Read in February... and the best part of a week in March

My reading definitely went down a few notches over the last month but I'm still happy with the amount of reading I managed to get done!

11. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Definitely my favourite Austen novel, I think I identify with the heroine, Catherine, the most out of all the teen heroines of Austen novels... I definitely did some stupid things and let myself get carried away by mysteries!

12. Women, Food & God: An unexpected path to almost everything by Geneen Roth

Recommended to me by one of the Shrinking Violets, the book is a book that any woman with disordered eating (and not just an Eating Disorder) should read. Despite the title (which with my Christian background did not turn me off), this book is valuable reading for any woman who uses food as a crutch. It's really empowered me to assure myself that if hunger is not the problem then eating is not the answer

13. Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella

Something I assumed would be light and fluffy actually surprised me! The heroine faces the challenge of amnesia and coming to grips with her new persona. It made me question what my life would be like if all I had to go on was other people's perceptions of me.

14. The Cry of the Go-Away Bird by Andrea Eames

Ah, at last I got to read the book written by my dear friend Andrea! Having followed the progress through her blog, it was like getting to see a new baby after waiting ever-so long! Well worth the wait too! The characters stick vividly in your mind and you remember them with empathy long after you have put the book down. The book is now being passed through my department at work and I can't wait to get it back for a second read. Buy it now!

15. Queen Camilla by Sue Townsend

A bizarre novel set in an alternate universe where dogs are high intellectuals and the monarchy are kept in ghettoes along with the obese, the corrupt and the white trash! I started reading the novel thinking that it all sounded pretty silly but by the end I was dying to know what happened! Harry wearing a hoodie all the time to hide his ginger hair gave me a laugh too!

16. Cost by Roxana Robinson

A sad tale of a family falling apart in many different ways after the discovery that one of their sons is a heroine addict. While the writing was disjointed in places I found that the heart of the novel spoke of truth and how love can be shown in so many different ways

10 months to go, 36 more books to read!

Read in January

One of my goals this year is to read 52 books - for an English teacher, it should be easy but it's amazing how quickly life gets in the way. I did get a good start in January though, putting myself slightly ahead of one a week for the rest of the year!

1. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

An intriguing story involving a pornographer-turned-burn-victim with links to fourteenth century Germany. A story that has you going"Okay..." at the start but gripped at the end. Stopped my pity about my bad sunburn on holiday.

2. The Queen's Sorrow by Suzannah Dunn

The story of Queen Mary's ascension to the throne and marriage told through the eyes of a Spanish sun-dial maker brought to England. Not quite as sharply written as Phillipa Gregory but you get a real sense of character

3. Handle With Care - Jodi Picoult

A pretty challenging read - this novel deals with the issue of abortion and when a life becomes a life. It was a really insight into the American legal system (particularly into the field of suing for medical malpractice, something very difficult to do in NZ) and the value people place on different relationships. The parts of the novel written from the perspective of being a sibling of a person with severe disability resounded with me in totally unexpected ways.

4. Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

My parents brought me back this novel from Samoa (RLS's resting place) and I hadn't managed to set aside time to read it. Many of us know the pop culture story of this tale but reading the tale gave it extra depth for me. I hadn't realised that it was a short story - contained in the book were other short stories, almost all hinging around a thrilling, almost gothic feel.

5. The Lady and the Unicorn - Tracy Chevalier

An interesting piece of historical fiction that focused on the medieval craft of tapestry. I particularly liked the honesty of how the book dealt with the treatment of women at the time, it was honest without being over the top

6. Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult

Heavy read... what would you do to avenge the ones you love? Very serious subject matter - sexual abuse, legal rulings, DNA and the definition of insanity. A full-on read but one I would definitely recommend to those readers who are really looking for something that pushes their personal boundaries.

7. Birthday Girls - Annabel Giles

A "fluffier" read, a tale of six birthday girls that winds itself into a convoluted resolution at the end. A good chick lit read.

8. Island Beneath the Sea - Isabel Allende

Historical fiction again, this time focusing on an area I knew very little about (French Colonial Haiti). Interesting to hear a story from a slave perspective on plantation land when most of the historical fiction I have read focuses on slave owners. I was particularly intrigued by the way the book dealt with mulattos (mixed race) as an almost separate third race. Living in multi-cultural NZ (where mixed race is possibly more normal than coming from one cultural group) it was intriguing to read about a country so defined by colour of skin.

9. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

A classic - have read it before and loved it, found I was picking up more the second time around. Still getting minorly confused when characters are being addressed by their Russian patronomics, but managed to get it pretty clear this time :D

10. The Lazy Girl's Guide to Losing Weight and Getting Fit - A.J. Rochester

This book has saved my butt... she doesn't beat around the bush. A lot of things in this book are common sense but in saying that, I needed it. After almost ten years of disordered eating it is almost like I am teaching myself to be a "normal" person again. Would recommend to anyone who has woken up to a self far heavier than you thought and who needs to learn what "healthy" lifestyles look like.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "Strawberry Fields" by Katie Flynn

When I hear about the Sallies (or the members of the church of The Salvation Army), I think of food parcels and op-shops - thrift stores for those who don't speak Kiwi. I didn't really know much more about them than that. I picked up a book with two girls in period attire on the front cover, knowing that I love historical fiction. What surprised me about Strawberry Fields was the key role that The Salvation Army played in the story.

Set in early 20th century Britain and Ireland, the story follows a "Crash"-type structure, where seemingly unrelated lives become this interwoven intricate puzzle the further the story progresses. There is Sara Cordwainer, born to privilege and loveless parents; there is her beloved nanny. Brogan and his father work in the railyards, sending money back to their family back in Ireland. There are the Carbery girls who lead lives of hardship and the one who gets away from it all - but will she find out about her past?

Strawberry Fields is the home for children established in the novel by the Salvation Army; it, and the religious denomination, play a key role in most of the characters lives. I love when stories have an overarching motif and I found the explanations of the philosophy of The Salvation Army, plus the description of the work they do in their communities, really interesting. I'm a strong believer that charity starts at home and this ties in with the "Sallies" philosophy.

The novel does come across a bit chick-lit in places but brings enough grit into it that it does make you think. The characters do go through some rough periods but you are still left thinking that some characters, including Sara, do lead a little bit of a charmed life. It's "when things are good, they are very very good, and when they are bad, they are horrid". A good read for under a blanket on a raining, stormy weekend.

3.5 stars out of 5.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Not Quite A Bride by Kirsten Sawyer

I've been on holidays for the last two weeks and as well as reading books that I will be able to use for my Year 13 literature circles, I've also been doing some light and fluffy reading. As those of you whom have read this series from the beginning will know, I do like a little bit of chick lit. It's like chocolate pudding; delicious, indulgent but ultimately unlikely to improve your (mental) health. A visit to the local library post-lunch with one of my friends who is planning a marriage led to the selection of "Not Quite a Bride" by Kirsten Sawyer from the many books available.

It's no secret that I see myself living a quite traditional life. I see the progression of a serious relationship as getting married and starting a family and I hope to see that happen. I used to have this elusive idea that I'd be married by the time I turned 25 which is not going to happen (poor PianoMan if I was still holding on to that impossible milestone). Having seen several friends take that stroll down the aisle, I'm ready to do that with the right man at the right time... but what if the desire to have a wedding was so overwhelming that you felt like you couldn't wait?

This is the premise for Ms. Sawyer's novel. Molly wants to have a wedding so badly that she's willing to forgo the marriage side of things. Her younger sister is already married and the news that Molly will soon become an aunt sends her over the edge. She hires a struggling (and gay) actor, Justin, to play her boyfriend/fiancee for a year and sets about planning a whirlwind courtship and wedding. The plan is that Justin will leave her at the altar and she will set about enjoying her reception with her family and friends.

The problems start when her family and friends meet Justin and they all like him - they really like him. All bar Molly's closest friend from college, Brad. Brad is engaged to Claire who comes across in Molly's view as a spoilt ice princess. As Molly and Justin's "relationship" progresses, Molly and Brad's friendship falls apart. Molly's brother comes out to the family and becomes party to Molly and Justin's deception (it's the only way Justin can support him in his newly gay lifestyle) and mounting excitement and parental pressure begin to make the deception feel overwhelming.

There are some funny moments in the novel that play on Justin's effeminate side - the florist comments that she is lucky to have an involved fiancee with such good taste. The mother plays overbearing with that hint of "it's because I care" so well. The details of the wedding planning, while possibly being a little over-described, really appealed to a former event planner like myself. The ending is, perhaps, a little trite and Disney but there's nothing wrong with a happily ever after.

Read this curled up on the couch on a grey day - for me it was a library borrow, rather than a purchase, but I would read more from this author.

3 stars out of a possible 5.

Friday Round-Up

• As those of you who follow me on Twitter will know, I got a little spendy yesterday... to the tune of almost $200 NZ. Some of it was necessary (how I expected to get through winter with two pairs of pants is beyond me), some of it was for the endeavour of making other people smile (some leggings for an eighties party I'm going to, craft supplies for a surprise for PianoMan) and some of it was purely for my own selfish ends (those purple toenails you see in the base of the picture and the Bras and Things bag :D). It felt really good to do that as I've been keeping a tight rein on finances because I thought I was going to Sydney in July.
• Thought I was going to Sydney in July? Whatever do I mean? PianoMan's work has cracked down on annual leave, with the end result being that he won't be able to go on any extended annual leave until Feb 2010. I KNOW. I know that some of you have encouraged me to go to Sydney on my own but I feel like we've done so much of the detailed planning for this trip together that it would be weird to go on our holiday with just me. Instead, we're heading down to Christchurch for a romantic long weekend around the same time and postponing any long holiday plans until next year. Gives me a chance to upgrade my dinosaur... I mean, laptop... and cellphone, both which are pretty necessary.
• I'm finding this unit outline planning assignment a real challenge, plus the teacher seems to think we won't be spending any time on it in class before we hand it in. I think that the teacher is sorely mistaken about this... my classmates and I already have lists upon lists of questions. I'm starting to feel like I can't wait until this year is over and I can actually go teach instead of do these things in class. I learnt more in two weeks of actually being in a school than I did in the first month of training college.
• Mum's surgery went really well. She's in surprisingly little pain - more so when she gets up and moves around but that's also important for her to do and this is the reason that man invented serious pain-killers LOL. The hospital she is in is sooo plush and I think she's going to be a little devastated to come home to the non-gourmet meal provider, sky TV-less convalescent home that is the Scribbles abode. Fingers crossed for appointment next Tuesday when we get the results of the pathology report!
• I received an email yesterday from one of the authors I had reviewed! It made my day... just one of those moments that make you realise that you really aren't writing into a void.

Right, off to get this house in tip top shape and then go play dutiful daughter at the hospital and take Mama Scribbles for her amble around the gardens. Looking forward to a bliss night with PianoMan - we're making our own pizzas then relaxing with some glasses of wine and a spa. Perfect end to the week!

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

Spotlighting another kiwi author this week (although you can get this one through Amazon!), Lloyd Jones has created a sophisticated yet simple novel in Mister Pip. Set for the most part in the island nation of Papua New Guinea, this novel moved me by the author's use of language to create a first-person narrative that I could relate to yet feel vastly different from my own 21st century kiwi Anglo-Saxon perspective.

The story starts in a Papua New Guinea burdened by civil war - this immediately grabbed me as I can remember news items in my childhood highlighting the peace efforts in concluding this very same war. What gave this story flavour is the way the war is told from the view of a small girl, living on one of the outlying islands. Matilda is a girl who daily sees her world shrinking - her Dad is estranged, living in Australia and working in the mines to make a living. The people from her village are leaving to join the rebel army. Eventually the village is cut off from the rest of Papua New Guinea and it is then that the sole European citizen of the village decides that he will attempt to teach the children "school". It is at Mr. Watts' school that the children are introduced to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations from whom the titular character of Mister Pip extends. The children's devotion to the story leads to circumstances in this time of war that no one could forsee.

My favourite motif of this book has to be the key role that a book plays within a book. I'm not sure what fills me with so much joy but this clever technique of art within art never fails to please me. Northanger Abbey is one of my favourite Austen novels (featuring heavily The Mysteries of Udolpho), the way that Bob Dylan songs permeate the sound of Patrick Spillane's play Grace... and blasphemous as this may sound, I love the way that The Da Vinci Code used famous works of art to map out a blood line of the descendants of Jesus Christ, even though I doubt that particular tale is true. The importance that Great Expectations has in the book - and the completely foreign nature of the classic victorian novel to those who are learning it - make for an interesting cultural melting-pot of reading.

This book is a relatively short and uncomplicated read that deals with some rather complex themes. I'd recommend it for reading on a crisp autumn day, lying on a picnic rug in a park. Let the tropical location take you away and the beautiful setting you're lying in bring you slowly back to earth at the end of the story

4.5 stars out of 5

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Easter Edition

Photo Credit

It being the lead up to Easter, I have been reading a book called A Lineage of Grace - a collection of five novellas that tell in detail the story of five strong women of the Bible : Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary, the mother of Jesus. It's by the same author that wrote Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers. I found it increased my knowledge of these stories by placing it in the context of the time. As I said to Mama Scribs, I knew about the lying across the feet thing and the sandal in the story of Ruth but I hadn't understood why.

However, my goal in this Sunday afternoon series is to introduce you all to new authors rather than ones that you've met before. So on this special day of the year, I put it over to you - what book do you think everyone should get out there and read?

Sunday Afternoon Read: "How To Stop a Heart From Beating" by Jackie Ballantyne

It can be most peculiar the way way that you trip upon an excellent book - How To Stop A Heart From Beating by Jackie Ballentyne is one of the options for novel study for the Yr 13 class at my practice school. It follows the world of Solange, a single child in the middle of two sets of twins and the imaginary and somewhat macabre world she creates for herself, dancing around the edges of secrets that she cannot fathom the depth of.

Set in South Otago, this book has a real New Zealand flavour but is none the worse for it. The rural background and era (1960s) give Solange, usually referred to as Solly, the freedom to roam around what she perceives as her world in a way that children of another time and place could never dream. Although the book is written from third person perspective, the narrative aligns itself with her state of mind. An example of this is Solly's mistake in hearing paupers' graves as porpoise graves - from then on they are referred to as porpoise graves, even though she has been corrected.

There is just the right mix of slice of life vs. mystery in this book and several moments that will make you want to hold your breath before the final denouement... what I love about the ending is that it is intelligent. It doesn't spell everything out for you, it just gives you the pieces of the puzzle to put together. I've only been able to find internet listings for these books in NZ and Australia but if you manage to see a copy you can get your hands on, it's definitely worth a read!

4 out of 5 stars

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "New Free Chocolate Sex" by Keith Lowe

"Well, the plot's nothing exciting but you learn a lot about chocolate!" - truer words never spoken, Mama Scribbles. Sharing books in the Scribbles household is par for the course, even if it is decidedly average like New Free Chocolate Sex by Keith Lowe

It's the first experience I've had of this author and the blurb of the book sounded a bit formulaic from the get go - standard chick lit fare. Boy meets girl in weird an unusual circumstance, girl is not so fond of boy, mayhem ensues and eventually ends in a happily ever after... trust me, I'm not spoiling the story for you by offering that much. What makes this story an interesting read is what's around the periphery of this bog-standard love story. Matt is a marketing director for a chocolate company and has a passion and knowledge for what makes us desire the sweet taste of chocolate. It is he that imparts the reason for the novel's unusual title. Sam takes the complete converse side of this - she is making a documentary on chocolate and is full of the facts and figures and appalling conditions in the countries that produce the raw ingredients. You really do get a well rounded and informative view of the world of chocolate if you can ignore the saccharine playacting of the characters inbetween.

I wouldn't go out and purchase this book myself, but it might be ideal for some "fluffy"-type reading on a picnic blanket when you can't really be bothered.

2 out of 5 stars.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Having grown up with the Judy Garland technicolour version of Oz, the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West really intrigued me. I mean, how much of a back story could there be? She was the evil villian - of the same vein as Ursula the Sea-Hag in The Little Mermaid, The Wicked Stepsisters in Cinderella, Cruella de Ville in 101 Dalmations. They were mean and nasty and harboured vendettas because, well, that's just who they were. Yet in life, when people are harsh or mean and seem to harbour grudges, I always seem to try and work out what makes them feel that way; what went so drastically wrong that they feel that attitude is their only recourse.

Wicked provides the back story behind who this character is... this wicked witch of the west. It follows Elphaba from her birth (where she appalled her otherwise normal parents by her fang like teeth and appalling green colour) and through her higher schooling years where we are interested to the other "witches" of the story - Nessarose, whose dictorial rule over Munchkinland earns her the title of Wicked Witch of the East, and Glinda, who never considers herself a witch at all until Dorothy gives her the title. It follows the passions for causes and for lovers that Elphaba pursues in early adulthood and the disappointments and struggles she has that lead her to be a somewhat embittered middle-aged woman who is living a life that she never really asked for in the first place.

Where the story really gets fired up is with the introduction of Dorothy as an antagonist in the story. Suddenly the story that you thought was so clear becomes very muddy and murky. Dorothy is perhaps not the innocent southern belle that she has been portrayed as. It brings to mind the truism that history is always written by the victors - we often don't get to see the losing side.

Gregory Maguire creates a story and background to the world of OZ that extends far beyond the realms of what can be seen in the movie. I haven't had a chance to see a stage play of Wicked but I doubt that it goes into the colour and significant amount of detail that he has been able to compact into a still very readable novel. I recommend this to all girls who ever wanted to wear ruby slippers and follow the yellow brick road.

4 out of 5 stars

Sunday Afternoon Read: The "Tomorrow" series by John Marsden

Today's Sunday Afternoon Read focuses on John Marsden's Tomorrow series, and in particular the first novel of this seven part series "Tomorrow, when the war began". While all the books could be read separately, I feel that once you've read one, you'll be eager to find out what happens next.

Tomorrow is targeted at more of a teen audience than the readers of this blog but I don't think anything is lost in reading the books from an older perspective... there are elements that aren't so much "That's so my life right now" but are more "I remember being that crazy when I was younger". There are also themes that are relevant no matter what age you are - that people can change under pressure and it's not always in the way that you'd expect, that love comes when it isn't convenient and how trauma can bring people closer.

The plotline is somewhat predictable - at one stage the characters in the novel have a minor premonition as to what has happened - but the fodder of the novel is not so much in the invasion as in the reaction of the characters to the invasion in their lands. When you come back from a camping vacation to find your land full of hostile forces and your parents have been captured, what do you do? Surrender or fight?

The novel is well written, simple enough language to be accessible to a wide range of people but with complex themes that make you think.

4 out of 5 stars

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Guest Post by Miss Corrine!

This Sunday Afternoon Read is brought to you by my good friend Miss Corrine. Check out her self-named site Miss Corrine and keep in the loop for updates on her upcoming web project "Frock & Roll"!
When a friend recently suggested that I run, and not walk, to obtain Russell Brand's autobiography My Booky Wook, I was instantly curious, but admittedly, it was only upon having the opening dedication thrusted under my nose that my interest truly piqued:

''For my Mum, the most important woman in my life, this book is dedicated to you. Now for God's sake, don't read it.''

It is these words that immediately set the tone for what is truly an achingly hilarious, shockingly sharp and remarkably charismatic novel. My Booky Wook chronicles the extraordinary life of Brand, capturing everything from his troubled youth and experimental adolescence, to his magical and somewhat awe-inspiring journey into the world of acting and comedy and ultimately, how he grew to become one of Britain's most popular entertainers. Throughout the novel, Brand is intelligent, witty, and refreshingly candid: even as he navigates his way through recounting his various addictions (self-harm, alcohol, drugs and sex), his brilliant sense of humour and flair for writing make even the most difficult of situations seem utterly hilarious, and him entirely likeable. Completing the novel almost feels like having an extended conversation with an intimate friend.

Aside from it's brilliant wit and impressive insight, what I loved most about My Booky Wook was it's surprisingly inspirational undertones: Brand's early relentless pursuit of greatness and quest for fame proves that with persistence, you can truly achieve anything that you desire:

''You can do whatever you want. Now if I want something - whether it's a job or a woman - I will determinedly, resolutely, remove anything that's in the way, until I possess the object of my desire. My dad's philosophy was (and I think still is) that life is a malevolent force, which seeks to destroy you, and you have to struggle with it. Only those who are hard enough will succeed. Most people get crushed, but if you fight, in the end life will go 'Fucking hell. This one's serious. Let him through.'

The verdict? Cancel-all-of-your-plans-and-stay-home-reading good.

4 out of 5 stars.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "The Necklace" by Cheryl Jarvis

This week's book is "The Necklace" by Cheryl Jarvis and focuses on the true story of thirteen women and how they bought a expensive diamond necklace together - to share. It follows their diferent reactions and experiences to having this necklace (Jewelia) and these women in their lives. Mum purchased it and read during her hospital stay and loved it so I was intrigued to see what my reaction would be upon reading.

I thought it was... okay. Whilst the premise of the story is great - there is plenty of jewellery I would be quite happy to own with friends - I felt that in the end, the experience of reading the novel fell flat for me. The story is structured so that each chapter focuses on a woman and her experiences over the extended period of time (three or so years) that the novel takes place but then also attempts to tell the story chronologically, a little piece at a time in each woman's chapter. Sound confusing while I'm explaining? Yeah, it was confusing to read too.

The key reason why I think it appealed more to my mother than to me is our ages. The issues these women are dealing with in their lives are, for the most part, ones that I simply can't identify with. I tend to get more involved with a book when I can identify with the themes, even if the plot is something about a barbarian warrior on a quest to bring back a object to a castle that will ultimately doom him to a certain death. In this vein, I think that you will get vastly more out of this novel if you are in later stages of life (with grown children, etc) than you will if you are just at the start of your adult journey.

2.5 stars out of 5

"The Price of Salt" Giveaway drawn - gosh, I'm so slack with this!

A while ago I ran a giveaway that was meant to be drawn at the beginning of Feb! Why did you guys not harrass me??? Here we go (drumroll please)...

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

2 

Timestamp: 2009-02-20 06:02:03 UTC

When I compare this against the comments, the lovely Bambola has won! I'll be in touch to work out how to get this to you hun!

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "The Pillars of The Earth" by Ken Follett

It's been on Oprah's Book Club, it's in the Whitcoulls Top 100 list... widely acclaimed but is it good? The Ken Follett novel The Pillars of The Earth intrigued me from the moment I picked it up and read the blurb. When you read a LOT, like I do, there's a danger of finding some above-average books rather mundane. It seems to me that there's simply a limit to how many times you can read a similar plot line in a certain time period. The idea of a novel spanning the construction of a cathedral in the thirteenth and fourteenth century appealed to me. The idea was innovative and it appeared at first read to be a bit of an ensemble saga novel - following multiple character stories over a long period of time. I have to admit I'm a bit partial to this novel structure... I find that it stays fresh even if the novel is a longer length.

The characters are well constructed; key characters are outlined extensively but I was rapt at the way that background characters were named and included, rather than just being "that monk" or "the Jewish lender". Especially in the Kingsbridge Priory scenes, it gave the feeling of community so necessary to the understanding of the setting. By the same token, I was pleased that some of the characters retained their sense of mystery until the story lines were neatly tied off in the last few chapters. As much as it frustrated me that Jack Jackson wasn't finding the answers he wished for about Jack Shareburg and Ellen, the final denouement where resolution is brought about was perfectly timed and brought about further resolutions that were highly unexpected.

What didn't I like? The death of a key character sat awkwardly with me - I wondered whether it was really necessary to kill this character off when his story was by no means exhausted. The more I thought about this though, the more I felt it was true to life... just because you want a person to stick around, just because you feel that they have vastly more story to go, there's no guarantee that they won't be taken from you. I did have concerns about the depiction of vendettas amongst the higher clergy in this story but this is nicely resolved in a speech by Prior Philip near the end of the novel as he extends kindness to Waleran.

Above all, a book full of intriguing themes: the fallibility of man, the hypocrisy of the early church, pride, doing what you want as opposed to doing what you know is right.

4 out of 5 stars.

My apologies to my kiwi readers, for whom this has come through on a Monday morning. After a particularly crazy Saturday night (that involved serenading the taxi driver) and a Sunday afternoon spent at the hospital I was knackered... and I really wanted to do this book justice. Love you guys... and hey, it's still Sunday afternoon somewhere :D

Sunday Afternoon Reads: Xone of Contention and the Xanth Series by Piers Anthony

Reading a new (to me) book in one of my favourite series this week, I struggled with how to present it to you guys, my blog audience. As a novel, it was marvellous but what appeals to me most about this series is this entirely believable fantasy world that the author has created and this builds more as you read more and more novels of the series. The book was Xone of Contention and it is part of the Xanth series by Piers Anthony.

With 32 novels released in the series, Xanth has been the fantasy world that I have grown up with. Bored with the offerings of the primary school library at age 9 (my reading age already tested off primary and secondary education charts), I asked my parents if there were any books of their's that they thought I'd enjoy. They put a Xanth novel in my hand and I was sold.

Xanth is a parallel world that exists alongside ours, a land where magic is the key to daily function as opposed to the science and technology-based world of "dreary Mundania". The series is written with an ensemble cast - similar to television shows like Shortland Street, Home and Away, Coronation Street or E.R., one novel the focus will be on a certain set of characters and this may vary with the next novel. New characters are added and older ones fade out.

Xone of Contention, while a later book in the series, demonstrates more of the magic of Xanth - as mundanes (us ordinary humans), Pia and Edsel's experiences in Xanth heighten the bizarrely literal nature of Xanth... for a future English teacher like myself, the proliferation of punnish creatures - foot balls, cri-tics (and cri-tocks) and handbooks - is an absolute delight.

The real magic of the Xanth series though, is despite the abundance of magic, the hysterical mishaps that come from the land's literal nature and the inherent governance of the Adult Conspiracy to stop things getting too graphic or racy - the sight of a woman's panties will make a man freak out - Piers Anthony still manages to create novels that are very adult - dealing with some very serious issues in a crazy world.

The world can have their Twilight novels and dream about being seduced by a vampire - it's Magician Grey Murphy that does it for me :D

Pick up a Xanth novel - any one will do - and give it a try today. Every single one is worth at least four out of five stars.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "Tully" by Paullina Simons

Ever stumble across an author that you can't believe that you haven't read yet? Happens to me with alarming regularity considering that I consider myself quite a broad reader. Wandering around the airport at 5:50 in the morning waiting for my request to "Go to Gate", my great intentions of going back to sleep on the plane flew out the window and I found myself in the book store hunting for a holiday novel - which is completely against my usual habit of either buying them on extreme discount days at Borders or from second-hand stores. I chose this book because it was easier on the pocket than the other book that intrigued me and boy, am I glad that I did.
The book that won was Tully by Paullina Simons. Also famous for her novel "A Girl in Times Square", Tully is a novel that shows the drama in so-called normal life. It follows the titular character Tully and her friends Jennifer and Julie through their adolescent years and into the future, the scope narrowing down more on Tully as the novel progresses through the years. It focuses on the choices that we all have to make in life and the catastrophe that can result from hesitation in making decisions.
I really liked the way that the author writes the plot as largely motivated by the relationships between characters. The times where Tully is the sole character in the book and there are no interactions stand out starkly. Ms. Simons tackles some heavy issues in this novel and, without giving the storyline away, each of the female protaganists has a serious complication in their life that will affect their futures. Do things work out as Jennifer, Julie and Tully had planned? You'll have to read the novel to find out.
This novel felt intensely real to me - all the issues involved in the novel are as relevant in a contemporary setting as they are in the mid-twentieth century setting that the novel was set in and the characters seemed incredibly believable in their reactions... I could see something of all my friends in them. I'll be seeking out more by this author to find whether her other novels speak to my heart on the same level.

4 out of 5 stars.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "On the Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta

Hi! *waves* I'm Bambola of Girl With the Big Brown Eyes. Scribbles has left you with me for today's Sunday Afternoon Read.

Our friend Amanda was nice enough to lend me a book called "On the Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta. (You may recognise the author's name - she also wrote "Looking for Alibrandi", required reading for any Australian.)


"On the Jellicoe Road" is a captivating story of Taylor, a girl left abandoned by her mother on the Jellicoe Road 18 years prior. Saved and raised by Hannah, her only constant, she has always lived at the Jellicoe School. Haunted by dreams clear enough to feel real, but not enough to be memories, Taylor is full of questions.

When Hannah disappears the only clue she has is a story about the five kids who lived in the same area. Left to deal with her demons and dreams, Taylor also has to defend her house in the territory wars, between the Jellicoe, the Cadets and the Townies. Then there's the history she has with the Cadets leader, albeit not one she's willing to share with her friends and peers.

This was such a fantastic story. The perfect combination of mystery, mayhem, love and heartache. Written from Taylor's point of view and in such a way you can identify with her. While the situation she's in is not a common one, you feel like you know exactly how she feels. Emotive language and the power in the words create a realm far beyond your own imagination, but so easily accessible as you lose yourself in the text.

The story of the five at Jellicoe Road is slowly revealed through out the book. At first it is a separate story, with no link to Taylor. You don't even realise Taylor is reading it. As the story progresses, she begins to mention the five in conversation and you realise it's a story she's reading. Piece by piece you realise it isn't a story at all...

I slept less so I could read more. I strongly suggest adding this to your library to read again and again.

Bambola x

Sunday Afternoon Reads and Giveaway: "The Price of Salt" by Patricia Highsmith

Read on to the end to be in to win a copy of this novel!

Patricia Highsmith was the mother of suspense novelists in the middle of the twentieth century. Most recognised in the current decade as the author of the novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley", one of her finest works (and scandalous at the time) was the love story "The Price of Salt", a tale of a blossoming romance - between two women.
The story follows Therese Belivet, a young woman in an average relationship with a man of very small ambitions. Lack of family of her own and a dissatisfying position in a department store leave her feeling that her life is lacking... that is until the chance meeting with the elegant Carol Aird. Carol is in her mid-thirties, has wealth that the working-class Therese can only imagine and is in the midst of divorcing her husband Harge. The women are attracted to each other and the first part of the novel studies this slow building to the start of their relationship - the way in which they exchange their displays of affection in a society that doesn't comprehend the possibility of women loving each other in a sexual manner. Their individual situations come to a head and they decide to road trip cross-country where it is apparent but not explicit that their relationship deepens to a physical level. Can this relationship last in 1950s middle America? You'll need to read the novel to find out, but the novel is wrapped up in suprisingly satisfactory yet un-soppy fashion... just the right amount of sentimentality that you would expect, 'knowing' the two female protagonists the way that you feel they do.
Ms. Highsmith writes this novel in a way that gels well with modern society's acceptance that there are those with sexualities outside of heterosexuality. While this book was proclaimed a "lesbian" novel at the time, I feel that she actually wrote the characters as more bisexual - this strengthens her theme of love being where you find it rather than where it is expected. The writing is intelligent and articulate but at the same time manages to give both Carol and Therese very distinct voices within the text. She makes strong use of background figures of foreboding and risk that propel the story along very successfully. Possibly most powerful of all, she makes me as a reader understand a love story that is completely outside of my own experience.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

To win a copy of this novel, leave me a comment letting me know where you feel you fall on the sexuality spectrum (nosey I know, but this novel is worth it). Draw will be drawn on the 1st of Feb by random number generator if there is more than one comment.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "Almost a Crime" by Penny Vincenzi

I have a guilty secret... I am addicted to Penny Vincenzi. One of only two fav authors that I have met in real life (hrmm see if you can guess the other), my addiction started completely by chance as I picked up a nice chunky book - "An Absolute Scandal" - to take away with me on holiday. Her style of writing and the way she draws her story to conclusion appealed to me immensely and it was to be the start of a collection of Vincenzi novels I would purchase over the next few years.

I chose to review one of her lesser known novels for you, Almost A Crime. This novel appealed to me for many reasons but one of the chief points of value for readers of the late 2000's. Although published in 1999 and based in the early nineties, this novel follows themes that are equally as relevant in this decade. Ms. Vincenzi winds together the issues of power marriages and the plight of the working mother, loyalty and exploitation, the definitions of charity and environmentalism all up into one tidy little package of intrigue and mystery. "Almost A Crime" has more of a thriller bent than some of her other novels and is quite a step apart from the Lytton Family saga series of ""No Angel", "Something Dangerous" and "Into Temptation", but is not a lesser novel because of it.

Something that does grate, which I am aware is a personal preference, is that I find it hard to read "period" literature set in decades through which I have lived myself. Outdated pop culture references disturb me and I think that it reduces my enjoyment of the novel - especially with the references in here to Princess Diana being a hot item for charities. Due to this, I can't say that my enjoyment of the novel was as complete as novels Penny Vincenzi has historically placed in the early 20th century. Therefore...

A rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

P.S. Thank you for all your lovely comments regarding my sunburn affliction - particularly as it was self-inflicted! You like me! You weally weally like me!