Thursday 25 June 2015

The land of decoration

 


The Land of Decoration
Author: Grace McCleen
ISBN: 9400000114676
Pages: 291

The Land of Decoration
 
I purchased this book for the cover.  The girl sitting in a house caught my attention.  The back cover reads:
In the beginning there was an empty room, a little bit of space, a little bit of light, a little bit of time.  I said: "I am going to make fields," and I made them from table mats, carpet, brown corduroy and felt.  Then I made rivers from crepe paper, cling film and shiny tinfoil and mountains from paper mache and bark.  And I looked at the fields and I looked at the rivers and I looked at the mountains and I saw they were good.
 
The only part of this book that I enjoyed was the girls land, that she makes from anything she can find.  The imagination, this writer has for making this land, is awesome. 
 
I am sorry to write my first review of a book that I really didn't enjoy.  Now, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't read it, as we all enjoy different things about books.   Have a look at Goodreads there is a real mix of reviews and opinions on this one.  Anyway, why didn't it grab me?  The father really got on my nerves! The whole story centres on his bashing of the end times.  I felt so much for the 10 year old girl that seemed to never get heard and along with that she got bullied.  No wonder she retreated to her room and built a land of her own.
 
I also didn't attach to the voice of the narrative.  It is written from the perspective of the 10 year old girl with a 10 year old voice.  I couldn't get past the feeling I was reading a really long picture book with no pictures.  Having said this, there are a lot of comments on the voice of this novel on Goodreads.  I really recommend you read through these instead of just taking my opinion.  I don't like writing a review at the expense of an author as she has written a good story here... I just isn't me .
 
 
This was available from Fishpond and Book depository:
 
 
http://www.bookdepository.com/Land-Decoration-Grace-McCleen/9780099565741
 
 


Sunday 21 June 2015

Pomegranate Soup A Novel

Pomeranate Soup A Novel
Author: Marsha Mehran
ISBN: 9780812972481

Pomegranate Soup: A Novel
Marjan and her sisters fled Iran and started up a new life in a sleepy Irish town beneath the holy mountain Croagh Patrick.  They open up the Babylon Cafe and the traditional Persian cooking works magic within the town.  The  publican has other ideas for the cafe and makes life difficult not only for the three sisters but the whole town. 
 
As the Marjan and her sisters make a new life the past begins to haunt them.  Secrets from the past begin to unravel.  The writing of this novel is beautiful.  It twists cooking and the beauty of character into its pages.  It was a easy book to read on the long winter days that we are experiencing here.  Marsh Nehran wrote the stories of these women, with a simplicity connected with a little suspense that made me keep reading.  After the text books I have constantly had my head in studying for exams, this book was a delight to read.
I felt like I walked into the Babylon Cafe and joined the lives of the characters.  I had some that just made me angry and some that made me smile and a few that I would have yelled at, as they lived with their heads in the sand judging the girls for only the colour of their skin.  As the book came together the lives intertwined and cultures came together to form a town.
 
I liked the recipes that each new chapter contained.  I have yet to make any but there are a few that I would like to try out.   Shame there is not a Babylon Cafe where I live. 
 
This was available from: Book depository and Fishpond
 
 
http://www.bookdepository.com/Pomegranate-Soup-Marsha-Mehran/9780812972481

Saturday 20 June 2015

Cassey Ho's hot body year round


Hot body year round
Author: Cassey Ho
ISBN: 9780804139045



Cassey Ho's Hot Body Year Round
 
Hi everyone.  I have received my copy of Cassey Ho's Hot Body Year Round, and I am not disappointed.  It contains 150 pictures and recipes, which are beautiful.  One thing I will give Cassey is the fact that she is girlie.  She talks about nails and hair during her workouts and gives wonderful inspirational quotes.  Her book shows this side of her.  It isn't like all the other exercise books I have seen, this one has lovely pictures as she sets the scene for each season; winter, autumn, summer and spring. 
 
Work Out
 
 
We are in winter here at the moment and every bit of inspiration to get me moving is required.  When my internet is down, I am able pick up this book and still feel like I should exercise.  I can do a complete routine as I follow, easily, her step by step instructions.
 
Come meal times she hasn't let us down.  There are great, clean eat recipes to suit most people.  Here over winter my family needs hot meals and the odd pudding.  Cassey's puddings are delicious.  Come summer I am sure I will enjoy her salads.  Her pictures definatly sell her recipes, so I hope they don't let me down.
 
I follow Cassey's youtube workouts via her app (blogilates).  It keeps me toned and she always seems to be able to motivate me.  That's why I had to have a copy of her book.  I am pleased I have it in my hands especially on the days when my internet plays up or the my children take over my tablet.  Come on all you mums you know what it is like to get the tablet (charged) when you want it!
 
 
This was available from: Book Depository, Fishpond, Amazon and Cassey's website
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Monday 15 June 2015

Spark

Spark
Author: Rachel Craw
ISBN: 978-1-922179-62-3
Pages: 461

Spark
 
 
 
 
I won this book on Goodreads and I am so pleased I got an opportunity to read it!  If you get the chance to read this then take the opportunity.  Make sure you have plenty of time to read though as I found it hard to put down.  I read mainly before going to sleep at the moment due to exam season.  Sometimes I cannot keep my eyes open...  Not the case with this book.  It kept me awake as each chapter was a page turner.   Just when I thought I had the story sorted, there was another twist.  This book kept me wanting to read, and reading with speed as the suspense of it all took over.
 
 
So what is this book about?  The back tells... Evie doesn't have a choice.   One day she is an ordinary seventeen year old, grieving for her mother.  The next, she is a Shield, the result of a decades-old experiment gone wrong, bound by DNA to defend her best friend from an unknown killer.
 
 Static and sparks fly everywhere in this book.  The suspense that Rachel Craw has twisted into this novel is very well implemented.  I look forward to reading more from this author.  I intend to seek out her books and see if she writes with this degree of page turning suspense without the creepy stuff that puts me off reading other titles like this. 
 
Thank you Rachel for sending me this book.  It was a fantastic read.  Keep writing!!
 
This is a trilogy with Stray and Shield to follow soon.
 
Available from :  Book depositoryand Fishpond.
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 1 June 2015

Allegiant

Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
ISBN: 978-0-00-753494-4
Pages: 526
 
Allegiant (Divergent)
 
Hi everyone.  It has taken a while to finish this book as it is exam time again.  I love the time of night when I get to put everything away and read a book that I don't have to memorise.  Allegiant has been my relaxation the past couple of weeks and I have say it is an excellent ending to the Divergent trilogy. 
 
I have really enjoyed this series.  I have been to see the first movie but been beaten by my daughter to view the second.  Well here is the end of an adventure, unless you want to read Four's account of the drama that unfolded in between these pages, in the book simply title Four.  I am not sure if I want to go down that avenue.   If you recommend that I do then leave a comment and convince me.
 
I give credit to Veronica in the completion of this series.  It was packed with information, as the lies and secrets unravelled.  I was not left disapointed anytime I picked this up for my quiet time... in another world.  Or was it another world?  Really with all the options open to science and governments where can our world and DNA manipulation lead too?  Gets one thinking really. 
 
Seriously if you haven't read Allegiant yet then pick it up!  You need to know the ending.  And... What an ending, Veronica.  I didn't see that one coming! 
 
 
This was available almost everywhere.  All the bookstores I enter have it on the best selling list... Still.
 
Also available from:  Fishpond and Book depository