Pegasus Robin McKinley

Because she was a princess,

she had a pegasus....

Princess Sylviianel has always known that on her twelfth birthday

she too would be bound to her own pegasus.

All members of the royal family have been thus bound since the Alliance

was made almost a thousand years ago; the binding system

was created to strengthen the Alliance, because humans and pegasi can only

communicate formally, through specially trained Speaker magicians.

Sylvi is accustomed to seeing pegasi every day at the palace, but she still finds the idea

of her binding very daunting. The official phrase is that your pegasus is your

"Excellent Friend."

But how can you be friends with someone you can't talk too?

But everything is different for Sylvi and Ebon from the moment they meet at her binding -

when they discover they can talk to each other.

They form so close a bond that it becomes a threat to the status quo -

and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.

For some of the magicians believe there is a reason humans and pegasi should not

fully understand each other....

"Happy Ever After" by Nora Roberts [5]

Childhood friends Mackensie, Parker, Laurel and Emmaline

have formed a very successful wedding-planning

business together. while helping thousands

of happy couples to organize the biggest day of their lives,

three of the four women have all found love

themselves - but workaholic Parker

remains resolutely single.

Her business is her life and she devotes all her energies to it.

But as she is forced to re-evaluate her friendships,

Parker finds that someone is about to divert her focus...

This is the fourth book in the Bride Quartet series and the one that I have been dying to read. I have absolutely loved the previous three books and each of the other girls and their men have been wonderful to read about, but for me it was Parker's story that I have been waiting to read about.

Nora Roberts has finished this series off beautifully and it's such a shame to see it end, but it was done well. I loved watching the romance between the efficient and dedicated Parker and bad boy come hero Malcolm. They suit each other to a tee... Malcolm comes across as this bad boy but he has morals that match Parker's own. Parker is looking for love...just like the love her parents shared for each other. There is just something about Mal that makes him fascinating and infuriating at the same time and the chemistry sparks between them. There are so many wonderful moments between both of them...they make you laugh and sigh all in the same breath. The moments between the girls are wonderful and it's terrific to see that they all care for each others happiness as well as their own.

You'll just love this series...drama and romance mingled with breath-taking scenery as they put together the most wonderful wedding days as well as other parties, you'll be lost in your imagination. The book is easy to read and you'll laugh and cry and just get lost in the characters and just like me you'll become addicated to this wonderful series.

Books in order...
1. Vision in White
2. Bed of Roses
3. Savour the Moment
4. Happy Ever After

Give this series a try and I promise you'll love them.

I rate this book 5 stars.

The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri

"You can always start again," Kate Robinson's mother once told her, "all it takes is a new thread." Overwhelmed by heartbreak and loss, the struggling twenty-six-year-old fashion designer follows her mother's advice and flees to her ancestral homeland of Ireland, hoping to break free of old patterns and reinvent herself.

She arrives on the west coast, in the seaside hamlet of Glenmara. In this charming, fading Gaelic village, Kate quickly develops a bond with members of the local lace-making society: Bernie, alone and yearning for a new purpose since the death of her beloved husband, John; Aileen, plagued by doubt, helplessly watching her teenage daughter grow distant; Moira, caught in a cycle of abuse and denial, stubbornly refusing help from those closest to her; Oona, in remission from breast cancer, secretly harboring misgivings about her marriage; Colleen, the leader of the group, worried about her fisherman husband, missing at sea. And outside this newfound circle is local artist Sullivan Deane, an enigmatic man trying to overcome a tragedy of his own.

Under Glenmara's spell, Kate finds the inspiration that has eluded her, and soon she and the lace makers are creating a line of exquisite lingerie. In their skilled hands, flowers, Celtic dragons, nymphs, fish, saints, kings, and queens come to life, rendered with painterly skill. The circle also offers them something more—the strength to face their long-denied desires and fears. But not everyone welcomes Kate, and a series of unexpected events threatens to unravel everything the women have worked so hard for. . . .

Review by Shaz :)

I really enjoyed this book, It was a easy quick read and I really got into this book.If anything I would love to see more of a relationship between Kate and Sullivan.Simple things like he winks at her, he touches her hand,he pulls her into the brush for a kiss all the flirty exchanges of a new relationship..I love the muffin top new name as a fallen souffle I couldn't stop laughing....just looking at each girl in our reading group..

Sam - creative
Native-rock a good foundation
Kristie- trooper amazing woman and has alot of love for people.
Irish-a person you chill with..no stress..
Legs-listener.
Tamika(meeks) fun..party girl
Shazza(Sharon) compassionate.

Each girl has a wonderful place in the group which we can help each other just like the lacemakers..We are the Fantastic, amazing Book club..

I rate this book

Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri (4)

"You can always start again," Kate Robinson's mother once told her, "all it takes is a new thread." Overwhelmed by heartbreak and loss, the struggling twenty-six-year-old fashion designer follows her mother's advice and flees to her ancestral homeland of Ireland, hoping to break free of old patterns and reinvent herself.

She arrives on the west coast, in the seaside hamlet of Glenmara. In this charming, fading Gaelic village, Kate quickly develops a bond with members of the local lace-making society: Bernie, alone and yearning for a new purpose since the death of her beloved husband, John; Aileen, plagued by doubt, helplessly watching her teenage daughter grow distant; Moira, caught in a cycle of abuse and denial, stubbornly refusing help from those closest to her; Oona, in remission from breast cancer, secretly harboring misgivings about her marriage; Colleen, the leader of the group, worried about her fisherman husband, missing at sea. And outside this newfound circle is local artist Sullivan Deane, an enigmatic man trying to overcome a tragedy of his own.

Under Glenmara's spell, Kate finds the inspiration that has eluded her, and soon she and the lace makers are creating a line of exquisite lingerie. In their skilled hands, flowers, Celtic dragons, nymphs, fish, saints, kings, and queens come to life, rendered with painterly skill. The circle also offers them something more—the strength to face their long-denied desires and fears. But not everyone welcomes Kate, and a series of unexpected events threatens to unravel everything the women have worked so hard for. . . .

The book was an enjoyable read, The Lacemakers were a group of women who gathered together to do something they enjoyed, but also formed a bond of friendship. The book reminded me of our own little bookclub group, not only do we gather together to do something we enjoy,(reading) we have grown into a group of firm friends.

I give it a rating of 4****

The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri (41/2)

"You can always start again," Kate Robinson's mother once told her, "all it takes is a new thread." Overwhelmed by heartbreak and loss, the struggling twenty-six-year-old fashion designer follows her mother's advice and flees to her ancestral homeland of Ireland, hoping to break free of old patterns and reinvent herself.

She arrives on the west coast, in the seaside hamlet of Glenmara. In this charming, fading Gaelic village, Kate quickly develops a bond with members of the local lace-making society: Bernie, alone and yearning for a new purpose since the death of her beloved husband, John; Aileen, plagued by doubt, helplessly watching her teenage daughter grow distant; Moira, caught in a cycle of abuse and denial, stubbornly refusing help from those closest to her; Oona, in remission from breast cancer, secretly harboring misgivings about her marriage; Colleen, the leader of the group, worried about her fisherman husband, missing at sea. And outside this newfound circle is local artist Sullivan Deane, an enigmatic man trying to overcome a tragedy of his own.

Under Glenmara's spell, Kate finds the inspiration that has eluded her, and soon she and the lace makers are creating a line of exquisite lingerie. In their skilled hands, flowers, Celtic dragons, nymphs, fish, saints, kings, and queens come to life, rendered with painterly skill. The circle also offers them something more—the strength to face their long-denied desires and fears. But not everyone welcomes Kate, and a series of unexpected events threatens to unravel everything the women have worked so hard for. . . .

I purchased this book because: My Book Club choice for this month of August

Opening Lines: What you will need: A sewing machine, your mother's, yes, the sky-blue Singer, its hum a lullaby from infancy, you in a Moses basket at her feet, grabbing at bright threads.

Well I finished this book off in one sitting ... I really loved it ... Was it because I loved the sense of humour in the book or just that it was set in Ireland and got abit homesick when reading about the rolling green hills and the slanty rain which you can only get in Ireland. :) .... or for the fact that as a child my own grandmother and mother would sit me on their knee and teach me to sew .

I made so many post-it notes in my copy of the book especially at the beginning it was getting ridiculous .... I could so picture Kate walking along ( My mom would be proud I didn't use the word DOWN ... lol ) the country lanes .... I could picture the cliffs and the beautiful sea .... I could sympathise with the fishing community especially a wee country town as I came from one just like it .... How everyone knew everyone else and had a special bond that you can only get from a small village .... People are so invested in each others lifes and it just feels like home ....

The friendships between all the lace making woman is lovely and you do get caught up in their world ... It is lovely to see that link of friendship and love as no age boundaries ... Everyone no matter how small as a part to play and something to give ... Denny and Niall where really funny characters and I did find myself chuckling when their banter was in full flow ...

I really loved this wee book .... The story line was nice .... The characters where lovely and I could identify with them ... There was a wee bit of romance with the dashing Sullivan .... And some really funny parts that did have me laughing out loud .... Alot ...

Favourite Quotes: 'Pincushion, apple-shapped, with a felt stem, to keep pins from getting lost. pg 1 ( love this because my grandmother had one just like it ..)

'She couldn't stop thinkin about him, imagined making arguments far more winning than was capable of in real life.' Pg 6

'Each step she took left a mark, some visible, some not; marks that said, I was here, I exist. That was one of the reasons people went away, wasn't it, to forget, to reinvent themselves?' Pg 7

'To Ireland. Land of her ancestors, land of the green, of rainbows and magic and pots of gold.' pg 11

'You're too young to give in to disappointment. The joy will come again, and when it does, it will be all the better because of what you've suffered. Love is life, you know.' pg 17

'They were like family, Aileen said, without the excess baggage.' pg 26

'Don't believe everything you hear about the Irish,' Denny said. 'We're full of contradictions' pg 41

'I see you've already met the Glenmara welcoming committee .... The COOFs ... What does that stand for? .... A couple of old farts,' pg 42

''Last time she'd tried rock-climbing at the Vertical Club in Seattle with Ella. How come you look like a dominatrix in that harness, and I just look like an idiot? She's asked, laughing so hard she'd turned upside down and had to be lowered to the ground on a cable.' Pg 57

'I was just thinking how funny life is. Seems like the more you want something, the more it eludes you. Then when you least expect it, there it is.' Pg 146

'He said she was his figurehead, that he could always see her when he rounded the bend and entered the bay. No different from that first day long ago, her brown hair gleaming in the sun, gone silver now. Her face lined, but as beautiful to him as ever. His constant, she was.' Pg 168 AHHHHHH

'That even though we lose the ones we've loved, they aren't gone from us forever, that they are with us, still, but in a different way.' Pg 235

This is a lovely wee read about friendships, loss and finding each other .....

I rate this book 4 1/2 ****

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman [4]

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy.

He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts.

There are dangers and adventures for Bod in the graveyard. But it is in the land of the living, that real danger lurks for it is there that the man Jack lives and he has already killed Bod's family.

"A truly captivating read."

I absolutely loved the movie "Stardust" and when Irish told me that it was the same author I had to read this book, for the read your name challenge.

What a wonderful sense of humour the author has...

All kids from the age of 10 and up would really enjoy reading this novel...

especially the boys!

Who would think that a child could be raised in a graveyard by ghosts and come out normal...

or does he?

Lots of adventure, secrets to uncover, and friendships to make.

Well worth reading.

I rate this book 4 stars.

[Hope he writes one to continue the story.]

Hey I've finished my first challenge...

'Garden Spells' by Sarah Addison Allen 4****

Welcome to Bascom,

North Carolina, where it seems that everyone has a story to tell about the Waverley women. The house that's been in the family for generations, the walled garden that mysteriously blooms year round, the rumours of dangerous loves and tragic passions. Every Waverley woman is somehow touched by magic.

Claire has always clung to the Wacerleys' roots, tending the enchanted soil in the family garden from which she makes her sought-after delicacies -

famed and feared for their curious effects. She has everything she thinks she needs -

until one day she wakes to find a stranger has moved in next door and a vine of ivy has crept into her garden...

Claire's carefully tended life is about to run gloriously out of control.

Be enchanted by a delicious international bestseller...

First time that I have read any of Sarah Addison Allen novels and I was thoroughly engrossed from the moment I even saw the front cover. This book and 'Sugar Queen' that Irish has also commented on have the most beautiful covers I've seen in a while... so of course I had to have them... hopeless aren't I! Beautiful written, in it's simplicity of a wonderful story, about family relationships and especially between sisters. I breezed through this novel in a day and just loved everything about it. The two sisters, Claire and Sydney are characters that could easily be any of us and you can relate to either one. It's a real girls novel and one you should share with your best friend or sisters.

No bad language in this one, but there is a bit of sex in it, but very mild and tastefully done.

It's a magically book and I would love to have a garden just like this one.Looking forward to reading her other one.

Truly enjoyable read...

Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber. 4****

At thirty-eight, Anne Marie Roche's life is not what she'd expected - she's childless, a recent widow and alone.

She owns a successful bookstore on Seattle's Blossom Street, but despite her accomplishments, there's a feeling of emptiness.

On Valentine's Day, Anne Marie and several other widows get together to begin a list of twenty wishes, things they always wanted to do but never did.

Anne Marie's list starts with: Find one good thing about life. It includes learning to knit, doing some good for someone else, falling in love again. She begins to act on her wishes, and when she volunteers at a local school, an eight year old girl named Ellen enters her life. It's a relationship that becomes far more important than she ever imagined.

As Ellen helps Anne Marie complete her list of twenty wishes, they both learn that wishes can come true - but not necessarily in the way you expect.

The cover is what captured me at first, it's just beautiful. Once I turned it over and started reading it just spoke to me. I'm sure we all have at one point in our lives made a list of wishes that we would like to do. Not necessarily goals, resolutions or decisions, but just those secret wishes that maybe we haven't told anyone about.

Well you'll love reading this book then...

you'll love the friendship between the women

and you'll want to make a list of your own. I did...

Snuggle up with a cup of hot chocolate in front of a warm fire and just immerse yourself. A wonderfully easy read that just flows. Debbie Macomber is a wonderful writer and one that I'll keep coming back too.

I rate this book 4****

3 Willows by Ann Brashares (31/2)

Seeds
Polly has an idea that she can't stop thinking about, one that involves changing a few things about herself. She's setting her sights on a more glamorous life, but it's going to take all of her focus. At least that way she won't have to watch her friends moving so far ahead.
Roots
Jo is spending the summer at her family's beach house, working as a bus girl and bonding with the older, cooler girls she'll see at high school come September. She didn't count on a brief fling with a cute boy changing her entire summer. Or feeling embarrassed by her middle school friends. And she didn't count on her family at all. . .
Leaves
Ama is not an outdoorsy girl. She wanted to be at an academic camp, doing research in an air-conditioned library, earning A's. Instead her summer scholarship lands her on a wilderness trip full of flirting teenagers, blisters, impossible hiking trails, and a sad lack of hair products.
It is a new summer. And a new sisterhood. Come grow with them.

This is from the author of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants which I really liked ... So this is a new book with new characters ....

Well this is definitely a wee book that my 11 year old daughter would love .... A book about 3 young teenage girls and how their friendships grow !!!

I loved the little factual quotes about the Willow Tree it was very interesting ... It is a sweet book and an easy read .... And I am sure alot of young girls will identify with the girls ... My favourite girl in the novel would have to be Ama ... She is funny, smart and willing to give anything a try !!! I cannot really say anymore just that it is a nice wee read !!!

I rate this book 31/2 ***

Teaser Tuesday

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers

"Fire ants! AHHHHHHHHHHH! She jumped around and screamed and slapped with superhuman speed and dexterity until she got them all off. After that she looked up slowly, very slowly. In the full light of day she looked up, expecting to see the rest of the campers watching her insane performance"

3 Willows by Ann Brashares pg 161

The Spare Room by Helen Garner

Helen prepares her spare room for her friend Nicola, who is flying down from Sydney for a three-week visit. But this is no ordinary visit - Nicola has advanced cancer. She is coming to Melbourne to receive treatment she believes will cure her. From the moment Nicola steps off the plane, Helen becomes her nurse, her protector, her guardian angel and her stony judge.

The Spare Room tells a story of compassion and rage as the two women - one sceptical, one stubbornly serene - negotiate their way through Nicola's gruelling treatments. Garner's dialogue is pitch perfect, her sense of pacing flawless as this novel draws to its terrible and transcendent finale.

The story and author asks, "How much of ourselves are we willing to give up to help a friend?" I found this book quite real and sometimes hard going at times not in reading it but with the subject matter. There are moments of humour throughout the book as the two woman try and deal with the illness. But then there are moments which emphasises just how hard and trying it is to watch someone you love suffer.

The book really doesn't sugar-coat how this illness effects people ... And you could completely understand the characters if you have ever cared for someone with terminal cancer ... It takes you on a ride of different of emotions ... as a carer and also as the patient ..

.

There is some swearing in the book but it really is just an honest story of how two woman try to cope !!

I rate this book 3***

Red Dress Walking by S A Jones (1)

The dress haunts my steps. Flashes of red on the street mesmerise me. I am alive to red cars, red shoes and the red of Suella's lipstick. It is silken laudanum that has thrown a distorting film over everything. The dress flutters through my dream life like a taunting red banner. Dreams innocuous and surreal are sure to be punctuated by a crimson flash. Sometimes there is just the barest hint of it so I am not even certain that it flared at all.This is the story of an intimate circle of friends and one couple, Will and Emily, who are very much in love with each other. But one day Will gives Emily a stunning, deeply sexy red dress, and somehow everything changes. A thought-provoking novel of beauty, books, love and desire, Red Dress Walking is a playful, clever and sexy novel about men and women, breakdowns and break-ups, the fierce friendships that women have, and what certain books mean to us.

Ok the cover is lovely but the story is lacking .....

I think I will start with what I didn't like about this book then finish with something abit more positive ...

I have to admit that I skipped alot of the last few pages mainly because I really couldn't be bothered to read it ... There is alot of bad language and I lost count how many times the F word was mentioned ... There are a few graphic sex scenes as well ... I did have a few high hopes with this novel but I was sadly disappointed ... Not to give to much away but one of the main characters has a break down about half way through the book but it doesn't really portray why? And you are sort of left with feeling is she really having illusions as a form of escape or is she just suffering some sort of mental breakdown ...

OK now for what I liked about the book there where a couple of things ... Firstly the book is divided equally between two characters Emily and Will ... This is very cleverly done and you do received a different insight into both the Male and Female prospective ... A classic example is when Emily received the RED DRESS and puts it on she feels fat, short and unattractive while at the same time Will thinks she is the most beautiful creature he has seen ...

The other bit that I liked was the mention of reading books in the novel ... As avid book readers they would never scribble in the margins and pages turned down at the edge was a big "no no" In the words of the author " Were the stuff of nausea" and stating that "the real book lover will sever long and abiding friendships over the sacrilege of books not returned or returned with dog-eared pages and scuffed spines" .....I can completely relate to that ...

For me I picked the book for the cover and the back entreated me but it is a book that has a few moments that are good but it is overshadowed by bad language and crudeness ... Which is a shame ...

I rate this book 1*

The Necklace by Cheryl Jarvis (5)

One day a woman of average means waltzes by a jewellery shop window and spots a GBP20,000 diamond necklace. She can't get it out of her head. Eventually she gets the idea of sharing it with friends, persuading them to chip in a grand each to buy the necklace. This is the story of 13 ordinary women, and one extraordinary adventure. This is the amazing true story of thirteen women who don't want to give up on their dreams. They club together to buy a gorgeous necklace, each of them get it for four weeks at a time. They meet every month to find out what the necklace (now dubbed 'Jewelia') has been up to. The club has some rules: if someone goes to Paris, they get the necklace. At least once, everyone has to wear the necklace whilst making love. It's now two years later, and the necklace has been loaned out to nieces, grandmas, friends and granddaughters. It has been worn by brides and colleagues and sisters and friends. And when it's their turn for the necklace the women of Jewelia have worn it for both the daily routines and special events of their lives, to teach school, to work in the farmer's market, to go fishing and skydiving. It's raised money for charity.It's started something. The Travelling Necklace is the story of how an object of desire became a catalyst for connection, friendship and more. It's like Calendar Girls, only maybe a bit more glamorous, glitzy and sparkling. It's a book people are going to buy for their best friends and their mothers.

This is another book that I just liked the cover and I picked it up and was entreated that it was a real story ...

The book is really a delightful book to read and will be interesting to see the movie when they bring it out !!! The concept is fascinating that 13 woman some of them strangers would invest over $1000 each to purchase a real Diamond Necklace that they will each share.

It is true that you never really know what to expect when you bring a group of woman together but one thing is for sure they forge a lasting friendship. You have 13 women from different backgrounds and each one sign up for this adventure for different reasons.

I found the book open and honest - As with one question that arose with possession and sharing the necklace ... And although in some cases the woman did not all agree they all grew in different ways ...

I related to a few of the women and a few stories stuck a cord with me ... One of them was when one of the women was getting upset because she felt that her opinions did not count or where being dismissed and she was not ready accustom to that ... She said that she was an only child which is what I am and that she was used to her ideas and comments being followed because their was no one to help her or say otherwise ... And she now found it hurtful if she speaks her mind in the group and they dismiss it ... The thing that she learnt was not to be over sensitive when your ideas and thoughts do not happen the way you imagined it ... I could totally relate to that but just never looked at it in that light ... Something that I need to work on ...

Another quote I loved was "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize" Love it ...

This book is a wee gem and I thoroughly enjoyed it ... If there is one thing that comes out of this book is that Women need other Women ....

I rate this book 5*****

If you are doing this book as part of your book club here is a link to some discussion questions that will interest you !!!

Dewey by Vicki Myron (4)

Dewey Readmore Books was the resident cat at Spencer Public Library. He was put in the book return one cold January night in 1988. When the staff found him the next morning, they decided to adopt him. After the library's board of trustees and the city council approved, the kitten was declawed, neutered, and given the proper vaccinations. A contest was held to pick a name, and Dewey Readmore Books was officially added to the staff. The staff cared for Dewey and donated their pop cans to feed the kitty. Patrons and friends from as far away as New York have donated money for Dewey's food.
Dewey generated lots of publicity for the library. He was featured in the local paper, Country magazine, Cat Fancy magazine, on the Sioux City television stations, in books, and on postcards. He was a video star in Puss in Books, a documentary about library cats. Of course, Dewey was already the star of the library. Many people came in just to see him. Dewey even had his own job description. Check out Dewey as a supervisor of our staff.
Dewey passed away on November 29, 2006 due to complications from a stomach tumor. He had become very frail because of hyperthyroid disease for which he was receiving medication. He died in the arms of the library director, Vicki Myron. He had just celebrated his 19th birthday eleven days before he died. Although Dewey is gone, he will be remembered by thousands of people whom he cheered by simply being a loving presence in the library. Although we may get another library cat, Dewey will never be replaced. The library won't be the same without Dewey.

DEWEY'S JOB DESCRIPTION
1. Reducing stress for all humans who pay attention to him.
2. Sitting by the front door every morning at 9:00 am to greet the public as they enter the library.
3. Sampling all boxes that enter the library for security problems and comfort level.
4. Attending all meetings in the Round Room as official library ambassador.
5. Providing comic relief for staff and visitors whenever possible.
6. Climbing in book bags and briefcases while patrons are studying or trying to retrieve needed papers underneath him.
7. Generating free national and world-wide publicity for Spencer Public Library. (This entails sitting still for photographs, smiling for the camera, and generally being cute.)
8. Working toward status as world's most finicky cat by refusing all but the most expensive, delectable foods---and even turning up his nose at those most of the time.

Thanks Heidi for recommending me this book .... I loved it ... Not only is it a lovely story but it makes it all that more precious because it happened ....

It just goes to show that we all can make a difference ... It mentions in the book about how even through hard and trying times you may not get out of your situations but if you show a little bit of love and attention to people it helps making it easier ...

This lovable cat not only caught the hearts of the people of Spencer but reached out worldwide ...

A gorgeous story that I would highly recommend whether you are a cat lover or not I guarantee your heart strings will be pulled ....

I rate this book 4 ****

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (4)

What is there to say about a novel in which a young boy shares a lifeboat with a fully grown Bengal tiger named Richard Parker? If the book is Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, there’s quite a lot to be said. The story it tells is so profound and moving that the more enlightened readers will get behind its many oddities to the message at its core.
The book is, of course, the story of Pi (short for Piscine), an Indian teenager whose father runs a zoo. Much of the book’s first section is a detailed description of the minutiae of zoo-keeping, including several lessons about the connection between man and animal that come into play later in the novel.
Eventually, the family – which, in addition to Pi and his father, includes a mother and brother -- decides to move to Canada, taking much of its menagerie with it. Along the way, the ship sinks, stranding Pi on a lifeboat with the aforementioned Richard Parker, along with a few other zoo animals (who, it should come as no surprise, quickly disappear as their voyage progresses). As Pi desperately searches for a place to call home, he and his feline companion form an uneasy truce, and embark on a series of unforgettable adventures that include, among other things, a blind Frenchman and a man-eating island covered in meerkats. There’s also passage upon passage explaining how Pi and his friend manage to combat the twin demons of thirst and hunger without turning on each other.

Opening sentence : This Book was born as I was hungry.

I really don't know what I was expecting with this book and I have had it on my book shelf now for abit but started to read it for one of the book challenges I am in. And I am so glad that I did. It is a great wee read ...

I liked it that much that I actually took some notes along the way ... It is written beautifully and you cannot help but get drawn in ...

Pi is a really likable character and at the beginning of the book goes in search for religion ... Where he stumbles across Hindi, Islam and Christian belief's ... He takes abit from each religion and during his journey on the sea's relies heavily on God .... There is a funny bit in the story where his older brother says ... he might try to become a Jew too. "At the rate you're going, if you go to temple on Thursday, mosque on Friday, synagogue on Saturday and church on Sunday, you only need to convert to three more religions to be on holiday for the rest of your life."

I loved all the stories about the animals and actually learnt quite abit ... I thought when I read the back cover that it was going to be abit boring and long (I admit that I thought it was going to be like the Man and Sea - which I watched with my father years ago the whole 3 hours worth ... because I actually thought it would get better which it didn't) But thankfully this book is nothing like that ... I was really enjoying the stories.

The book's final pages include a revelation that brings the rest of Pi's fantastic story into question ...... At the heart of the book is man's relationship to animals and his relationship to God.

I was really surprised at how much I really liked this book ...

I rate this book 4****

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (3)

A language kept a secret for a thousand years forms the backdrop for an unforgettable novel of two Chinese women whose friendship and love sustains them through their lives.

This absorbing novel – with a storyline unlike anything Lisa See has written before – takes place in 19th century China when girls had their feet bound, then spent the rest of their lives in seclusion with only a single window from which to see. Illiterate and isolated, they were not expected to think, be creative, or have emotions. But in one remote county, women developed their own secret code, nu shu – "women's writing" – the only gender-based written language to have been found in the world. Some girls were paired as "old-sames" in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their windows to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.

An old woman tells of her relationship with her "old-same," their arranged marriages, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood—until a terrible misunderstanding written on their secret fan threatens to tear them apart. With the detail and emotional resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha , Snow Flower and the Secret Fan delves into one of the most mysterious and treasured relationships of all time—female friendship.

Well isn't it a pretty cover .... I have to say that I did enjoy this book ... A look into the life as a Chinese woman in 1830's. Lily is the main character who at the beginning of the book is ninety years old and is reflecting on her life ...

She starts telling you life as a 6 year old and how she is the second daughter in the family and how she is worthless as she is just a girl basically just another mouth to feed according to her family .... Her life is changed when the matchmaker tells her parents that she is special and that she will have good feet .... ( A girl who has good feet after being bound is highly valued) And could marry into a promenade family which will not only help her but also her family ...

She makes a life long friend in Snow Flower her Lagtong as they are called and communicate throughout their lives in a secret language which only woman can read ...

This book tells of their dreams and their lives as each goes in different directions ... I was fascinated to read about this language as it actually does exist ... It was intriguing to read the different laws and rules that woman have to follow their whole life's ... How and why they bind their feet? .... And how from the young age of 6 you learn to OBEY know matter what !!!

I enjoyed the book on life has a Chinese woman and was grateful that as a child I just learned to play and be young instead of having to always try and prove my worth !!!

I rate this book 3 ***

Things I want my daughter to Know by Elizabeth Noble (2)

What would you like to tell your daughter?

What do you wish you could tell – or have told – your mother before it’s too late?

How do you cope in a world without your mother?
When Barbara realizes time is running out, she writes letters to her four daughters, aware that they'll be facing the trials and triumphs of life without her at their side. But how can she leave them when they still have so much growing up to do?
Take Lisa, in her midthirties but incapable of making a commitment; or Jennifer, trapped in a stale marriage and buttoned up so tight she could burst. Twentysomething Amanda, the traveler, has always distanced herself from the rest of the family; and then there's Hannah, a teenage girl on the verge of womanhood about to be parted from the mother she adores.
But by drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy their lives with all the passion and love each deserves?
This heartfelt novel by bestselling author Elizabeth Noble celebrates family, friends . . . and the glorious, endless possibilities of life.

I have saw this book many times while I looked for other novels and I kept getting drawn by the Title of the book ... It did make my ponder what would I say to my children ... What Messages would I like them to know ???

The book draws on the four daughters left behind and the husband who are left to cope with Barbara's loss .... To me this was an average read .... I don't really know what I was expecting maybe some miraculous insights ... But sort of left me empty abit .... You can understand and relate to the family left behind and how hard it is for them to move on .... But through all the emotion and their differences they are brought to together ....

It is an Ok read ....

I rate this book 2 1/2 **

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Juggling the demands of her yarn shop and single-handedly raising a teenage daughter has made Georgia Walker grateful for her Friday Night Knitting Club. Her friends are happy to escape their lives too, even for just a few hours. But when Georgia's ex suddenly reappears, demanding a role in their daughter's life, her whole world is shattered.

Luckily, Georgia's friends are there, sharing their own tales of intimacy, heartbreak, and miracle making. And when the unthinkable happens, these women will discover that what they've created isn't just a knitting club: it's a sisterhood.

This book got all the great reviews but somehow I was left abit disappointed .... Not that it is a bad book to read just I didn't get the real emotion of the book ... It is an easy read but felt that there was just something missing ... The general concept of the novel is great and there are some nice characters especially Anita who I loved ... She was a motherly figure and really sweet ...

Georgia's character shows that even by oneself with a child you can pull through the other end with the support of friends ... And create a successful business to boot ...

It is a little Light hearted read and would be perfect for the beach or holiday read ....

I rate this book 3***

If you are a fan of Kate Jacobs ... the second part is on sale at the end of November

And there is now talk that it is getting made into a movie with Julie Robert playing Georgia Walker ... Mike Binder is adapting the book and it is in production ... Due for release in 2010.

Rosewater & Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran (3)

Mehran's second novel (after Pomegranate Soup) resumes the story of three Iranian sisters making their lives anew in smalltown Ireland. Beautiful and creative Marjan Aminpour cares for her younger sisters, Bahar and Layla; together the three run Babylon Cafe, and few locals can resist its charms or the amiability of its proprietresses. Although Marjan rules the roost, her sisters have secrets of their own, and their growing independence forces Marjan to allow them their freedom and confront her own needs—especially after she meets handsome Julian Winthrop Muir. As Marjan gives her sisters more space, the suspicious and xenophobic local busybody Dervla Quigley remains determined to uncover whatever foul play the foreign women have up their sleeves. And when Marjan's friend Estelle reveals that she has rescued and helped a drowning girl, Marjan becomes involved in a secret that soon has Dervla plotting their downfall. Gourmands will savor the foodie passages (recipes, of course, are included), while the sisters' exploits will win over readers into lighter fare about making a new home and growing up.

Ok this is a gorgeous cover that just says .... PICK ME UP AND READ ME .... this is a nice wee read ... And even thought I had not read the first novel of Pomegranate Soup this novel stands alone ...

The novel is set in Ireland and is based around the life's of 3 sisters ... Who are from Iran ... It is a very easy book to read and flows quite well ... There are a few Laugh Out Loud moments with the character of Dervla who always sits peeking behind her bedroom curtains ... That's what you get when you life in a small town where everyone knows everyone and also knows everything about your business .. For example who you talked to, what you had for dinner and of course who you dated ...

I prob would have rated this book more but felt that alot of the story lines where not finished and left you hanging for what happened ... There was no real tie up's with this book so did make me wonder if there will be a another novel to follow on ...

It is a sweet book about sisterly love and friendship and how we need not judge one another ... I would recommend a read even though I only give it 3 stars it is a nice wee read ...

Plus got the extra bonus of recipes at the back of the book that where used in the Sisters Shop ... Very cute idea .... And the recipes are Yummy too ....

I rate this book 3 ***