Goodbye Book Island......

Hi all, just to let you know I am no longer using this blog as my book blog. I have started a new one over at -

http://thebookexperience.blogspot.com/



I'll keep this one up for now for reference. But I will no longer be posting on here.

I hope to see you at my new book blog, which I am slowly building up.

Thanks.

Maggie.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Author: Richard Adams
ISBN: 9780140306019
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books






"Fiver could sense danger. Something terrible was going to happen to the warren - he felt sure of it. So did his brother Hazel, for Fiver's sixth sense was never wrong. They had to leave immediately, and they had to persuade the other rabbits to join them. And so begins a long and perilous journey of a small band of rabbits in search of a safe home. Fiver's vision finally leads them to Watership Down, but here they face their most difficult challenge of all...Published in 1972, "Watership Down" is an epic journey, a stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival against the odds."


I first heard about Watership Down when I was a child when it was shown on TV. I grew up loving this movie, and kept it so close to my heart ever since. As I loved the movie so much, I discovered the book and so purchased it.

My expectations of the book were that it would be wonderful and I was hoping that it would have me gripped throughout the book.... But sadly it is not the case, it just did not keep me gripped. Usually when I find a book a chore to get through I stop reading it, so this book can't be that bad, as it had something that made me want to keep picking it up to read. It started off well but half way into the book is when I began to get bored with it, and I did rush through the last 50 pages because I just wanted to be finished with the book, not because I was enjoying it but because I wanted to end it. I also felt it was 180 pages too long. That was my main issue with the book, the story just seemed to be drawn out too much, and I kind of got fed up reading about rabbits.

However on a positive note, reading it, I learned about Rabbits behaviour and how they live, and also the chapters with the stories of Frith and El-ahrairah were brilliant. I really did enjoy those.

I most probably won't read this book again, but instead I'll watch the dvd.

I give it 6/10.

LOTR's - The Fellowship of the Rings by J R R Tolkien

Author: J R R Tolkien
ISBN: 978-0-261-10320-7
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 386
Format: Hardback
Publisher: Harper Collins







This book was bought for me by my eldest son last Christmas, it's the 50th Anniversary edition and is complete with all three books in this huge and heavy hardback. At first I kept seeing the size of it and thought, I'm never going to get through that with it being way over 1000 pages long. It is a book I have wanted for a long time, and my son knew this. It was actually number 1 on my book list to get all three. Well my dear son made sure I had them all and I can tell you it was a shock at Christmas as I had no idea he had bought me it! It was a wonderful surprise.

Anyway, after picking the book up and beginning the first part The Fellowship Of The Rings, I became quickly hooked on it. Having seen the movies I knew what to expect, but having read the first part the book it's so much better as I was introduced to Tom Bombadil, who I had no idea existed in LOTR's. Tom Bombadil is one of my favourite characters of the book.

I have totally enjoyed this first part to the trilogy, and didn't know I loved fantasy so much. Well this book has me hooked. Now all I've got to do is get through the next two parts (The Two Towers & The Return of the King) and I can't wait!

10/10 from me!

Don't Go To To Sleep

I watched a movie on You Tube yesterday called 'Don't Go To Sleep'. It's a 1982 movie and I watched it years ago, and loved it. I really enjoyed watching it again. The quality wasn't very good but it was worth watching.

It's about a prank that goes wrong and the child comes back to haunt the family.

Here's the link to the first part, and you just click the link and watch the first part and then click the rest as you watch them till you get to part 10.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlH6zDMsYBM&feature=related

The Subtle Knife By Philip Pullman.

Author: Philip Pullman
ISBN: 978-0-439951-79-1
Genre: Fiction/Science Fiction.
Pages: 325
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Scholastic

"What is he? A Friend, Or an Enemy?" "He's a Murderer"

"Will has just killed a man. He's on the run. His escape will take him far beyond his own world, to the eerie disquiet of a deserted city, and to a girl, Lyra. Her fate is strangely linked to his own, and together they must find the most powerful weapon in all the worlds."

This is the second in the 'His Dark Materials' series. Having enjoyed the first 'Northern Lights' I was looking forward to following the story about Lyra and how it all turns out. From the first page I was hooked, and I very quickly became attached to Will. In fact I prefer Will to Lyra.
Having read two of the books, although I enjoy them I don't really connect with Lyra. But I like her Daemon. I don't know why? I just don't feel enough from her in the book, may be that will change in the third book for me? I loved The Witches, The Shaman and the different world in this book, in fact I loved a lot of things.
I did see some similarities in this book compared to J K Rowling Harry Potter series. The Spectres in this book, seem no different to the Dementors in Harry Potter.

In The Subtle Knife, how the different worlds are explained, is actually similar to something I believe in. But I won't go into all that stuff lol.

Anyhow, the story is about how Will after making sure his mum is safe, goes on the run in search of his father. He finds himself in a different world to his own where he meets Lyra. This worls is very different from his own. There they begin to help each other and a new journey begins in Lyra's quest.

In my opinion this book is better than Northern Lights, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was quickly drawn into the book, was able to visualize the scenery the people and the adventures that took place. A very good read and so far a brilliant series!

Easy Tarot Handbook by Josephine Ellershaw

Author: Josephine Ellershaw
ISBN: 978-7387-1150-8
Genre: Mind, Body, Spirit/tarot
Pages: 223
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Lewellyn Worldwide

"You don't need a special 'gift' to read tarot," insists
Josephine Ellershaw. And to prove it, she has boiled down thirty years of
experience into a straightforward, easy-to-use tarot guide for beginners.
More than just a manual, Easy Tarot is a boxed kit that also includes The
Gilded Tarot--a stunningly beautiful and popular deck by the well known
Ciro Marchetti.

Ellershaw gently guides novices to become proficient, sensitive, and
responsible readers. Suit by suit, she introduces the distinct
characteristics of the minor arcana, court cards, and major arcana. You
will learn how the cards link to one another and produce insightful
relationships as their unique energies merge in the Cross of Truth, the
Celtic Cross, and other spreads. There is even a list of card combinations
that commonly indicate specific events-such as pregnancy, a wedding, a new
job, and more."

I bought this box set of the Gilded Tarot cards with this book, as I am interested in the tarot, and have struggled to read my Thoth deck for years. So I decided to buy a self help book on the tarot and a new deck. The cards are beautiful, but most importantly the book is fantastic! It has helped me so much, and finally I have learned the basis of each card and now feel relaxed using them.

Josephine teaches you to work through each card slowly starting with the Minor cards, then the Court and lastly the Major. She then takes you onto the spreads. One thing that really helped me to learn the cards, is when you draw a card she asks you to write down a situation that you remember happened in your life, it's something what each card reminds you of and it helps when drawing the card. It was really good and really does help.

The book feels like good quality, the pictures are black and white, and it would have been nice to see them in colour. But the information in this book made up for it.
If you're a beginner to tarot, this box set will be invaluable to you. It is so worth it and I highly recommend it. To top it off, the cards are stunning and are worth having in your Tarot collection.

The Thoth Companion by Michael Osiris Snuffin.

Author: Michael Osiris Snuffin
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1192-8
Genre: Mind, Body, Spirit/tarot
Pages: 216
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Lewellyn Worldwide

"Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot - one of the most popular and enigmatic tarot decks - offers rich rewards for those who can penetrate its complex symbolism. Written by a ceremonial magician and tarot expert, "The Thoth Companion" is a comprehensive guide to understanding and using this fundamental deck. All seventy-eight cards are examined through the lens of Thelema, Qabala, and ceremonial magic - the spiritual foundations upon which it was built. These detailed interpretations reveal valuable insights, significant correspondences, and Crowley's encoded secrets. Once you've mastered the meaning behind this legendary deck, this user-friendly guide can help you use it for divination, developing intuition, meditation, and pathworking.Ceremonial magician and professional tarot reader Michael Osiris Snuffin has been studying the Thoth tarot for over a decade. He joined the OTO (Ordo Templi Orientis) in 1996. Seven years later he founded the Temple of Light and Darkness, a group dedicated to performing Golden Dawn initiations in accordance with the Law of Thelema."


I got this book as I was trying to work with the Thoth tarot more, being a novice at tarot, I wanted a book which would have a good explanation of the Thoth tarot. I've had the Thoth tarot for years, but have never felt connected with it.

This will be a great book for experienced readers of the Thoth deck, and those who are progressing with learning it. But if you're a beginner struggling to learn the Thoth tarot, then I think you'll struggle with this book. The reason is, you need to have some background of the tarot, astrology and kabbalah first.

However I do think it's a really good book, and I have put it away until the time I feel ready to pick it up again, when I am more advanced in tarot, and ready to learn the Thoth deck. This book has lots of charts in it, in the Appendix section at the end of the book, to help you with identifying the planets, elements, colors, chakras, symbols and god/goddess etc in relation to each card.

So for a beginner in the Thoth tarot, you're better off finding a book which is more simple and easier to understand. For experienced readers, it will be great. It is a nice large paperback, the paper feels like good quality. The only down side, it would have been nice to have the pictures of the cards in color, and not black and white.

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman.

Author: Philip Pullman
ISBN: 978-0-439951-78-4
Genre: Fiction/Science Fiction.
Pages: 397
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Scholastic


""Without this child, we shall all die."

Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world..."

It was last year that I first heard about Philip Pullman. After J K Rowling had released her last installment of the HP series. I saw a lot of people on the internet recommending Philip Pullman. My sister in-law also recommended the 'His Dark Materials' but I never got around to getting them until, the release of 'The Golden Compass' on the Cinema (which I haven't watched).
I was a little put off by all the hype with this book (due to the Cinema release) but I decided to try it. I am pleased I did.

I really did enjoy this book, I liked Lyra, and I loved the whole thing about having Daemonds, and not being able to live without the other, and the search for Dust.
Lyra was a likeable character and a strong willed one who won't let anything stop her. I also liked her Bear friend, Iorek Byrinson, he was a strong character and I am hoping we'll see him in the next book (not sure about that though considering....)
This book was fast paced and easy to get into, there was barely a boring moment and I was gripped all the way through. It was easy to visualize the scenery described, and feel the emotions that were expressed, and to also have a good vision of the characters throughout. Both children and adults will enjoy this book. I just wish my son would sit down and read, as he'd love it!

There's two characters I didn't like in the book and yes of course it's Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel. Nasty nasty people!!!! :)


Definitely worth reading, and I am really looking forward to reading the next installment which I shall start today. I am hoping to see Lyra grow more as a person and to find out more about what it is she must do. She seems a very lonely person, with only the love of her daemon to comfort her. But I'd better shut up or I'll end up giving some of the story away to those who haven't read it.

Oh yes and, I'm not even going to compare this to J K Rowling's HP series, as I loved her books too.