Madame Bovary Challenge

This is one of those films that I have watched and liked but never got around to actually reading the book .... So when I saw this challenge I thought it would be a good opportunity to read it ...

Here's the rules:

The first week of September, right before the release of this new translation. The novel is a very manageable size at approximately 300 pages. Here is the reading/posting schedule:

Part 1: Thursday, October 14 (58 pages)

Part 2: Thursday, October 21 (141 pages)

Part 3: Thursday, October 28 (106 pages)

Here's a wee sneak peak at the back cover of the book ...

"Emma Rouault is the original desperate housewife, When she marries the dull, provincial doctor Charles Bovary, her dreams of an elegant and passionate life crumble. She escapes into sentimental novels but finds her fantasies dashed by the tedium of her days. Motherhood proves to be a burden; religion is only a brief distraction. She spends lavishly and embarks on a series of disappointing affairs. Soon heartbroken and crippled by debts, Emma takes drastic action with tragic consequences for her husband and daughter."

New Challenges ..... Bring them on ...

Well it has been a while since we updated our challenges .......... So here are some new challenges that we will be doing this year .......



This is a fun wee challenge that starts at the beginning of July and ends at the end of October ... As ever there is a range of how many books you wish to complete ...

Here is the rules: ...

5 Point Challenges

Read a chick lit book

Read a name with a proper name in the title

Read a historical fiction book

Read a book with a one word title

Read a book made into a movie

10 Point Challenges

Read a book with a Civil War theme (any country)

Read a Biblical fiction book

Read a hardcover book

Read a book about a king or queen

Read a book set in France

15 Point Challenges

Read a book by an author you’ve never read before

Read a biography or autobiography

Read a book with a number in the title

Read any book and then post a review

Read any book but read it outside

20 Point Challenges

Read a book in a series AND the one after it

Read a book that was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Read a book considered Christian fiction

Read a book from The Modern Library Top 100

Read a book by an author born in July, August, September or October

I am excited about this one ..... And at the moment going to do the 5 book challenge with Legs .... Let me know Girls if you wish to join in ...

Irish's Books

1) Unwind by Neal Shusterman

2)

3)

4)

5)

Legs Books

1) Alphabet Weekend by Elizabeth Noble.

2) Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

3) The Counterfeit Guest by Rose Melikan

4) Ironside by Holly Black

5) Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"Forget-Her-Nots" by Amy Brecount White [4]

Something - some power - is blooming
inside Laurel. She can use flowers to do things. Like bringing back lost memories. Or helping her friends ace tests. Or making people fall in love.

Laurel suspects her new found ability has something to do with an ancient family secret, one that her mother meant to share with Laurel when the time was right. But then time ran out.

Clues and signs and secret messages seem to be all around Laurel at Avondale School, where her mother has also boarded as a student. Can Laurel piece everything together quickly enough to control her power, which is growing more potent every day? Or will she set the stage for the most lovestruck, infamous prom in the history of the school?

Wow what a wonderful first novel and such a different idea to write about. I was totally in thralled with it. Laurel is a young 14 year old girl who has just lost her mother to cancer, her father has seemed to move on with his life and Laurel feels like he has forgotten his wife. To feel closer to her mum she goes to the same boarding school, Avondale. What starts off as a oral report turns into something just a little bit more than that. Laurel realizes that she has this magical gift with flowers and she wants to know why. As she starts to learn about her gift, things start to also get a little bit weird and out of hand. Can she keep secrets and promises made without getting into more trouble and can she also help those that she promised.

A surprising beautifully written novel, that has a interesting story about friendships, finding love and trusting in yourself. This is a book I'd recommend to any young teen to read. The book seems to end with a possible sequel which would be great as we could see how Laurel grows in her abilities and strengths. I really enjoyed this delightful story. Such a pretty cover too.

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Princess of Glass" by Jessica Day George [4]

Having once been cursed to dance every night with her sisters, princess Poppy has vowed never again to put on a pair of dancing slippers. Which is why she's reluctant to participate in the royal exchange program that her father and some of their neighbor kings have cooked up.

Life in far-off Breton isn't so bad, not when there's money to be won playing cards and a handsome prince promising friendship ...
and maybe something more. But when a hapless servant named Eleanora enters the picture and sets her sights on the prince, too, which girl will win his heart? And who is behind the magnificent gowns and slippers that the penniless Eleanora has been wearing to the balls? Only Princess Poppy can see through the magic that holds the rest of the kingdom in it's spell. And having fought against one curse before, she's just the girl to take on another!

The sequel to "The princess of the Midnight Ball" or I think a companion, as it is a novel in itself. I really enjoyed this next one, even more than the first. Ball gowns, cinders, enchanted glass slippers - all reminds you of the fairy tale Cinderella, but with a little twist to it. I love the character of Poppy, she is one determined and feisty girl, who has been through a terrible ordeal with her sisters, now she has to find a way to help Ellen, the clumsy maid ... but is she?

Really well written, flows beautifully, the story stands on it's own two feet, and you get caught up in it and before you know you've finished it. I hope that the author might write another novel in this lovely series about another of the sisters ... great teen read, the girls will just love it!

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Anxious Hearts" by Tucker Shaw [3 1/2]

Two pairs of lovers,
Two hundred years apart,
One eternal story.

Eva and Gabe explored the golden forest of their seaside town in Maine, tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who lived in the same idyllic woods more than two hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were to be wed, their village was besieged and the two were separated. And now, in the present, Gabe too has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.


A dreamlike tale of romance and undeterred faith inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic love poem "Evangeline," Anxious Hearts tells the story of a love so strong it sometimes causes one to lose oneself. Yet it also avows that even when lost somewhere on life's journey, true love can be found and there is a way home again.

A really lovely teen story, that was based on a poem, that was based on a real story in 1755. With a truly beautiful cover, this book will make you think in true love again. While possibly a little light on the story it gives you enough to enjoy the idea of finding your true love through whatever life might throw at you. You won't get lost in the telling of the two stories as the author has the novel idea of changing the color of the pages for the story of Evangeline and Gabriel. I enjoyed all four characters and just wished that there was a little more to the story ... it finished a little too quickly for me.

A lovely teen read.

I rate this book 3 1/2 stars.

^ Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber [4]

After losing their restaurant to arson, Justine and Seth Gunderson face a tough time in their marriage. Seth assumes they will rebuild, but Justine likes not having to worry about the restaurant. It's as if they don't know each other anymore. Can their marriage survive - could their love be rekindled?

Welcome back to Cedar Cove! There's been lots going on in town since your last visit. Your probably curious about who started the fire that destroyed The Lighthouse restaurant - and are you in for a surprise.

While this is the main theme in novel number six, we also get an update on all the other characters as well. New people are introduced, a chess player by the name of Bobby Polgar and he starts dating one of the girls from Get Nailed, with interesting consequences. Olivia, Jack, Grace, Maryellen, Jon and everyone else are eager to fill you in, so sit down with a Milo and enjoy.

As I've said before this series is terrific, so easy to read, you absolutely fall in love with all the characters and live their lives right with them. Debbie Macomber is a brilliant author and this series is the best.

I rate this book 4 stars.

'Token of Darkness' by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes [3]

Cooper Blake has everything going for him until he wakes up from a car accident with his football career in ruins and a mysterious, attractive girl by his side. Cooper doesn't know how Samantha got there or why he can see her, all he knows is that she's a ghost, and the shadows that surround her seem intent on destroying her. No one from Cooper's old life would understand what he can barely grasp himself ... But Delilah, the captain of the cheer leading squad, has secrets of her own, like her ability to see beyond the physical world, and her tangled history with Brent, a loner from a neighbouring school who can hear strangers most intimate thoughts. Delilah and Brent know that Cooper is in more trouble than he realizes, and that Samantha may not be as innocent as she has led Cooper to believe. But the only way to figure out where Samantha came from will put them all in more danger than they ever dreamed possible.

First time that I have read from this author and to me this was definitely a teen read, it was easy to read and flowed well, but I have read better fantasy novels. At first the story was a little confusing and you weren't sure what was going on, but it soon made sense. You may not understand how all the magic works but there is enough plot to keep the story going but it's really more for the kids. This book could have a sequel to it, but also not necessarily. Sorry to say but for me it was just an average read.

I rate this book 3 stars.

'50 Harbour Street' by Debbie Macomber [4]

Welcome to Cedar Cove - a small town with a big heart!

There's a mystery to be solved in Cedar Cove. Local private detective Roy McAfee and his wife Corrie have been receiving anonymous postcards with messages asking if they "regret the past'. What does it mean?

On a more positive note, Roy and Corrie's daughter Linette is now working at the new medical clinic and is very taken with the new doctor. But where does this leave Cal Washburn, who works for Cliff at the horse farm?

Speaking of Cliff, it looks like the romance between him and Grace Sherman is back on. Could a wedding be on the cards?

Make yourself a cup of milo and settle down with your friends from Cedar Cove, they are all eager to fill you in on what has been happening in the town.
There are a few new surprises, and a new romance in the making. A wonderful next novel in this so very like able series, you feel like you are catching up on gossip with your own friends and family.

So this novel is mainly about Roy and Corrie McAfee and the mysterious postcards they have been receiving. While the messages haven't been threatening Corrie is nevertheless extremely worried and Roy won't discuss any findings with her so she decides to do some detective work on her own. Little does she know that their past does seem to be haunting them ... and what will the consequences be?

Ben and Charlotte have some interesting developments happening in their own lives with Roy's son coming out of the woodwork [so to speak] and all is not happy.

Justine and Seth Gunderson the owners of the 'Lighthouse Restaurant' get caught up in a situation that has dire consequences for their lives, and all is not what it seems to be.
These are just a few snippets of some of the mysteries going on in Cedar Cove ... wet your appetites ... well you'll need to read the novel.

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris [4]

It's all about family ...

If you think your relationships are complicated, think again: you haven't seen anything like the ones in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin [a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin] demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbour [and ex], Vampire Bill Compton.

In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favour, and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favour for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War.

Who hasn't been waiting for the next installment of the 'True Blood' series ...

Sookie is recovering from being kidnapped in the Fairy War and being tortured, she is recovering from the death of her cousin Claudine and also Tray Dawson, she has nasty scars that are slowly healing but the jumpiness and nightmares will take more time.

The fairy world has finally been sealed and all seems to be quiet for a while ... but in Bon Temps nothing is what it seems and the quiet reprieve doesn't last long.

Sookie is once again drawn into murder, mystery and mayhem and this time it is a little closer to home. And Sookie wouldn't be Sookie if she wasn't worried about everyone else and trying to fix everything in her own way.

Another good installment to this series, but wait there will be more so you'll have to hang out for another. I enjoyed reading this one but it isn't my favourite in the series. Personally I think it really needs to finish soon as it's kind of dragging on a little ... Easy read, you'll get drawn into the story and swept away with all the intrigue. A little bad language in this one and some sex scenes, but for all those Sookie fans you shouldn't be too disappointed.

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Ash" by Malinda Lo [3]

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love - and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

This novel has been a real dilemma for me. I actually looked forward to reading a story about 'Cinderella' and seeing how it might be written from the actual fairy tale that we all know and love.

While the story was interesting, for me it did get a little monotonous with all the soul searching that Ash was going through, although that was part of her deep grieving and she needed to find a connection to life. The characters are strong and well written. The story is fine but I was really disappointed with the ending. This is the debut novel for Malinda Lo and because of her life style she has put a twist into the original story, which is her prerogative, but for me it did nothing and actually took away from the romance of the story of 'Cinderella'.

I rate this book 3 stars.

"In the Woods" by Tana French

Book Club read for June

You're twelve years old. It's the summer holidays. You're playing in the woods with your two best friends. Something happens. Something terrible. And the other two are never seen again.

Twenty years on, Rob Ryan - the child who came back - is a detective in the Dublin police force. He's changed his name. No one knows about his past. Even he has no memory of what happened that day.

Then a little girl's body is found at the site of the old tragedy and Rob is drawn back into the mystery. For him and his DI partner, Cassie, every lead comes with it's own sinister undercurrents. The victim's apparently normal family is hiding layers of secrets. Rob's own private enquiries are taking a toll on his mind. And every trail leads inexorably back ... into the woods.

Discussion Questions.

1. What do the woods represent in Tana French's novel? Does their significance change as the story progresses?

2. The loss or absence of stable families is a recurring motif in 'In the Woods'. How do French's characters, particularly Ryan, attempt to compensate for this absence?

3. Does the Irish setting of 'In the Woods' contribute significantly to the telling of the story, or do you find French's novel to be about humanity on a more universal level?

4. How does Ryan's experience in the woods at the age of twelve affect his ability to function as a detective? Is it always a hindrance to him, or are there ways in which it improves and deepens his insight?

5. Cassie Maddox, Ryan's partner, is perhaps the most consistently appealing character in the novel. What are her most attractive qualities? What are the weaker points of her personality? Does Ryan ever fully appreciate her?

6. After sleeping together, Ryan and Cassie cease to be friends. Why do you think the experience of physical intimacy is so damaging to their relationship? Are there other reasons why their relationship falls apart?

7. Ryan states that he both craves truth and tells lies. How reliable do you find him as a narrator? In what ways does the theme of truth and misrepresentation lie at the heart of 'In the Woods'?

8. Imagine that you are Ryan's therapist. With what aspects of his personality would you most want to help him come to terms? Do you think there would be any way to lead him out of the woods?

9. How convincing is French's explanation of the motivating forces that lead to Katy's murder - forces that come close to a definition of pure evil? Are such events and motivations ever truly explicable?

10. The plan to build the new motorway, trampling as it does on a past that some regard as sacred, is an outrage to the archaeologists who are trying to preserve an ancient legacy. How does this conflict fit thematically with Ryan's own contradictory desires to unearth and pave over his past?

11. Do you have your own theories about the mysteries that remain unsolved at the of 'In the Woods'? What are they?

12. What were your thoughts and emotions upon finishing 'In the Woods'? If this book affected you differently from other mysteries you have read, why do you think this was true?

"In Focus" by Anna Jacobs [3 1/2]

When a new feature on Pete Newbury's popular TV programme shows his adult image digitally transformed to that of a young child, Beth is shocked to realize he's her 'baby' brother, who vanished without trace thirty-eight years ago. Her mother, who has never recovered from the loss, desperately needs closure, but Pete makes it clear he doesn't want to know his birth family.

To further complicate matters, Beth finds herself falling in love with Pete's cousin and manager, Edward. At the same time Beth's runaway daughter reappears, complete with child, and Beth is terrified of losing her again. It's not easy to build bridges and bring family together after so many years and so much heartache, and she may lose the man she loves in the process ...

This is the first time I've read from this author and she has written dozens of books. A really interesting story that has strong characters and a plot that keeps you very interested. The cover is what initially drew me to the book, it is quite pretty with the blossom tree on the front.
It's an interesting concept to write a story about how you would feel if you had a brother or sister that was kidnapped at a young age and how you would react if you found them alive years later. The book is well written and it does keep you wanting to turn the page to find out what happens. It's a great book to take on holiday as it's a fairly light read and with only just over 230 pages you'll finish it quickly. I enjoyed it, wouldn't totally rave on about it and that's why I didn't rate it any higher.

I rate this book 3 1/2 stars.

"Radiant Shadows" by Melissa Marr [4]

Hunger for nourishment.

Hunger for touch.

Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.

Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans - and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the Faerie realm mean losing each other?

Fourth book in this series and it has all that the rest have... romance, danger and intrigue. It's breathtaking, complex and involving and you won't rest until you've finished the novel.
So what's it about?

Ani has been born to a half-faerie mother and a Hound for a father and her abilities are unique. She needs to feed from emotions but also from skin contact. Ani feels like she doesn't fit in anywhere and her father treats her with kid gloves ... then she meets Devlin.
Devlin was made for one purpose and that was as an assassin for the High Queen, he has given his whole life to serve her and the faerie court. But something is missing in his life ...then he has to assassinate Ani as a child, which he couldn't do. Years later they meet again and the sparks fly.
Many secrets have been kept from both of them and as they struggle to survive against those that would have them dead, they realize that the fate of Faerie is a stake as well as their own lives.

This series is fast becoming one of my favourites. I love the authors writing style, it's very easy to read and you absolutely get lost in the story. This one will definitely have another to read as it's left with a ending ... well that doesn't end.

I rate this book 4 stars.