July book haul

A few months ago I set myself the challenge of not buying any new books until I'd cleared the middle shelf of my bookcase, also known fondly as my very unstructured to be read list. And, well... I broke the ban. I know. A week before my holiday I bought Dawn French's According to Yes, and after that, holiday mode took over and I just haven't been able to stop myself.

I wanted to share with you my haul for this month as there's quite a variety; some physical books, some e-books, and I even caved in and bought some that have been on my wish list for quite a while. There are also a few really random ones that I would never have purposefully gone out to buy so I'm really intrigued to read some of those.

• All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer

• Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

• According to Yes by Dawn French

• Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

• The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

• Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan

• The Complete Collection of Virginia Woolf

• Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

• Second Chance by Jane Green

• The School Run by Sophie King

• It's Raining Men by Milly Johnson

• Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley

• Little Girl Gone by Alexandra Burt

• The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

• His Other Life by Beth Thomas

So there we have it! Let me know if you've read any of these, and also let me know if there's any you specifically want me to review.

Thanks for reading! x

3 inspirational female authors

I've realised recently that I have a bit of a fascination with strong, female writers. All throughout university, I did everything I could to avoid having to study 'feminism' or 'women in literature' - not because I didn't enjoy it, or identify with it, but because it was always the same old story and I wanted to try something different. However, left to my own devices I have discovered why this area is so fascinating. In light of this discovery, I wanted to share with you 3 female authors who inspire me.

J. K. Rowling

This woman has grit. True grit. She has spoken very publicly about the desperately hard times she endured before Harry Potter was born from her imagination. That she overcame these hard times shows an incredible strength of character; that she is very vocal and supportive of other people's problems is another. Even in Harry Potter, arguably just a fantasy children's series, she manages to successfully represent real world problems such as depression and orphaned children, which is what makes it so subtly relevant to so many people.. Since becoming a global celebrity and driven business woman, Rowling hasn't lost site of what's important to her, and for this I admire her most. She remains grounded and committed to her values. 

Daphne Du Maurier

If you read my blog regularly, you'll know that from what I've read so far, Du Maurier's novels are some of my absolute favourites. I think there's only so much skill you can learn when trying to be a great writer; the rest is reliant on talent. And this lady had a lot of that! If I could meet her, I'd want to know her top 10 (or maybe 20) tips on how to write a great novel; where to start, how to piece it together and how to keep it fresh are all things I really struggle with. Her ability to craft with the English language in a way that is eloquent yet simple, perpetual and poignant is a talent I can only aspire to match.

Beatrix Potter

I'd like to understand nature and the appreciate the world like Beatrix Potter did. Though I'm not an animal lover, I do love the countryside - especially the Lake District where Beatrix lived for many years. I admire her imagination as it's something I feel I have grown out of, and I absolutely love the idea of giving voices to animals, imagining what their conversations could be beyond the realms of human ears. She embraced her passion and imagination, and possessed great strength and courage which allowed her to publish books in her own name at a time when this wasn't respectable for women to do so. Growing up with the likes of Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny and Tom Thumb has given this lady a special place in my heart, but as I've matured, I've learnt to respect her for more reasons than her children's stories.

As I've been writing this, it's become clear to me that these three women are all an inspiration to me because they all have character traits I'd like to develop. They embody what I aspire to become as a person, a career woman and a writer. 

I'd love to know your thoughts on this as its something a little different to my usual posts and reviews. Are there any strong female authors you're inspired by?

Thanks for reading x

Book Review: Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

I recently read a YA book to see what all the fuss was about, seeing as there are so many of you YA reviewers out there. I wanted to see why YA fiction is appealing to so many people who are over the age of 18, and who would not generally be classified as the typical market for this kind of book. I've also heard great things about James Patterson's books and thought he would be a great author to begin with for my foray into YA fiction.

I picked up Witch and Wizard - the first book in the series - as I'd had it sitting on my shelf for years. Personally, I don't think it was for me. I enjoy books which are 'well written', though I understand that for many people this in itself is subjective. In this case, I thought the language was over simplistic and didn't attempt to do anything interesting with sentence structure that might have made the read more compelling. As the novel was plot driven, I expected more to happen; I wanted more action, more adventure, and less 'writing in' to each plot milestone.

On the other hand, it was an easy read, and I appreciate that I'm not used to reading YA fiction. I may have enjoyed reading this when I was much younger, but I don't think that this is a genre I will be exploring much further I'm afraid. Despite the novel's faults, the concept of children saving the world from meanie adults, and a new political system, was rather fun. The innocence of children often exposes the harsh realities of the adult world, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it turned out that this novel was intended to be slightly allegorical - alas, I feel that it is just fantasy.

Sorry folks, you can't say I didn't try! Maybe I was reading the wrong book. Let me know in the comments if you have any YA recommendations for me.

Thanks for reading x

TBR list: #tometopple readathon

I've never taken part in a readathon before as I always seem to miss the beginning of them, but this time, it's happening. Whilst perusing my Twitter feed today I saw lots of people hash tagging #tometopple - so naturally I was intrigued by this. After some investigation, I discovered that this has been set up by Samantha from Thoughts On Tomes (you should totally check out her blog, FYI).

As those of you who read regularly are probably aware, this is the year I've really been able to get back into reading again after finishing my degree. But, whilst I've been working my way towards my goodreads challenge target of reading a measly 15 books this year (I know I know, it's very low!), I've been ignoring the bigger books on my TBR list as I'm simply intimidated by the sheer size of them. I'm hoping that by taking part in this readathon, I'll be able to knock at least one of these on the head. Bring it!

The readathon will take place from 5 June until 19 June and challenges us to read a 500+ page book. So in the meantime, I've put together a TBR list. I think it's a bit ambitious for me to read more than one, but as I'm trying to be more of a glass-half-full kinda gal, I've picked three.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

745 pages

Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkein

1244 pages

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackery

768 pages

I really can't choose which to read first, so if you've read any let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear if you're getting involved in #tometopple too. As always, I will review whichever I read, and all will be read... eventually!

Thanks for reading x

Review: Dubliners by James Joyce

Yes, that's right. I'm finally biting the bullet and dipping my toe into the world of James Joyce. I've been warned many a time not to bother reading the likes of Ulysses and A Portrait of the artist as a young man... but I like a challenge. And, chances are, if someone tells me not to do something, I'm probably going to go ahead and do it anyway, especially when it comes to reading! I decided that Dubliners, which has been sat on my shelf since it was a possible A level text, would be a great introduction to Joyce given that it's fairly slim, with only 250 pages to get through.

I began reading this when I had a couple of hours spare on a train and managed to get through 50 pages. I despise starting a new book on public transport because my attention span can be incredibly poor in busy environments, but I gave it a go. As suspected, I didn't get into it, failed to grasp the point of the text, and was confused as to why - four chapters in - I hadn't crossed the same character twice. It wasn't until I got home and picked it up again a couple of days later that I realised it was a collection of short stories... which makes so much more sense!

As someone who never reads short stories (apart from Tales of Beadle the Bard, of course) I found the structure of the collection quite difficult to get my head around. I found that the stories never felt finished, and that I never knew the ending, or fully understood the messaging. After a bit of investigation, I discovered that this was Joyce's intention. The protagonists of the collection are a range of adults and children who stand on the edge of middle-class society. The short stories were intended for the inhabitants of Ireland in the early 1900s to see themselves, and the problems of the lives they were living. An observational piece, Dubliners creates a cynical, and quite negative, snapshot of Dublin just after the turn of the century, depicting the mundane routine and the desire to escape it.

The stories themselves are beautifully written. The wording is simple but effective, and flows in a way that encourages the reader to feel at one with the ordinary characters featuring throughout. Joyce's narrative style remains detached, as though he was simply sat on a bench describing what he was seeing in Dublin, but not passing judgement himself.

Once I understood the context of Dubliners, I was able to appreciate the value of the collection not just as a selection of short stories, but as a potential historical source. Overall, I think it's a really perceptive piece of fiction that creates an image of life in early twentieth century Ireland. However, I will hold my hands up and admit that I didn't read the last short story as I was a little bored by this point, but I'd read enough of the collection to appreciate it's purpose.

I think I'd like to try some more short stories, so if you've any to recommend, do let me know!

Thanks for reading x

Review: Wild by Cheryl Strayed

My friend was moving to a new flat and was clearing out a load of books to take to a charity shop. I was thrilled when she gave me first pick and I chose two to add to my ever growing 'to read' list - no surprises there! Wild was a book she wasn't getting rid of but, to quote her directly, it's 'just one of those books you need in your life,' so I borrowed it without further questions. I didn't intend to read it straight away, but sometimes these things just happen....

There are so many words I could use to describe Wild - raw, emotional, honest, fierce and beautiful being but a few - though for the most part, the best way I can describe it is as a journey. Not just a literal journey, though on face value it really is the journey of Cheryl Strayed hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. It's a journey on so many other levels; as the cover of this copy states, it's 'A journey from lost to found,' a journey of self discovery, and an emotional journey for the reader from cover to cover.

Cheryl Strayed describes her turbulent start to life; with an abusive father and a caring mother, Strayed and her siblings fled with their mother to begin a new life with barely any money, but a great bond and lot's of love and determination. Despite this, she appreciated her mother and step-dad's efforts to keep their little family together, and even began to study a literature degree. It seemed as though life was just picking up for Strayed when her mother fell ill and died, leaving her degree incomplete. She then lost her way with life, divorced her supportive husband and ended up falling into a self-destructive lifestyle. Her journey on the Pacific Crest Trail was a way out of this, and Wild passionately describes her journey to finding herself.

Strayed is undoubtedly a talented writer and an intelligent woman, and her memoirs unashamedly betray her passion for writing. Throughout the memoir, she reads novels  - both revisiting old favourites and those new to her - and they have a lot of time dedicated to their descriptions, demonstrating how much they give her in terms of comfort and freedom throughout her lonely voyage of self-realisation. At first, I thought this was going to be a little dull - I mean, how exciting can it be reading about someone walking on a trail?! But, I love books about books, and books about writing, so I think that despite the fact I didn't  identify with her journey and struggles, I did connect with her passions, which is why I ended up enjoying reading this as much as I did.

If you're looking for simple, truthful story that is told straight from the heart, I think I've found the one for you. My friend was right; everyone needs this book in their life, no matter what your background because it has so many layers, I'm certain it will speak to each reader on some level.

Thanks for reading x

Review: Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley

Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley

Trisha Ashley is an author I've never heard of before, but if you enjoy the likes of Sophie Kinsella, you're bound to get along just fine. If you're looking for an easy read, with a simple plot that doesn't require any painful thinking, then this could be what you're after.

Chocolate Wishes tells of a group of three companions who are all single, and have all been friends since they were very young as a result of their deranged mother's close friendship. The protagonist, named Chloe, is a confectioner who raises her gothic younger brother when her mother supposedly dies. They live with their grandfather, a warlock, and believes he is a great magician. Chloe is bitten by her past on more than one occasion in her search for love after she moves to the village of Sticklepond; but is she successful on her quest for romance?

The plot moves a little slow for my liking, and didn't really engage my curiosity. Undoubtedly, it's a nice, easy read that allows you to really get to know the characters almost as friends. From taking a drink with them at the local coffee house to searching the lonely hearts ads, Ashley has really given thought to the backgrounds of the characters, which results in them being very real and personable. 

If you're looking for a comforting novel to cosy up with on a rainy afternoon, you won't go far wrong with this one. Though not challenging in either thought or structure, it does everything you need a chick lit novel to do.

Do you enjoy reading a chick lit to a classic? Or is it sometimes nice to have a balance?

Thanks for reading x

The 'Lost in a book' tag

I first saw this post on Aisling's Beauty Bytes and decided that it would be a great one to get myself back into blogging with. I love posting a tag from time to time - even if it is one I've decided to take part in without being tagged in! Hope you find it interesting.

Do you have a certain place at home for reading?
No. I just like to feel really comfy and chilled out when I read, so as long as I can do that I'll read anywhere. Of course, reading in bed is what most of us bookworms would deem a perfect reading haven, but anywhere where I can get cosy in my comfiest clothes and lose myself for a few hours will do. One day, it's my dream to create a reading nook in my home - my Pinterest account even has a board dedicated to this! A girl can dream.

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

Ideally a bookmark. There's just something about laying a proper bookmark between the pages of a beloved novel which just makes the reading experience complete. However, I would absolutely use a random piece of paper if it meant that I could save the corners of the pages from being folded over. That's just not ok!

Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop at a chapter?

I tend to stop reading anywhere to be honest. If it's a really compelling book, I might plough on until I reach the end of a chapter, but I'd rather stop reading in the middle of a chapter if I'm finding it a chore to read and start afresh next time.

Do you eat or drink whilst reading?

I don't really eat whilst reading, but it's rare that you'll find me without a cup of tea!

E-reader or real book?

Until a few years ago, I would undoubtedly have argued that real books would be the only way to get my attention. But then I bought a Kindle and fell in love with e-readers. I still prefer to have my favourite novels and a lot of the classics in real book form, but anything I'm not bothered about keeping hold of, or displaying on my bookshelf, I'm ok with reading electronically. A lot of books are actually cheaper to buy this way, and I've now become so used to using my e-reader that I find it a chore to prop open a real book with two hands nowadays! Oh, the struggles.

Music or TV while reading?

Most of the time I prefer it to be quiet - the less distractions, the better to concentrate.

One book at a time or several at once?

I'd love to say I only read one book at a time - and most of the time that's true. But sometimes there's just the need to be reading several at once, isn't there? For example, if you get bored of one book and need a break from it, or if you're reading a huge fantasy book (I'm looking at YOU, Game of Thrones!) and fancy reading an autobiography. Sometimes it just has to be done.

Reading at home or everywhere?

Everywhere!

Reading aloud or silently in your head?

I used to pretend to one of my sixth form tutors that I had a perpetual sore throat so I didn't have to read out loud. I think that should give you my answer.

Fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction - unless it's an autobiography, and then I just can't help myself but be nosy.

Do you read ahead or skip pages?

I try not to most of the time...

Break the spine or keep a book like new?

Break the spine! It's a sign of a well loved book, after all.

Do you write in your books? 

Not any more. I tried to as I was told by many people that it would help me whilst at uni, but I just couldn't escape the thought that I was defacing a piece of art, and a copy of someone's work.

Your favourite book?

I was dreading having to answer this question as there are so many! I love Jane Eyre. I think it was one of the first classic novels I read, and I've now reread this many a time. It encapsulates everything I love about literature in one novel. It probably won't surprise you to hear that I love everything Daphne Du Maurier as well. I'm a bit of a traditionalist at heart, but I also have a lot of time for the likes of Harry Potter! 

So there we are! I don't want to tag anyone in this as I think it's a nice one to discover for yourself, but do let me know if you decide to do this as I'd love to have a read. 

Thanks for reading x

Popular Books I Dislike

I was inspired to do this post after spending a few hours watching the 'Unpopular Opinions Book Tag' videos on BookTube. I realised that some of the books people rave about I don't really like, so I thought it would make an interesting blog post, and I hope you'll agree with me on that. Most of these books I don't really have a reason to dislike, apart from the fact that they are just not the style or genre that I usually like to read. Its also quite a while since I read most of these books so apologies for being a bit vague on details!

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D.Salinger 

I found that the protagonist of this book, Holden Caulfield, was really annoying, quite simply. Maybe it was because I was told to read it by a school teacher and therefore stubbornly decided I wouldn't like it, but I prefer to think that it was more because I dislike stories that are written to reflect the intimate thoughts of the character, rather than events and physical descriptions. In this case, the novel tackles feelings of teenage angst and alienation, which probably resonated a little close to home at the time I was reading it. Despite this, I would like to read this again in the future now that I've matured (debatable!) to see if I read the novel any differently.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 

I love reading classic literature. I love how much we can learn about the author's perspective on life, especially if they are from a different culture or period in history. So, it may come as a surprise to you that I really dislike Wuthering Heights. I didn't find the characters very likeable, but that is quite common for many readers of this book. I think this, combined with my dislike of the plot, just made me feel like it was a little boring. Just me? 

The Bell Jar by Silvia Plath

I was desperate to read this book, and when I was about 16/17, my A Level English Lit teacher lent me her copy. I'm sorry to say that I never finished reading it! I was very nervous about finishing A Levels and going to uni, so I think this impacted my reading of the book. I found it pretty upsetting to read in all honesty, knowing that the narrator (and author in this case) had a very insecure mind. I like to have confidence in the narrators in the books I read, and was unfortunately unable to enjoy this book because of that. I'm still not sure I want to stir up negative thoughts again by re-reading it though. 

Overall...

All 3 of these books unfortunately bring up negative thoughts and images in my head. I think that its the case with The Bell Jar and The Catcher in the Rye that I simply just don't get on well with the way in which the novel is written - from a very particular, insightful perspective of a first person narrator with an insecure mind. That is not to say that you shouldn't read them, though, as they are very well written and well respected in their own right. That's the most amazing thing about literature in my opinion; they strike a different chord in each of us, meaning something different to us all depending on our preferences and personal experience.

Do you agree with my choices? Are there any controversial books that you dislike? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading! x

Kindle Freebies: Not Dreaming of You by Nina Cordoba

As I sit down to metaphorically pen my first review of the series, I'm wondering how I'm going to make my way through this ever growing list of books...free or not! I've also just properly discovered Book Tube (I know, where have I been?!) so as I'm watching people's channels, my Amazon wishlist is growing longer and longer!

Let's kick the series off with Not Dreaming of You by Nina Cordoba. In all honesty, as a free Kindle chick lit with a pastel cover, I didn't have very high hopes for this novel.

The novel begins very much like most traditional chick lit novels do, with a girl who is described as being really pretty and popular, and looking for someone who is husband material. As usual she is looking for an equally hot guy, but when she meets one, she doubts that someone this popular with the ladies could ever be a respectable husband. Although at this point the ending is incredibly predictable (spoiler alert, they get engaged), the plot takes a few twists and turns which make this an easy read but still a refreshing concept for a chick lit.

At first, I was gripped by the concept that the pretty girl, named Kiki, was looking for a guy who met her list of criteria which she gained from a psychic dream at the age of 13. She signs up to a dating agency to attempt to find said list-fitting man, and a reporter accompanies her on dates with the intention of proving that dating agencies are for crazy people.

However, between 40 and 60% of the way through the book (oh Amazon, would it be too simple to give us page numbers?) I found that the plot was sticking a little, and progressing rather slowly. But if you can manage to get past that, the pace picks up again, throwing in the odd twist to elongate the story.

I did initially think that the novel was going to end at the half way mark as it seemed to be very predictable and drawing to a close, but I was delighted to find that Cordoba wasn't going to be altogether predictable in the structure.

The novel doesn't really cover any significant themes in detail though she does seem to be making a point that dating agencies aren't just for crazy people with no people skills. Cordoba briefly touches upon the grief a woman can feel upon discovering she may not be able to have children. Despite this, it's a lovely novel to read if you don't want to have to think about things too much as the characters are very fairytale-esque in their physical descriptions but easy to relate to in personality.

My rating: 7/10

I would love to know if you've read this or if you read it in the future!

Thanks for reading x

8 Photos Of Happiness Tag

I've finally gotten round to doing this even though I was tagged quite a while ago now! Thank you to Stephanie from Oui, Stephanie for nominating me for this - my first ever tag! I'm quite excited to do this so here goes...

Rules and explanations of this tag:

• Thank your nominator/s and link them in your post.

• Link the creator (Ariel’s Little Corner Of The Internet) 

• Post your 8 photos of happiness (The photos can be anything that represents a moment, object, place or feeling that makes you happy.) 

• Pop in a brief description of the photo, why you chose it or let the photos do the talking! 

• Spread the happiness and tag up to ten other bloggers!

1) The Lake District

I took this picture on holiday this year. It's my favourite place in the Lake District by Lake Coniston, and just sums up free time, family holidays and warm relaxing days spent sunbathing and reading a book by the water. On a sidenote, I didn't edit this picture at all because I love how it looks anyway!

2) A cup of tea

In true British style, there's nothing a good cuppa tea can't make better! 

3) Books

Reading has always been one of my favourite things. Whether it's curling up in a blanket on a cold winter's day, or sunbathing by a pool in summer, I love that books can provide an escape to another world for a few hours. 

4) Nail Varnish

Nail varnish was the first beauty item I got into, even in my pre-teen years! I remember the first set of 6 small, round bottles of nail varnish I received in my Christmas stocking and felt like such a grown up! Though my collection has changed and grown a lot since then, I still don't feel like myself without a pretty spot of colour on my fingernails. 

5) My collection of Me To You Bears

My collection of Me To You Bears is something I started around my 16th birthday. Since then, I have received one for many special occasions including significant birthdays, the occasional Christmas one and various results day/congratulatory bears. It's the secondary connection to special life events that makes the bears mean so much to me... and they look really cute too!

6) Bubble baths

I associate baths with treats, those times where you decide to have a full blown pamper session to restart yourself mentally. Usually mine include a Lush bath bomb too, the colours and scents helping to relax me.

7) IVDC medal 

Many of you probably don't know that from the age of 13 I've been a Latin and Ballroom dancer - just like on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing! When I started uni, I joined the uni competition circuit and made it my aim that by 3rd year I wanted to achieve a medal at nationals. I actually managed this in the team match competition that takes place in the evening (the final part of a 16 hour competition!), with myself and my then dance partner managing to come 4th (the top 6 couples make the final and receive medals and trophies) along with the other 3 couples in our uni team! I also knew this was likely to be one of my last ever dance competitions so it was a nice memory to make.

8) Graduate ball!

Though this was taken at my grad ball (which was an amazing evening despite it being the night before my last ever uni exam!) it just brings together how amazing my uni experience was. Best 3 years of my life... so far! 

Looking back over these photos this didn't turn out how I expected it to, but I guess that's kind of what this is all about! 

Now I tag these fabulous people to do the same... apologies if you've already been tagged by someone else. Enjoy folks!

Louise at Louise Rose Railton

Kirsty at Have The Town

Molli at Along Came Molli

Amie at The Curvaceous Vegan

Emily at Dine, Dash and Dessert

Thanks for reading! x 

Roald Dahl's 'Boy' and 'Going Solo'

Okay, so I realise that Roald Dahl is technically a children's author, but to me his stories are timeless and I know to many (including me!) they are well loved. Many a time I'll come across something in everyday life that takes me back to his colourful, mischievous narratives. For a while now I've been eyeing up his two-part autobiography, and as luck would have it, it was a perfect, easy read to ease me back into reading for pleasure after the chaos of finishing my degree!

As I have a love for autobiographies anyway, I found this a compelling companion to my morning coffee, but it was more than about simply satisfying my nosy needs. Boy in particular is very reflective of Dahl's writing style in his children's books like The BFG, which is great as its incredibly insightful but so easy to read. I laughed along with the children's cunning plans to get revenge on the miserable shop keeper, and felt their pain of being in a boarding school where the cane was used as punishment. Fast forward a few years, Going Solo is all about Dahl's time in the RAF during the war and takes a slightly more adult tone, yet remains very personal and reminds us as readers that the people fighting were as ordinary as you or me. I'll admit myself that I sometimes need to be reminded of this instead of generalising and seeing the overall picture!

There was a particular passage in Boy which really stood out for me. In this passage, Dahl paints a writer's life as 'absolute hell' in comparison with a business man's lifestyle, and says that it is because a writer is their own manager, sets their own work hours, and can never come up with enough new ideas. It sounds like this is something that was really coming from his heart - the words were so passionately written. I'll admit that coming from someone I admire, from someone who I thought loved writing, it upset me a little! 

I feel like this is very close to the heart of many bloggers, including myself! I have to admit, it has always been my dream to be a writer in one way or another, and at the moment it very much remains a hobby. But who knows what will happen in the future?! I am under no illusion that a writing career  would be challenging, with definite peaks and troughs, but I'd like to think very enjoyable for the most part. Being my own boss would also be great as I like to think I'm super organised, although setting your own work hours could potentially upset the work-life balance that we're all supposed to maintain.

Right now, I feel very positive about having a career that involves writing, as I have always said I want my career to be something I love, that I'm passionate about, and isn't something I've just chosen because its well paid, or because its expected of me... where's the fun in that?! However, this is possibly because I'm fresh out of uni, so maybe ask me again if I'm still unemployed at Christmas! I wonder if my view of writing for a career will change to become sympathetic of Dahl's... I certainly hope not!!

What are your thoughts on this? Do full time bloggers or novelists agree that writing is a challenging but also rewarding job? 

Thanks for reading! x

A Holiday Chick Flick...Champagne and Lemon drops

Holiday season. Everybody likes to chill out and read a good book on holiday and as a change to reading my post-colonial lit books for uni I picked a few chick flicks to read by the water in the sun…bliss!  The first book I picked was one I had had on my Kindle for ages – I downloaded it around Christmas time as one of the top 100 Amazon ebooks. The best part is that it was free and as a result, I didn’t have very high expectations of it. I began to read kind of absent mindedly, just enjoying the fact that I didn’t have to think about analysing the context and every minor detail. The more I read, the more I had to keep reading…

Though many people would not find this anything special, I thought the plot was good, fast-paced, and could easily have reflected the life of someone in the real world. It had everything – the perfect relationship, the troubled relationship, the hot guy hero to save the damsel in distress, the day job troubles – all this, and Jean Oram still managed to address some of the worries and questions that many people are too afraid to voice in broad daylight, which made the whole story seem more personal and realistic. The book was completed with a good old happy ending, just how we like it!

I’m not getting into the debate about what is and isn’t considered ‘literature,’ but for a god holiday read, or something to relax the old noggin, I recommend this. It’s described on Amazon as a ‘Chick Lit Contemporary Romance’ and in my opinion, it certainly lives up to this!

England, England

I've been really busy working most days this Summer, and as I have had a few hours to kill before and after work each day, I have decided to be productive and to start on my literature reading list for final year! I know, that might seem a bit keen, but trust me, it makes life so much easier when it comes to having to write assignments and do secondary reading, and I’m so determined to make next year count!

Anyway, the first book on my reading list for a post-colonial module is England, England by Julian Barnes... it was short-listed for the 1998 Booker Prize, so I expected it to be a good read, with a fast-paced narrative. The title doesn't give away anything about the plot, other than it might have something to do with England, and the cover is quite a modern design which made me think it would be an easier book to begin with – something gentle to ease me in to what promises to be an intense year.

The novel is divided into 3 parts. Part 1 seems for the most part to be quite irrelevant to the main plot for the amount of detail included in it, but nonetheless an interesting opening that provides a different perspective to Part 2. Part 2 is the longest section of the novel, where most of the plot development takes place. Part 3 seems to explore the consequences of what happens in part 2, and is written from Martha’s perspective – much like part 1 was to introduce her background as a key character, part 3 builds on this to explore her decisions and impact on ‘The Island’ in comparison to Jack Pitman, the initial owner of ‘The Island’, and to follow through her life post-island – again, fairly irrelevant to the main plot. As I was reading this book, I was struggling to really ‘get it’…not the content, I had no difficulty following the plot, and the historical context seems spot on. It was the purpose I was struggling with, what was the real point to this book? On reflection, I still have no idea!

In relation to post-colonialism, Barnes takes everything historic and significant from imperial ‘Old England’ to create a one stop, sightseeing experience for tourists. Hidden within the narrative is the odd witty remark or comment about imperial England which I can only guess relates to his personal opinion. I may be wrong, but it appears that he is exploring what could have happened if someone logical but entirely patriotic was in charge, and gets away with hiding his opinions within the text by disguising to whole thing as a business venture.

England, England is obviously a lot more complex than this - as I will discover next year – but it does seem at a first glance that the whole book is an excuse for Barnes to explore the history of England and the empire and play about with time restrictions. I think the fact that I have been told to read it, rather than read it for fun, may be swaying my judgement… my inner stubborn streak immediately wants to dislike this text! However, my interest in all things post-colonial is convincing me to reserve clear judgement on this text until I know more about it.

To Kill a Mockingbird

So I recently finished another year at uni. It is often agreed amongst literature students that despite loving our course for the most part, analysing every specific detail of a novel or a poem can drain the enjoyment from reading. I for one frequently forget what it feels like to read for fun, so when the ever awaited 4 month summer holiday comes around, the first thing I do is get my hands on either a new book I've been dying to read for ages, or an old favourite, and stay up until the early hours of the morning turning the pages and devouring the plot. You know, just because I can. It’s so nice to appreciate a text as the author intended us to – for enjoyment – rather than to consciously bleed it dry on technique and effect for the sake of another assignment.

This summer, the first book I have read is one that has been sitting on my book shelf for so long (literally about 3 years!). Someone once said to me that they considered it a book everyone should read before they are 25 – I guess they had their reasons, but I was determined to follow their advice and went straight out to buy it, along with The Great Gatsby. The book in question is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and I'm sure anyone who has read it will understand why it has quickly become known as a modern classic! I am so glad I never studied this at GCSE like many people do; I have been able to make my own judgements on it at a more mature age and at a time in my life where I feel I can appreciate it for the right reasons. But enough of the deep stuff!

There were a few things which struck me about this book, and I certainly understand why it is respected. Firstly, the way in which Atticus Finch instils morals in his young children is kind of heroic, especially in the time it was set – though I get that this was actually written 30 years after the time it is set so it may have been a little bit more acceptable then. The second thing I found interesting about this novel is how powerfully the views of the 6 year old narrator come across. I'm sure Harper had her reasons for using a child narrator but I actually think it encourages us as readers to consider the harsh reality of humanity and judgement, and how many of us think it is acceptable to judge people for deviating from the social norm.

Finally, when I mentioned to a friend that I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird, he got very excited and said that the ending was amazing. Ok, so I don’t want to detract from how amazing the book is, but I predicted the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything in case you've not read it, but the role of the recluse at the end… I saw that coming a mile off. But I guess that’s the great thing about this novel, its personal to each of us, and we all get a unique experience from reading it!