Title: Flying Blind Author: Deborah Cooke Series: The Dragon Diaries Trilogy #1 Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Dragons, Paranormal fantasy, Young adult Dates read: 7th October 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Allison & Busby Limited Year: 2011 5th sentence, 74th page: She snapped her fingers and chuckled.
I will shift shape and I will cast dreams and I will be everything that I am forecast to be. I am the Wyvern. And I will claim my birthright, right here and now.
Zoe Sorensson is a perfectly normal teenage girl. That’s the problem. She’s always been told she’s destined for great things – she is a dragon shape shifter, a Pyr, and the only female one of her kind. But Zoe’s powers are AWOL, so she’s sent to Pyr boot camp.
Zoe quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line – unless Zoe and her friends can work together and save their own kind.
This is one of those random, impulse buys on my shelf. One
that I saw in the shop for cheap, grabbed and didn’t even bother reading the
blurb for. Sometimes they work out well, sometimes not so much. This is one of
those impulse buys that did work out really well… I have a brand new, fun
series to obsess over and a new author to pile onto my shelves.
As a teenager, I always had a lot of male friends, and
always felt like a bit of a misfit at school. Which is why Zoe would probably
have been a major favourite with me when I was in high school. She doesn’t have
a huge click at school, but her life out of it is kind of intense and insane.
In all of the ways that I wanted for myself… alright, I never truly believed
that I could turn into a dragon… but wouldn’t that have been AWESOME?!?!
Although I’ve never had any of the pressure of being the
“one hope” and a messiah to my people (most days I’m not even sure who my
people are), I do understand the kind of pressure that can be placed on a
person. When there is a sense of hope and belief in you it’s kind of beautiful.
But it’s also really intense and overwhelming – what do you do if you stuff up?
Zoe is constantly grappling with this and being questioned by her peers. There
is this overwhelming sense of failure in herself, and it isn’t until she
finally finds that one person to believe in her that she starts to gain her own
identity again.
Flying Blind is a great coming of age tale. And it’s
just the beginning of a series! It’s shows you that it’s your belief and inner
strength that can lead to great things. That anything is possible, and that
maybe sometimes you need to seriously take a step back and stop listening to
that horrible, jealous little voice in your head…
Title: To Marry Medusa Author: Theodore Sturgeon Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Aliens, Science fiction, Speculative fiction Dates read: 23rd September – 3rd October 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Vintage Books Year: 1958 5th sentence, 74th page: Like its predecessor, it began, on the instant of its completion, to build another, more advanced version of itself.
Up until one minute ago, Gurlick was merely a specimen of homo sapiens, and a substandard specimen at that. But now this craven, seething, barely literate drunk has ingested a spore that travelled light years before touching down on our planet. A spore that has in turn ingested Gurlick – turned him into a host for the Medusa, a hive mind so vast that it encompasses the life forms of a billion planets. A hive mind that is determined to ingest Earth as well.
In this mind-wrenching classic of science fiction, the visionary novelist Theodore Sturgeon places humanity on a collision course with an organism of unimaginable power and malevolence and reminds us how much we depend on each other, or even on a wretch like Gurlick. Crackling with suspense, overflowing with invention, and startling in its compassion: To Marry Medusa is a tour de force from one of the great imaginers of the golden age of speculative fiction.
This is my first ever hive mind story. And one of the most
intense and kind of insane stories I’ve read in a long time. Thoroughly
enjoyable. Impossible to forget. And a great introduction to the genre of speculative
fiction. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into more!!!
To Marry Medusa jumps around a lot. There are multiple storylines. Multiple tales, and a wide array of characters which dance across the pages. At first I found that overwhelmingly confusing – I thought that it was a story following Gurlick. And then random others would show up, and not appear again… yet, about halfway through, this tactic is explained. And suddenly it makes total sense. To the point that you wonder why you ever questioned the multiple storylines in the first place…
At the beginning of this tale, humanity wasn’t really
highlighted in a nice light. It kind of shone a bit of a spotlight on the
depravities of humans, rather than the shining glories. Yet, when all is said
and done. When the final battles have been fought, there is this glimmer of
hope. There is a sense that the world isn’t as screwed as I was beginning to
think, and that maybe… just maybe, we actually have a chance to redeem and save
ourselves.
This novel will take you on an amazing journey. It makes you question the trajectory that we’ve all found ourselves on… even after all these years. There is something disturbing and haunting about the reality which Sturgeon presents us with. One that is also not completely hopeless, and just makes you think that maybe we have a potential future after all…
Title: Fairy Tales from Around the World Author: Andrew Lang Series: Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Classics, Easy reading, Fairy tales Dates read: 20th January – 3rd October 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Anthology Publisher: Barnes & Noble Year: 2014 5th sentence, 74th page: This old man told him to beware o’ the next beasts that he should meet, for they were of a very different kind from any he had yet seen.
Fairy Tales from Around the World is a treasure trove of the world’s best-loved fairy and folk tales. It features more than 100 fairy tales representing more than fifty nations, all selected from The Blue Fairy Book and eleven other collections compiled by Andrew Lang. The book also includes more than 100 illustrations by H.J. Ford that bring their magic and marvels vividly to life.
Fairy Tales from Around the World is one of Barnes & Noble’s Collectible Editions classics. Each volume features authoritative texts by the world’s greatest authors in an exquisitely designed bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and a silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensible cornerstone for any home library.
It took me a long, long, long time to read this. But that’s
just because it was one of those slowly enjoyed books. Like a really expensive
chocolate. It was delicious to just sit there and savour it. closing my eyes
with pleasure at the end of each tale. Or sometimes whooping out loud when a
story was particularly familiar and I could place my modern day version
quickly…
The illustrations that accompany this beautiful book
completely swept me away. They were stunning, and more than a little
distracting. But in the best way possible. They bought to life the stories –
jumping at you from the page, but did so in a way that still felt timeless and
classic – like the tales contained in this giant volume.
I originally bought this book because the cover is just stunning.
There is something that brings out my nostalgia as soon as I look at this book…
even if I hadn’t had a chanced to read over half of the fairy tales in this
collection. Fairy tales + childhood = nostalgia. But the themes were also very
adult… these really aren’t the stories you read as a child. They’re something
far more fun, intense and dark… perfect for a little late night reading before
you head off to bed.
I love that the first story in this is East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I have recently read a modern remake of this (North Child) and I loved that I finally got to sink my teeth into the original. There was also the original Aladdin (or some of it), Beauty and the Beast… so many tales. More than enough to keep me occupied again and again and again in the years to come…
Duration: 1st November – 30th November 2019 Number of books: 3 Hosted by:Bookworm Bitches
There are 3 tasks, you only need to read three books to finish this challenge. Or pick one task and read 3 books for that one task. Thank you Keely for your help with this challenge!
I’m a big fan of old Hollywood. And while I adore many actresses for their acting, there are only two actresses that come to mind when thinking of poise and elegance, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. It happens to be Princess Grace’s birthday in November (she would have been 90), and so the challenge based on her life. To finish, read a book to fit each task.
1. Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to an affluent and influential family. Her father, Irish-American John B. Kelly Sr., had won three Olympic gold medals for sculling and owned a successful brickwork contracting company that was well known on the East Coast. His brother Walter C. Kelly was a vaudeville star, who also made films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Paramount Pictures, and another named George was a Pulitzer Prize–winning dramatist, screenwriter, and director. Kelly’s mother, Margaret Katherine Majer, had German parents. Margaret had taught physical education at the University of Pennsylvania and had been the first woman to coach women’s athletics at the institution. 🎭 Read a book whose main character has well-off parents -or- read a book with a professional athlete character. – China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
2. After she was rejected by Bennington College because of her low math scores, Kelly decided to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress. Her father was particularly displeased with her decision; he viewed acting as “a slim cut above streetwalker”. To start her career, she auditioned for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, using a scene from her uncle George Kelly’s The Torch-Bearers. Although the school had already met its semester quota, she obtained an interview with the admissions officer, Emile Diestel, and was admitted through the influence of George. Her early acting pursuits led her to the stage, and she made her Broadway debut in Strindberg’s The Father, alongside Raymond Massey. At 19, her graduation performance was as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story. 🎭 Read a book with a number in its title (cardinal or ordinal) -or- read a book that is marked ‘Humor’ or ‘Romance’ on the main GR page. – Mate Set by Laurann Dohner
3. Television producer Delbert Mann cast Kelly as Bethel Merriday in an adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel of the same name; this was her first of nearly 60 live television programs. Success on television eventually brought her a role in a major motion picture. Impressed by her work in The Father, the director Henry Hathaway offered her a small role in the film Fourteen Hours. Following the release of this film, the “Grace Kelly Fan Club” was established. It became popular all over the United States, with local chapters springing up and attracting many members. Kelly referred to her fan club as “terrifically amusing”. Her first major film role was Stanley Kramer’s High Noon opposite Gary Cooper. 🎭 Read a book that has been made into a TV series (not a film) -or- read a book whose author you are a huge fan of. – The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
4. After filming High Noon, Kelly returned to New York City and took private acting lessons, keen to be taken seriously as an actress. Director John Ford noticed Kelly in a 1950 screen test, and his studio flew her out to Los Angeles to audition for the film Mogambo in September 1952. Ford said that Kelly showed “breeding, quality, and class”. She was given the role, along with a seven-year contract at the relatively low salary of $850 a week. Director Alfred Hitchcock, who had also seen the 1950 screen test, would become one of Kelly’s last mentors. She was loaned by her studio MGM to work on several Hitchcock films, later appearing in Rear Window and To Catch a Thief. 🎭 Read a mystery that has at least one Hitchcockian property (tell us which) -or- read a book with a poised character (tell us who). – The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman (Antonina)
5. Kelly played the role of Bing Crosby’s long-suffering wife, Georgie Elgin, in The Country Girl, after a pregnant Jennifer Jones bowed out. Already familiar with the play, Kelly was highly interested in the part. To do it, MGM would have to lend Kelly to Paramount. Kelly was adamant, and threatened the studio, saying that if they did not allow her to do the film, she would pack her bags and leave for New York for good. MGM relented, and the part was hers. In the film, Kelly plays the wife of a washed-up, alcoholic singer, played by Crosby. Her character becomes torn emotionally between her two lovers, played by Bing Crosby and William Holden. Kelly was nominated for and ultimately won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film. Her main competitor was Judy Garland for her performance in A Star Is Born. 🎭 Read a book with a love triangle -or- read a book that has won a prominent award (tell us the award). – At Grave’s End by Jeaniene Frost
6. Kelly headed the U.S. delegation at the Cannes Film Festival in April 1955. While there, she was invited to participate in a photo session with Prince Rainier III, the sovereign of the Principality of Monaco, at the Prince’s Palace, about 55 kilometers away from Cannes. After a series of delays and complications, she met him at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco on May 6, 1955. At the time of her initial meeting with him, she was dating the French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont. After a year-long courtship described as containing “a good deal of rational appraisal on both sides”, Prince Rainier married Kelly in 1956. The Napoleonic Code of Monaco and the laws of the Roman Catholic Church necessitated two ceremonies – both a civil ceremony and a religious wedding. The 16-minute civil ceremony took place in the Palace Throne Room of Monaco on April 18, 1956. The following day, the church ceremony took place at Monaco’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral. The wedding was estimated to have been watched by over 30 million viewers on live television and was described by biographer Robert Lacey as “the first modern event to generate media overkill”. Her wedding dress, designed by MGM’s Academy Award-winning Helen Rose, was worked on for six weeks by three dozen seamstresses. The couple had three children: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert (the current Prince of Monaco) and Princess Stéphanie. 🎭 Read a book with royalty -or- read a book with a beautiful dress on the cover (post the cover). – Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair
7. Hitchcock offered Princess Grace the lead in his film Marnie in 1962. She was eager, but public outcry in Monaco against her involvement in a film where she would play a kleptomaniac made her reconsider and ultimately reject the project. Director Herbert Ross tried to interest her in a part in his film The Turning Point (1977), but Rainier quashed the idea. Later that year, she returned to the arts in a series of poetry readings on stage and narration of the documentary The Children of Theater Street. She also narrated ABC’s made-for-television film The Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966). Grace and Rainier worked together in a 33-minute independent film called Rearranged in 1979, which received interest from ABC TV executives in 1982 after premiering in Monaco, on the condition that it be extended to an hour. Before more scenes could be shot, Grace died and the film was never released or shown publicly again. 🎭 Read a book written by a husband and wife pair -or- listen to an audiobook (tell us the narrator). – Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews
8. On September 13, 1982, Kelly was driving back to Monaco from her country home in Roc Agel when she had a stroke. As a result, she lost control of her 1971 Rover P6 3500, and drove off the steep, winding road and down the 120 foot mountainside. Her daughter Stéphanie, who was in the passenger seat, tried but failed to regain control of the car. Kelly was taken to the Monaco Hospital with injuries to the brain and thorax. She died the following night at 10:55 p.m. after Rainier decided to take her off life support. Kelly’s funeral was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, on September 18, 1982. After a Requiem Mass, she was buried in the Grimaldi family vault. Rainier, who did not remarry, was buried alongside her in 2005. 🎭 Read a book in which the main character is involved in an accident -or- read a book with a car or a mountain on the cover (post the cover). – The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Duration: 1st November – 30th November 2019 Number of books: 11 Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession
Duration: November 1st – November 30th
How it Works: Ten books each month is a lot, so there will be 5 different levels. Pick which level you want to do and that’s how many items you will need to check off.
1. According to the Celtic tree calendar the Reed Moon is October 28-November 23. Reed is typically used to make wind instruments and during this month it is the sound of music calling the spirits of the dead to the Underworld. Read a book where a character dies or with a MC that practices some kind of divination. – The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
2. November 1st is All Saints’ Day. Read a book with an angel, a ghost, or a spiritual character. – Larceny and Lace by Annette Blair
3. November 1-2 Day of the Dead (Dio De Los Muertos). This festival honors the dead by celebrating the lives and deaths of our loved ones. Read a book about zombies or a book a family/friend recommended to you. – Xoe by Sara C. Roethle
4. King Tut Day. King Tutankhamen became the king of Egypt when he was 9 and he died when he was 19. His tomb was discovered on November 4, 1922. Read a book that takes place in Egypt, with archeology or a YA adventure book. – Magic of Thieves by C. Greenwood
5. Men Make Dinner Day. November 7th (first Thursday of the month). Read a romance and/or with a love interest that cooks. – Mate Set by Laurann Dohner
6. Veteran’s Day honors those who have served in the military. It is observed on November 11th. Read a book with a MC/love interest who is a soldier, spy, diplomat. – The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman
7. World Kindness Day-A series of conferences took place in Japan with people from around the world seeking to promote more kindness. The group became known as the World Kindness Movement. They made a Declaration of Kindness on November 13, 1997. Read a book that inspires you to be a better person or a character that makes their world a better place with kindness and compassion. – Anne of Green Gable by Lucy Maud Montgomery
8. Chaos Never Dies Day-Show your acceptance of the disorder/chaos in your life by reading a book that has been on your TBR for a long time. Then read another…and another…and another… At some point you will realize that this task will never end. You can accept that by reading only one or add books until the month is over. Your choice! – Coyote Speaks by Ari Berk & Carolyn Dunn
9. Festival of Hecate-November 30th. She was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night moon, ghosts and necromancy. Read a book with a haunted house or a dog in it. Or both! – Killing Moon by Rebecca York
10. The Elder Moon, from the Celtic tree calendar, is from November 24 to December 23. This time is for endings and renewal, birth and death and creativity. Read a book with a creative character, a baby, a couple falls in love or ends their relationship. – China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
September I started to get my feet back under me. It’s been rough, hectic and I’ve done a lot of reading just to try and get my brain back into gear… but I think that I’m slowly getting there. Only time will tell.
Title: The Eleventh Hour Author: Michelle Maddox In: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this) My Bookshelves:Romance, Time travel Dates read: 30th September 2019 Pace: Slow Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: I found myself seated in a hard chair and my hands bound behind me.
Sophie’s chance meeting with an eight year-old boy has consequences that she never thought were possible. But, when a time traveller saves her at the eleventh hour, she might find all of her dreams come true.
Fate is always an interesting thing to deal with. Especially
when you’re talking about time travel and keeping the lines of fate together. However,
I never really thought of how unfair fate could be. Particularly for a woman
who manages to survive, and then is forced to face her demise when two time
travelling soldiers come to kill her…
This isn’t my favourite ever short story. It was just a
little sluggish and difficult in places. Although it was still quite enjoyable.
Mostly I felt a little too weirded out by the fact that the love interest ends
up being from the future but had met her as a child in the present. Had a
little bit of trouble getting my head around that one…
The Eleventh Hour is an easy read. A little bit fun.
But not the most memorable short story I’ve ever read. It was a nice stroll
through someone else’s imagination and a nice introduction to a new author.
Earth and Skye 