WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions: 

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading? 

• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? I've been reading Imagined London, by Anna Quindlen but have literally just finished it, so technically I'm not reading anything at the moment. 

However, I'm still savouring this incredible book of literary London  so I figure that counts!

What did you recently finish reading? I finally finished Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope and did not enjoy it one bit. I have another one of her books on my TBR pile but it may be a while before I pick that one up. 

 

What do you think you’ll read next? I'm all of a sudden needing a London fix so I'm tempted to pick up Brick Lane, by Monica Ali. If not, then it might be The Writing on my Forehead by Nafisa Haji

Top 10 Tuesdays

Books on my TBR list this fall

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, they post a different topic and you get to create your own top 10 list! This week, the topic is: 

Top ten books I can't wait to curl up with this fall

1. The Wild Rose, by Jennifer Donnelly
I can't wait to get stuck into this one but I'm also trying to save it as well. I need to find a week before the end of the year when I can curl up and read these three books - I figure it's an excuse to go back and reread The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose again - without any interruption whatsoever!

2. The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette, by Carolly Erickson
She's such a fascinating woman is Marie Antoinette but I simply don't know enough about her. This year I've stumbled across Carolly Erickson's historical entertainment about various women in history so I think this is a perfect place to find out more about Marie Antoinette!

3. Harry Potter numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... are there any more?!
I'm hooked on the magic of this little wizard. And I don't know why it's taken me so long to pick them up. Although I have come across others who have yet to read them so I don't feel too bad. However, I can't wait to read the rest in the series!

4. White Teeth, by Zadie Smith
I read On Beauty at the very beginning of the year and I'm determined to read another Zadie Smith by the end. If it's not White Teeth it will be The Autograph Man.

5. In a Far Country, by Linda Holeman
I absolutely loved The Saffron Gate by Linda Holeman. It was the first of her books that I'd ever read so am very excited to read more. Even better, I found two on my bookshelf by her that I never even knew I had!

6. Wanderlust: A history of walking, by Rebecca Solnit

I'm not quite sure what to expect of this one, but it's been recommended to me by a friend who has great taste in books so it can only be good!

7. Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe

I have neglected the classics so this fall I really have no excuse!

8. Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Gowda

The cover alone captures me but I've also heard great things about this book since joining the blogging world this year so it's definitely on my TBR pile!

9. The Midwife's Confession, by Diane Chamberlain

It's funny how things always happen at once. I'd seen a few bloggie mentions of this one and then a friend told me she'd been reading Diane Chamberlain's books lately and really enjoyed them so it must be meant to be!

10. Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins 

I've heard such great things I really want to know what it's all about! I feel I'm missing out - but not for much longer!

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesday 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 “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Be sure 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

"There are eight daily papers, many more than any American city has - even if several seem devoted more to photographs of women's breasts and coverage of the unsavory sexual pasts of contestants in the television show "Big Brother" - and many of them cover the book business as though it were a spectator sport."

p29, Imagined London, by Anna Quindlen

Book #59: Quentins... without an apostrophe!

Don't hang me! It's Quentins without an apostrophe! And although this little - but oh so important - grammatical symbol gets the better of me more than I would like to think, even I know that Quentins should have an apostrophe. The reason it doesn't is explained in the book, but I don't think it was explanation enough to justify it somehow!

But you know how when you see something you haven't noticed before, you all of a sudden see it everywhere?! Well, there's a shop in town that has just recently opened called "DavidsTea" - without the apostrophe! I've yet to step inside but before I ask for tea I'm going to ask for an apostrophe!

This blog entry wasn't meant to be a grammatical rant - instead, it's about Quentins, by Maeve Binchy. I was in need of a quick, easy read - to let the mind wander and to add another book to the 111 for the year. At the rate this year is disappearing on me, I'm going to be hard pushed to meet my target I think. Fortunately, I have a few holidays up my sleeve!

Needless to say, Quentins didn't disappoint. It's a lighthearted read about somewhat fluffy, warm characters. None of whom I can remember by name - apart from Quentin that is. But then that's the thing with Maeve Binchy's books - they never really seem to have a lasting effect. Great for a quick escape, but also great for bringing home the fact that a great read really is one that leaves a lasting impression.

That said, I knew what I was getting myself in for by turning through the pages of Quentins - which by the way is a cafe and of course central to the characters in the book. They all have a link to the place - both good and bad, and Binchy has cleverly intertwined them all together. However, I still think there are a few other Maeve Binchy books out there that are probably one up on this one.

Which brings me to my next query... at what stage do publishers simply publish any book by a top selling author. It seems that some authors out there all of a sudden lower their standards to get another publication to the bestsellers list? But perhaps that's a rant for another day...

Monday Musings

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading 

This week’s musing is… a book meme!

What was the last book you…
• borrowed from the library?

I actually have a whole pile of library books at the moment but the library book I borrowed that I'm reading at the moment is Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope. 75 pages to go and counting!

• bought?

 Hhmmmm.... I just bought 3 copies of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, by Tiffany Baker. They were too good to resist at just $2 each - and hardcover at that. But they were gifts... does that count?
The last book I bought for myself was... actually I think it was the same (woops - blonde moment!)

• cried over?

Goodbye Sarajevo,  by Atka Reid and Hana Schofield - it's the story of two sisters in the Bosnian War of the 1990s and the lives during and after this horrific period. Incredible! My best read of the year so far.  

• disliked and couldn’t finish?

The one I'm reading at the moment actually - Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope, but I'm determined not to let it beat me!

• read & loved?

I've had a good run of books I've loved this year, but perhaps one that comes to mind is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Now for the movie!

• got for review? (or: got in the mail?)

 The last book I got in the mail was actually a Lonely Planet Guide to Jordan - where I'll be in just 8 weeks time! I can't wait!

• gave to someone else?

The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly - I've been sending them to everyone!

• stayed up too late reading?

Um... all of them?! But The Dakota Born Trilogy, by Debbie Macomber was very tough to put down.

PS: Does anyone know why my text is highlighted in white?

Book Beginnings...on a Friday

 

A little bit of fun on a Friday, this weekly meme is hosted by A Few More Pages. 
I'll share the first line (or two) of the book I'm currently reading (including the title and author) and let you know what my first impressions are - good or bad!

"Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive."

For the diehard fans you won't need another sentence I'm sure!

But for those a little like me who have yet to really get caught up in the magic... here's an extra sentence:

"Mr Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew Harry's room."

Yep, you guessed it, Harry Potter #2 - this weekend I'm getting stuck into Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - my first time ever! And after reading these first two sentences... I can't wait!

Roll on the weekend

I finally make Harry's acquaintance... book #58: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

It's taken a while but Harry and I have finally met... Harry Potter that is! He's been sitting on my bookshelf for years, I've been told to read him by friends - both old and young - and I finally got around to delving into the world of magic.


And magical it was. I can see why Harry, Ron and Hermione have become such loved characters - the world of Harry Potter, magic and Hogwarts is utterly enthralling. Even those Muggles, the Dursley's are hard to resist in their own right. 


While reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone I was transported to another world - a magical world of wizardy, hocus pocus spells, broomsticks and witches' hats - not to mention dragons, three-headed dogs and Quidditch!


But I think you have to be in the right mindset to really enjoy Harry Potter. I'd tried to pick him up on a number of occasions but we just hadn't clicked - however, I'm off camping at the beach on an island this weekend and I think I may just take Harry along with me. Book #2 here I come!


It has been wonderful to make your acquaintance Harry!

Thursday Tea

Thursday Tea is a little meme hosted at BirdBrain[ed] Book Blog. 

The Book: Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier - it's great! Set in London in the 1700s, it's centred around poet, artist and printer, William Blake - but his character is still being developed. At the moment, the characters that take centre stage are Jem & Maggie. He's a country boy moved to the city with his family for work opportunities; she's a street rogue who's showing him the sights!

The Tea: I've been looking for something very English for this one and came across orange pekoe tea bags. (I think that's just a flash name for a black tea bag - but there does seem to be a hint of something orange in there, unless I'm just imagining it). But on the box it says "A truly British Tea since 1903".

Do they go together: Well, 1903, may be a long way from 1793 but I still think they fit perfectly.

Booking Through Thursday... history books

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by... Booking Through Thursday!

This week’s BTT question asks…

When was the last time you read a history book/historical biography? 

I have all manner of history books on my shelf - a quick glance shows Mary Queen of Scots, London: The Biography, Brief Lives of the English Monarchs...but do you think I have read any of them? My reading tends to be an escapism into another world, but real history has never really been that for me. I think it's because the history books I've picked up have always been filled with too many facts and figures that make me have to think - and I don't want to have to think when I'm curled up with a book.

But.... I have found a healthy balance. Historical entertainment!! I'm hooked. I have discovered Carolly Erickson's books, which are based on historical characters and events, but with a nice twist to them so there's a made up story in the midst of all these historical occasions.And I think it's working - because after reading these books, I'm then wanting to find out more about that particular time in history, so what do I do but turn to a history book!

Check out my reviews of the ones I've read so far:

The Secret Life of Josephine

The Tsarina's Daughter

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event, hosted byReading Between Pages, that will be open from one Thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)

This week's theme is TREES

"The undertakers with their cart moved off in one direction, the Blakes in the other, down the long tree-lined avenue that led to the street."

p178, Burning Bright, by Tracy Chevalier

I'm making rather slow progress through this book at the moment, so I apologise from using it yet again for a teaser, but it worked out perfectly for Theme Thursday!

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions: 

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading? 

• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier and am really enjoying it. Set in 1700s London, it's a story of William Blake, yet the two main characters are young children - one of whom is a street rogue and I'm just waiting for something to happen!

What did you recently finish reading? Secrets, by Lesley Pearse. All of her stories have a similar theme/tone to them but I love them all the same. This one was the story of Adele, orphaned for all intents and purposes and bought up by her grandmother. When she falls in love with Michael, secrets between the families begin to emerge... but don't worry, there is a happy ending!

What do you think you’ll read next? Tough question - as always, but I'm on a historical fiction/London theme at the moment so its bound to be something that fits into that. The Sealed Letter, by Emma Donoghue might get the nod though.

Top 10 Tuesdays... books I loved but never wrote a review for

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, they post a different topic and you get to create your own top 10 list! This week, the topic is: 

Top ten books I loved but never wrote a review for

Most of these books I read before I started blogging, so some (and hopefully eventually all) will be able to be found in my rather erratic series "Friday favourite". But for now, here they are:

1. Secrets in the Fire, by Henning Mankell

This is the story of Sofia, a young African girl who one day while out playing with her sister, steps on a landmine. It is a true story of an incredibly courageous young teenager - the things she has seen and experienced before she turned 13 absolutely blew me away.

2. The Island, by Victoria Hislop

This was an absolutely fabulous summer read. The story of a girl who sets off for Greece in search of family history. Love, relationships, family secrets - it has everything you want in a beach read!

3. The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennet

I really must get around to reviewing this one - that will give me an excuse to read it again. This book is superb. Laugh out loud funny - it certainly provides a different take on the Queen!

4. The Chief, by David Nasaw

I don't tend to read too many biographies, but after visiting Hearst Castle - the incredible architectural feat that is William Randolph Hearst's property on the Pacific Coast Highway, I was so intrigued by this media mogul that I  had to read this book to find out more. I now want to read more about the architect behind Hearst Castle - Julia Morgan

5. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

This was a delightful book - the main character, concierge Renee Michel, provided everything you wanted in such a character: secrets, intrigue, a rather diffident approach to life. It was a very different story which made for a refreshing change and the cover was just beautiful! 

6. Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon

I read the first four books in this series many years ago now, then only made it halfway through book number 5. I really want to revisit them and pick them back up - but I'm wondering why I have such great memories of them if I gave up halfway through?! Jamie and Claire though - you can't beat that relationship!

7. The Bookseller of Kabul, by Asne Seierstad

This was the first book I read set in the region of Afghanistan, but it certainly wasn't my last. I've since enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns and Born Under a Million Shadows, but The Bookseller of Kabul still stands out as a favourite!

8. Fame, by Daniel Kehlmann

This book was very, very unusual but so cleverly written it has remained a favourite. Each chapter is a short story in itself but they all tie together at the end without you even realising it is happening! The Guardian has a fabulous review on it.

9. From Notting Hill with Love... Actually, by Ali McNamara

This was cheesy, chicklit at its best. Two of my favourite films about London in a chicklit novel set in London. It was simply too good to put down. I loved every decadent moment of it!

10. Secret Diary of a Call Girl, by Belle de Jour

Much like I am with Harry Potter, it took me ages to get around to reading this one but it certainly provided entertainment when I did
!

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesday 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 “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Be sure 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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

"What's funny about opposites be that wet and dry both has water, boy and girl be about people, Heaven and hell be the places you go when you die. They all has something in common."

p 73, Burning Bright, by Tracy Chevalier