) Most challenges were completed, though I still owe Rhinoa a read of Lolita. Picking favourite reads is always difficult for me, but I can say that my most enjoyed reads of 2010 include: A Fine and Private Place, The Book of Flying, Monsters of Men, Lonely Werewolf Girl, The Vintner's Luck, Clockwork Angel and Bernard Cornwell's The Warlord Chronicles.

As for 2011...I was gifted an awful lot of books over the holidays, so will be endeavouring to read the reams stashed in my house before buying any more!

Happy New Year folks...and happy reading in 2011.

Books Read:
The Ask and the Answer - Patrick Ness
A Fine and Private Place - Peter S Beagle
Here Lies Arthur - Philip Reeve
The Winter King - Bernard Cornwell
Enemy of God - Bernard Cornwell
Excalibur - Bernard Cornwell
A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K.Rowling (audiobook read by Stephen Fry)
Red Spikes - Margo Lanagan
Monsters of Men - Patrick Ness
Witch Hill - Marcus Sedgwick
The Foreshadowing - Marcus Sedgwick
Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater
Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon
The Vintner's Luck - Elizabeth Knox
The Book of Flying - Keith Miller
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
Harp of the Grey Rose - Charles de Lint
The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Collector - John Fowles
White Crow - Marcus Sedgwick
Lonely Werewolf Girl - Martin Millar
Curse of the Wolf Girl - Martin Millar
The City and The City - China Mieville
Revolver - Marcus Sedgwick
Psyche in a Dress - Francesca Lia Block
The Woman in Black - Susan Hill
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare

Challenges Completed:
Arthurian Challenge
Isolde: Queen of the Western Isle - Rosalind Miles
Isolde: The Maiden of White Hands - Rosalind Miles
Isolde: The Lady of the Sea - Rosalind Miles
The Once and Future King - T.H. White
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Simon Armitage
The Winter King - Bernard Cornwall
Enemy of God - Bernard Cornwall
Excalibur - Bernard Cornwall
Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Guenevere: Queen of the Summer Country - Rosalind Miles
Le Morte D'Arthur - Sir Thomas Malory
Idylls of the King - Alfred Tennyson
I am Morgan le Fay - Nancy Springer
Here Lies Arthur - Phillip Reeve

A Tournament of Reading
1. Here Lies Arthur - Phillip Reeve
2. The Winter King - Bernard Cornwell
3. Enemy of God - Bernard Cornwell
4. Excalibur - Bernard Cornwell
5. Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon

Our Mutual Read
1. The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2. The Woman in Black - Susan Hill

RIP V
1. The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2. The Collector - John Fowles
3. White Crow - Marcus Sedgwick
4. Lonely Werewolf Girl - Martin Millar
5. Curse of the Wolf Girl - Martin Millar

Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge
1. Hamlet (film)
2. The Tempest (stage)
3. Macbeth (stage)
4. The Taming of the Shrew (stage)
5. Henry V (stage)
6. Hamlet (stage)

Challenge with Rhinoa
The Happy Prince - Oscar Wilde
Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
Piece by Piece - Tori Amos
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle

RIP V Challenge

Stupidly busy again so I haven't had the chance to finish my reviews, but here is my brief round up of Carl's fabulous RIP V Challenge.

I managed to get through more books than I hoped, but didn't get round to reading Dracula...maybe next year.

Books read:
The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Lonely Werewolf Girl - Martin Millar
Curse of the Wolf Girf - Martin Millar
White Crow - Marcus Sedgewick
The Collector - John Fowles

Looking forward to RIP VI!

RIP V Challenge

I'm a bit slow on joining this years Readers. Imbibing. Peril. Challenge, hosted as ever by the fabulous Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings. The challenge runs from 1st September to 31st October and involves reading books that fall into several categories:

Mystery
Suspense
Thriller
Dark Fantasy
Gothic
Horror
Supernatural

I will be participating in Peril the First, reading four books that fit into these categories.


My pool of potential reads include:
Dracula - Bram Stoker
The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Lonely Werewolf Girl - Martin Millar
The Invisible Ring - Anne Bishop
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova
White Crow - Marcus Sedgewick
A Game of Thrones - George RR Martin

Also on my bookshelf:
An Instance of the Fingerpost - Ian Pears
The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson
The Collector - John Fowles
Fingersmith - Sarah Waters

For more information, take a look at Carl's challenge post, and above all enjoy reading!

A Tournament of Reading

Yes yes, one more challenge she says! But how could I resist one based in mediaeval literature and history. Megan of Medieval Bookworm is hosting A Tournament of Reading, challenging participants to read more medieaval literature in 2010. Challenge genres include history, medieval literature and historical fiction. Medieval, for simplicity of definition, will be from 500-1500, and literature from all over the world is welcome, not just Western Europe. There are 3 levels:

• Peasant - Read 3 medieval books of any kind.
• Lord - Read 6 medieval books, at least one of each kind.
• King - Read 9 medieval books, at least two of each kind.

Participants are not required to make a list or stick to one, but post one if you can. For help, Meghan will be posting some recommendations. You can sign up using Mr Linky on Meghan's challenge post, and enjoy some medieval literature! For now, I am signing up as a peasant, with aspirations of becoming a lord (or rather a lady!), and I will post some titles once I've had a think. Fare thee well good readers!

Nation - Terry Prachett

I am writing my last few reviews for 2009 in reverse order, as they are freshest in my mind that way!

Read for: 2009 YA Challenge, Herding Cats II

This is the tale of a wave, one that wipes out every living person in the Nation, a small island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The only survivor of that Nation is Mau, a boy returning home from the challenges of leaving boyhood to accept a new status as man. Trapped at sea in his canoe when the wave hit, Mau returns home to devastation and lost somewhere between being a boy and becoming a man (and thus with no soul), and tries to make sense of what has happened.

However, Mau is not alone. Mau is joined by Daphne, a high class Victorian girl, the only survivor of the ship Sweet Judy, that lies wrecked and broken on the island. Daphne is what Mau refers to as a trouserman, and with the vast language and cultural barriers that divide them, the two survivors attempt to communicate, while of course adhering to Victorian protocol. Soon, the pair are joined by other survivors and with Mau as their (soulless!) Chief, this sad and broken rabble attempt to make a life for themselves.

Nation is a book of questions. Throughout Mau questions everything around him. The reasons for his surviving the wave, Daphne and her strange trouserman ways, the history of his people and ultimately the existance (or not) of their gods. Although imbued with much of the humour one would expect from Pratchett (tree-climbing octopus!), this is quite a serious book, due predominantly to the terrible events caused by the wave, and the spiritual questions posed by our protagonist. I also particularly liked the nods to science and the discoveries and scientists of the era.

The progression of the story after the wave felt slow, and I did not warm immediately to it or to Mau. However, by the time I was in the latter third of the book, it occurred to me that I liked it, a lot more than I thought I would, though perhaps not as much as I had hoped, given the reviews and recommendations. Mau is a delight and his questions are what drive the book and, I am sure, the reader's enjoyment of it. Daphne too comes into her own, transforming from a confused Victorian castaway, to a clever, scientific-minded woman of power, and it is she who uncovers much of the secrets of the Nation. Indeed, the other survivors are so individual in character and voice that it is almost possible to visualise them, and I found myself particularly taken with the unknown woman. My feelings towards latter events in the book are still somewhat conflicted, but as promised (by many bloggers!), the final chapter was truly wonderful. I have a feeling that this tale may haunt me for a while.

One particular passage that stood out for me midway through the book:

"It was a sacred place, and not because of some god or other. It was just...sacred, because it existed, because pain and blood and joy and death had echoed in time and made it so."

I will certainly recommend Nation, especially to fans of Pratchett, though I am aware that it is somewhat different to his other books. And that is perhaps why I will not be rushing out to read much of his other work. I have never loved Pratchett (the measley handful of books I have read that is!) and doubt I ever will, but I appreciate the following he has and hope that, in light of his illness, this very popular and prolific author can continue to entertain the masses for a long while to come. However, if another book appears in a similar vein of storytelling and characterisation as Nation, I might well consider it.

Other blog reviews:
Becky's book reviews
Book Gazing
Books and other thoughts
Medieval Bookworm
Stuff as dreams are made on
Things mean a lot
Valentina's room
The Written World

Challenge Review 2009

Another year, another set of a challenges. Mostly successes and yet another chance to learn about my reading habits! Many thanks to all those who hosted these great challenges. May the next year be full of many more...

Challenges completed

Deweys's Reading Challenge:
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
Looking For Alaska - John Green
Into the Forest - Jean Hegland
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett

RIP IV:
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

Herding Cats II:
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Nation - Terry Pratchett

YA Challenge 2009:
The Black Tattoo - Sam Enthoven
Paper Towns - John Green
An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick
What I Was - Meg Rosoff
Once Upon a Time in the North - Philip Pullman
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
The Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale
Nation - Terry Pratchett

Incompleted Challenges

Challenge with Rhinoa:
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle
Piece by Piece - Tori Amos
The Happy Prince and other stories - Oscar Wilde
Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

I didn't get the chance to finish Lolita, but it will be one of my first books for 2010. And hopefully we'll carry the challenge over for another year!

Rhinoa's Manga Challenge (I failed miserably and didn't even start!)

Challenges for 2010

So far, I will be carrying over the Arthurian Challenge and Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge, and will be very selective about others that I join!

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

Read for: RIP IV Challenge

Set in Bon Temps, Louisiana, Dead Until Dark is the first in the incredibly popular Southern Vampire Series. The heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, is a small town waitress with a gift (or disability as she sees it) of being able to read people's thoughts. She is a sweet natured and naive girl, who keeps people at arm's length and her psychic problem makes it hard for her to conduct a normal relationship. So all her prayers seem to have been answered when a vampire walks into her bar, and she can't hear a peep from his mind. Soon she becomes drawn to the mysterious vampire, though many people disapprove, perhaps one in particular. Women are being murdered in the local area, and all have one thing in common...their relationships or such with vampires.

What I haven't mentioned of course, though most people need no such explanation...is that in this series, vampires have "come out of the coffin" so to speak. This is the idea that appealed to me most for this series, as I love the idea of vampires wandering into a 7-11 to buy a four pack of synthetic blood! And these vampires are by no means the good, we're going to save the world a la Buffy/Angel type vampires. They are just the same as any other person, they have the ability to be good and the ability to be truly evil. Although they also have far superior strength, the ability to glamour and a thirst for your blood...

I really wanted to love this book. I enjoyed watching the first series of True Blood, which is perhaps the only reason I picked up the book in the first place, but I felt mightily underwhelmed by it. Sookie's character is indeed sweet and generally not one would expect for a heroine in a vampire series, and Bill is as expected every bit the Southern gentleman (for a vampire). But I could not bring myself to care particularly much for either character, and there was certainly no chemistry between them that leapt out at me from the page. Its's a shame, as I really enjoyed the series, which may have given me different expectations and thus ruined the book for me. Bill in particular, I fell for on the screen, but his character ironically comes across as quite 2-dimensional on the page. I am certainly in the minority here, as these books appear to be very popular, and I know I shouldn't judge a series solely by its first installment (look at potter), but let's just say I have a hunch that they won't grow on me.

Pre-Twilight, I have never particularly been into fictional vampire-romance series like this, so I very much doubt I will be reading more, though I am tempted to watch series 2 of True Blood and see how that goes...

Other blog reviews:
the bookworm
Books & other thoughts
Melody's Reading Corner
Stella Matutina
Medieval Bookworm

(let me know if I have missed yours)

RIP IV Challenge completed

Although a little behind on my reviews, I did indeed complete the Readers. Imbibing. Peril. IV Challenge, and thoroughly enjoyed it as always! I undertook Peril the Second, to read at least two books from my pool. I managed three, and an extra two titles not in my pool. I shall hopefully review them soon. Another great year for this challenge, rapidly becoming one of my favourites. Thanks must go to Carl for hosting the challenge, introducing us to new artists and setting some great giveaways.

Books read:
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge

Yeah yeah, just one more challenge! But how better to continue my year of Shakespeare? Hosted by The Little Bookworm, the Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge runs from September 1, 2009 - April 26 2010 (Shakespeare's birthday). Read 6 of any of Shakespeare's works or any book inspired by a Shakespeare play. You can also watch any movie from or inspired by a Shakespeare play.

Interested? You can join the challenge here and post your reviews here.

I shall be reading plays and sonnets along with continuing my theatre outings. Enjoy the excellent Mr Shakespeare's work!

RIP IV Challenge

Although I am steering clear of new challenges and focussing on my ever-growing TBR pile, how can I resist Carl's RIP IV Challenge. The R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril challenge is designed to get us reading many subgenres:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

RIP IV runs from September 1st to October 31st, but you can't start any time from now. Sign up at Carl's blog and post your reviews here.

There are many levels of participation available. I shall be joining Peril the Second and reading two books of any length from any subgenre.


There is no commitment to a pre-selected list, but my reading pool to choose from includes:

The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
We Never Talk About My Brother - Peter S. Beagle
Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruis Zafon
The Collector - John Fowles

Enjoy!

How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff

Read for: Dewey's Books Challenge, YA Challenge

Meg Rosoff’s acclaimed novel tells the story of Daisy, a teenage American girl who travels to Britain, leaving behind her estranged father and his new family. Sent to stay with her mother’s family in the English countryside, Daisy has to juggle her family problems and eating disorder, while being swept up in a different way of life. She soon grows fond of her eccentric aunt and misfit cousins, especially bonding with the slightly younger Edmund. Everything changes however, when her aunt is out of the country on business. Britain is attacked by some unknown enemy, and left in a chaotic state of war, reminiscent of the country during WW2. The children are left to fend for themselves, providing food and shelter and hiding from the world outside, living and playing in their own little bubble. The war is never far away though, and soon the army arrive, building a base on the farm and separating the children. Daisy is left alone to care for nine year old Piper, and is tormented by her separation from Edmund, with whom she had fallen in love and is determined to find.

Although dealing with war and the delicate subject of love between blood relatives, neither of these is the focus of Rosoff’s story. Rather, they set the scene, and allow the story to follow as it will, through Daisy’s own experiences. She sees some true horror, yet finds in herself a spirit and courage unbeknownst to her.

It is easy to see why this extraordinary book won the Guardian Children’s Fiction award. Rosoff’s writing is remarkable and her storytelling is daring, yet she tackles her subjects with a gentle hand. I can imagine that some readers would be put off by a story that is, in places, quite violent, and that touches on the sexual relationship between two cousins. In Rosoff’s capable hands, this story is a touching one, brimming with emotion, full of beauty and hope. Although I never particularly became attached to any of the characters, the storytelling is so involved that I found myself open-mouthed in horror one minute and holding back tears the next. I'm not sure anything I can say will so this book justice, so you'll just have to read it and make up your own mind.

I for one have been won over by Rosoff’s writing, and will certainly be reading more of her work in the future. A moving read.

Other blog reviews:
A Striped Armchair

1 more chapter

Bold.Blue.Adventure

in Spring it is the dawn

The hidden side of a leaf

Leafing through life

Things mean a lot

Valentina's Room

The Written World

(have i missed yours?)

Absences and challenges

So, I've been away from my blog a bit longer than planned! After three wonderful weeks in the states (which I will post all about later) I've come back to a very busy office and a summer full of fun events! Last night I went to a performance of Twelfth Night by the all-male The Lord Chamberlain's Men in the grounds of the beautiful Blickling Hall (I shall hopefully post some photos later this week). It was a little chillier and a lot wetter than all of us were hoping, but the play was so funny that we soon forgot all about it. Not to mention the fabulous picnic that we packed along with our garden chairs and bottles of wine! I'm looking forward to a glorious summer of theatre, once this blasted rain has passed!

Meanwhile, I have completed the Once Upon a Time Challenge, despite being horridly behind on my reviews. For this challenge I read 6 books that fit within at least one of the four categories:

My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick (fantasy, folklore)
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke (fantasy, fairy tale)
Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke (fantasy, folklore)
The Master and the Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov (fantasy)
The Black Tattoo - Sam Enthoven (fantasy)
Puppet Master - Joanne Owen (folklore)

I shall post short reviews of these shortly, and all the other books I have read over the last couple of months.

Arthurian Challenge - Take Two!

As you all know, I suck when it comes to challenges (see post below and almost every other challenge post!), and yet I find it incredibly addictive. I feel compelled to sign up so more and more and yet I seem to read everything but the books on my challenge lists! I think it must be the sense of community I get when I join in on a group activity. Well, at least I keep telling myself that.

Anyway, on that note. I failed miserably at the Arthurian Challenge. I read only two books all the way through and started a third. Despite buying or borrowing most of the books on my list. So I've decided to jump at the chance to start again with the uber-flexible Arthurian Challenge 2009-2010, hosted by Becky.

The rules:

When: April 2009 through March 2010
Goal: To read books starring characters found in or inspired by Arthurian legends. (King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin, Lady of the Lake, etc.) There are no set amount of books. Read one or two. Or read a dozen. You set the amount that feels good to you! Sign up on the challenge page here.

No lists are necessary. You can change your mind on WHAT you reading or should that be WHO you’re reading at any time. If at any time you dislike a book, then feel free to discard it and pick up another. Don’t feel obligated to push through a book you don’t like on my account!!!
What about movies? What about graphic novels? What about comics? What about audio books? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All of those things count. So though it says 6-12 books. It can be a variety of things–book, movie, tv show, comic book, graphic novel, etc. Kids books. YA books. Adult books. All count.What about series books? Or series books in all-in-one editions? I’m leaving it up to you. What about short stories or poetry? Yes and yes. Anything really can go. What about rereads? Sure why not!

So rather than beginning a new list or floundering in swamps of yet more books, I shall stick with some of my (un)reads for the last challenge and hope that I get further this time with less pressure!

Isolde: The Maiden of White Hands - Rosalind Miles
Isolde: The Lady of the Sea - Rosalind Miles
The Once and Future King - T.H. White
The Winter King - Bernard Cornwall
Enemy of God - Bernard Cornwall
Excalibur - Bernard Cornwall
Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Guenevere: Queen of the Summer Country - Rosalind Miles
Le Morte D'Arthur - Sir Thomas Malory
Idylls of the King - Alfred Tennyson

Herding Cats II - Attack of the Hairballs

I know I know. I said I wasn't going to do any more challenges, and I have been quite rubbish at the ones I have signed up for. But let's just admit that I have a problem and move on...

I really enjoyed the Herding Cats challenge last year, mostly because it was a wonderful way of getting so many recommendations and finding other great bloggers. So many thanks to Renay for hosting this fabulous challenge again.

Here are the rules for Herding Cats II (April 1st, 2009 - December 31st, 2009):

1. Make a list of five books you love. Directions:

• Five. I'm as serious as a beached whale.
• All titles must be books you've read in 2007, 2008 or 2009.
• Please don't list a series; just the first book. If you really want to list a book in the middle of a series, you can, but it has to be that specific book.
• Feel free to share why you're putting the book on your list, because I am nosy.

2. Post your list:

• In your own journal, in the comments here, whatever is fine. Share the list here.
• Lists should be public (no locked entries, no logging in to view).

3. Browse the new book list. Stay a while. Read a few (eta: if you want; not even reading is required this time around if you don't have time to commit to a new challenge but still want to share your favorites).

4. If you review your books, you can share the reviews. You know, if you want. No pressure. Definitely not.

My list of five are a rather eclectic bunch of books, and by no means my favourites of the last couple of years, but books that have really stood out in my memory for whatever reason:

Skellig - David Almond. Because I want everyone to read this beautiful beautiful little book in the vain hope they may be moved as much as me.
The Ice Queen - Alice Hoffman. Another heatbreakingly beautiful read that I have recommended to many friends since. Wonderfully lyrical and inspiring.
Lorelai's Secret - Carolyn Parkhurst. A very difficult and tragic book, struggling with loss, frustration and anger. More than a little disturbing, but has really stayed with me.
Moondust - Andrew Smith. This completely reinvigorated my passion for space travel. I could not have wished for a more informative, entertaining and sometimes moving biography of the Apollo missions and the men that flew them. Worth a read even if you have no interest in space!
The Swarm - Frank Schatzing. A German friend recommended this to me and I ordered several into the shop as soon as it was translated. A gamble to be sure, but oh how it paid off. Part science, part global catastrophe and ultimately a ridiculous but entertaining adventure story. This will appeal to fans of so-called environmental thrillers, though be warned, it does get rather silly. But hey, humpback whales leaping out of the water to destroy small aircraft...thats got to be worth a read! I can only imagine how they'd make a movie out of this one!

So, I've had a browse at the selections of others and the following have already caught my eye...

Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen
Tender Morsels - Margo Lanagan
Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami
Nation - Terry Pratchett
The Watermelon King - Daniel Wallace
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Once Upon a Time III

I had the pleasure of participating in Carl V's wonderful RIP Challenge last year, so am jumping at the chance to join his other annual challenge, Once Upon a Time. This challenge is about fantasy, fairy tales, folklore and mythology

fan⋅ta⋅sy: a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting.(Wiki)
fairy tale: a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events. (Wiki)
folk⋅lore: the traditional beliefs, legends, customs, etc., of a people; lore of a people; The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally. (Dictionary dot com)
my⋅thol⋅o⋅gy: a body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person; a set of stories, traditions, or beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event, arising naturally or deliberately fostered. (Dictionary dot com)

This is the third year of this challenge, which begins today, Saturday, March 21st and ends Friday, June 2oth. There are many reading options for this challenge, including the very flexible "Journey", so head on over to Carl's site to choose your path and sign up to the challenge!

As I am so rubbish at challenges, I am following Carl's suggestion and will post a “pool of potential reads” rather than a list, although I may well deviate from them anyway! I will be following:

"Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time III criteria. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres."

My pool of potentials (for now!):
My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
UnLunDun - China Meiville
Dream Angus - Alexander McCall Smith
Dreams Underfoot - Charles de Lint
The Wood Wife - Terri Windling
Tam Lin - Pamela Dean
I am Morgan Le Fay - Nancy Springer
The Complete Fairy Tales - Hans Christian Anderson
The Faery Reel - Ed. Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Strange Roads - Peter S Beagle
American Gods - Neil Gaiman

Happy reading!

The Happy Prince & other stories - Oscar Wilde

Read for: Challenge with Rhinoa

Sadly I was never given this delightful little book to read as a child, and it was not until Rhinoa bought me a copy that I finally had the chance to experience the fairy tales of the infamous Oscar Wilde. Tales in this collection include The Devoted Friend, The Remarkable Rocket and The Selfish Giant, but I will briefly mention my two favourite stories.

The Happy Prince is the heartbreakingly beautiful tale of a golden and jewelled statue of a prince overlooking a city, where he mourns the injustice and poverty he sees before him. He is befriended by a swallow who has delayed his migration (because he fell in love with a reed!) and persuades the bird to distribute his jewels and gold to the poor and needy. The swallow grows to love the Prince but realises that he must leave before the winter grows too cold. I cannot describe how much I loved this story. I won't reveal the ending to those who do not already know it, but needless to say, I shed more than one tear (while reading the book in the bath!).

The Nightingale and the Rose is the story of a nightingale who overhears a student saddened because he is unable to give a red rose to his beloved, to win a dance with her. The nightingale searches for such a red rose, but discovers that the only way to produce one is if she is prepared to sing the sweetest song all night and impale herself on the rose-tree's thorn staining it with her heart's blood.

Wilde's fairy tales are far darker than I imagined, but I have seldom read such beautiful writing. I highly recommend this collection for anyone who enjoys fairy tales, and will definitely be reading it to my baby cousin in a few years. Thanks Rhinoa!

Looking for Alaska - John Green

Read for: Dewey's Books Challenge

"I go to seek a Great Perhaps." - Francois Rabelais’ last words

Culver Creek, one hundred and thirty six days before…

From the moment the reader is introduced to Looking for Alaska’s protagonist, Miles Halter, we are graced with a charming, naïve and idealistic fifteen-year old, with a penchant for remembering famous figures’ last words. Miles becomes entranced by some of these words, and decides to attend his father’s former boarding school to seek out Rabelais’ Great Perhaps.

So we follow Miles to Culver Creek in rural Alabama. There he meets a motley crew of teenagers; his roommate, Chip, amusingly and appropriately referred to as the “Colonel”, who gives a skinny Miles the nickname “Pudge”; Takumi, the mild-mannered and loyal Japanese rapper; and Lara, the beautiful and sweet Romanian. And it is here, on his first day, that Miles meets Alaska. Sexy, impulsive, and dangerously alluring Alaska. This small group of friends orbits around the enigmatic young misfit, getting themselves into all kinds of harmless mischief, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, breaking curfews and scheming pranks. For Miles, Alaska is unobtainable but addictive, and he is drawn closer and closer into her web of chaos. She catches his attention from the off, the voracious reader bestowing him with the mysterious last words of Simón Bolívar…

"How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?"

After. A shocking event occurs half way through the book that shatters this little world and causes the circle of friends to spin into a whirlwind of emotions; guilt, anger, love, betrayal and grief. Most of all, they learn about loss. The loss of childhood, the loss of before and the shock of after.

There is a beautiful, poignant symmetry to this book. We begin one hundred and thirty six days before, and end one hundred and thirty six days after. In that time, all our characters have traversed a long and difficult journey from adolescence to adulthood, learning about life and love along the way. Interestingly I read this book directly after Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book which, though a completely different story and style of writing, has many parallels in theme to Alaska.

Devastatingly compelling, quietly philosphical and ultimately brutal, Looking for Alaska is possibly the best young adult book I have ever read, and is a remarkable debut for the effervescent John Green who seems to be popping up all over the place (see his blog here). I'm not sure my words will do justice to how I felt about this book. After finishing it, I could not even think about reading another book for over three days (very unlike me), and I still find myself thinking about Alaska now. An absolute joy to read.

A deeply personal coming-of-age tale of what to do when the unthinkable happens. And the ultimate question, as Alaska herself asked. How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering?

Other blog reviews:
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
The Written World
Things Mean a Lot
Becky's Book Reviews
Stuff as Dreams are Made on
Books & other thoughts
Muse Book Reviews
Valentina's room
Melody’s Reading Corner

2009 YA Challenge

Yeah I know...I said I wasn't going to join any more challenges but seeing as I'm a huge YA fiction reader, this one is just so perfect for me. So...see J.Kaye's Book Blog to sign up and here are the rules.

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
2. Read 12 Young Adult novels. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
3. Challenge begins January thru December, 2009.
4. You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.

I've chosen a list already, because I want to read these books this year anyway, but this list will grow/change throughout the year!!

1. Ghost Hunter - Michelle Paver
2. The Black Tattoo - Sam Enthoven
3. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing - M.T. Anderson
4. Paper Towns - John Green
5. An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
6. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
7. Checkmate - Malorie Blackman
8. The Once and Future King - T.H. White
9. How I Live Now- Meg Rosoff
10. Nation - Terry Pratchett
11. The Underneath - Kathi Appelt
12. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E. Lockhart

Enjoy!

Manga Challenge

This year Rhinoa is hosting her very first challenge..introducing us to the intriguing and creative world of manga! I am quite new to graphic novels in general, yet enjoy the odd anime movie now and then, so will take this opportunity to try out a few manga novels.

The rules are to read at least 6 manga novels in 2009 (cross overs with other challenges are fine as is reading more than 6!). Sign up with Mister Linky on the challenge page and keep your eye on Rhinoa's blog for a challenge post each month with a Mister Linky for your reviews. Books do not need to be selected in advance, just fill them in as you go if it's easier.

As I know very little about manga, I will be selecting books as I go, probably from perusing Rhinoa's collection! The Shakespeares look particularly interesting. Happy reading!

Challenge with Rhinoa

So my plan to do very few challenges this year is off to flying start as I have succumbed to yet another...This is different however. After getting back from a short holiday in Malta, I spent New Year with my best friend and fellow book/stationery nut, Rhinoa, mostly chilling out, playing with the kitties and talking about books. We are always recommending and buying books for each other, and this year she suggested doing a similar challenge that she partakes with Nymeth, choosing 5 books for the other to read. This turned out to be harder than either of us thought. My list for Rhinoa was well over 20 and I had to be quite ruthless to cut it down to only 5...and they are:

The Gift -Alison Croggon (my favourite fantasy book and I've been harping on about it for months!)
Lamb - Christopher Moore (if a book ever gets you close to wetting yourself with laughter, its this one!)
The Hours - Michael Cunningham (great book, great film, you made need a hankie..)
The Secret History - Donna Tartt (stunningly original debut)
Cry of the Icemark - Stuart Hill (fabulous kids fantasy romp with vampires, giant snow leopards and werewolves, and one of the books I inflicted on Rhinoa for her birthday this year!)

Rhinoa has selected the following 5 for me:

The Happy Prince - Oscar Wilde
Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
Piece by Piece - Tori Amos
Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle

I'm really looking forward to this challenge as we know each others tastes scarily well and Rhinoa is very well read. I'm especially looking forward to Lolita. Watch this space...