Sorry to 'Something About Me Challenge'

I just wanted to post this in case anyone from the 'Something About Me Challenge' comes along to wonder why I haven't posted up any reviews? Since starting work in September I don't read as much as I used to now, and to be honest I've lost the motivation to try and reads loads. I'm still reading but, a not as much as I used to. I still plan to read the books I picked in the Challenge, but only when I'm ready and feel drawn to read them. I know I won't get them read by December. Sorry....

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice.

Author: Anne Rice
ISBN: 0-7088-3153-2
Genre: Fiction/Horror
Pages:599
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Warner Books


"'Ah, the taste and feel of blood when all passion and greed is sharpened in that one desire!' Lestat: a vampire - but very much not the conventional undead, for Lestat is the truly alive. Lestat is vivid, ecstatic, stagestruck, and in his extravagant story he plunges from the lasciviousness of eighteenth-century Paris to the demonic Egypt of prehistory; from fin-de-siecle New Orleans to the frenetic twentieth-century world of rock superstardom - as, pursued by the living and the dead, he searches across time for the secret of his own dark immortality."

After reading Interview with the Vampire, I was really looking forward to reading the second in this series. The Vampire Lestat is, Lestat's story, his side of events that took place and how he became a vampire. This book was really fun to read, it was gripping in places and emotional. I've become really fond of Lestat, whereas, in Interview with the vampire, from Louis point of view he's a unkind.

Reading this book I could visualise easily the scenery and events taking place, I loved reading how becoming a vampire affected him, and I really liked reading about his relationship with Gabrielle. I'm really looking forward to the next installment which is The Queen of the Damned.

A really good read!

9/10

Poll Results

From the last Poll I did, it seems most people re-read their books. That's pretty cool!
After all, many of us re-watch movies, so why not re-read a book?

The Other Eden By Sarah Bryant.

Author: Sarah Bryant
ISBN: 978-1-905005-11-6
Genre: Fiction
Pages:459
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Snowbooks


"Devastated by the death of the beloved grandfather who raised her, precocious young pianist Eleanor Rose heeds the words of the unknown woman in her dream. Leaving the security of her privileged life in Boston, she heads for Eden's Meadow, a Louisiana estate which she has never seen, and which has been closed since her grandmother died there mysteriously twenty-five years earlier. She longs for a tranquil haven, in which to nurse her grief and concentrate on her music, and at first Eden's Meadow seems to be just that. But Eleanor's shocking discovery of a forgotten painting, the timely arrival of a letter from a man who seems to hold the answers to the questions it raises, and her growing love for an enigmatic Russian musician draw her into a labyrinth of past and present deception, which ultimately threatens her sanity and her very life."


I was very kindly sent this book for 'free' by Snowbooks, and as soon as it came through the post, I began reading it. I loved the cover of this book and knew I was in for a treat.

It's the first time I have read a novel like this. I am a big fan of Historical fiction, but I have never read a novel that contained information on Classical music. I'm not really even a fan of Classical music and yet, I found myself completely taken in with this book.

The author described the surroundings with a lot of detail and I was taken in by the story, I felt as though I was there with them, and I was living Eleanor's life with her, going through each trial in trying to solve her Mothers past. In the chapters when Alexander and Eleanor played the Piano together and also at other times on their own, I was taken in by this and I was able to visualise the effect the music had on them, it seemed to reach out to me. This was one of my most favourite parts of the book. I'm now considering listening to some Classical music. See what this novel has done to me! ;)

I could go on to describe lots more about this book, both Eve and Elizabeth play an important part in this novel, but to go on would only give the plot away and possibly ruin it for others.

For me this book was a beautiful love story that I didn't want to end, but it was also sad. If you like novels that contain history, hauntings, suspense and romance, then this book is for you.

This is one of the best books I have read this year. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Author: Gregory Maguire
ISBN: 0-7553-3160-5
Genre: Fiction
Pages:495
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Review


"An astonishingly rich re-creation of the land of Oz, this book retells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Taking readers past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Gregory Maguire just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature."


I borrowed this book from my sis, after she had read it and loved it. I'd seen some other people I know have read it too, so I wanted to check it out. It's the first book I've read from this author.
This is one book I will not allow my sis to sell at one of her boot sales, it has to stay on her book shelf!!!! LOL

As you can tell I loved this book. I wasn't quite sure what to expect at first? I knew it was about The Wicked Witch of the West from the movie The Wizard of Oz, we all loved so much as children. As I read the book I began to fall in love with Elphaba, and I loved reading about every minute of her life in this novel. I also became really fond of Fiyero, Glinda, Nanny and Doctor Dillamond. Basically I loved them all really! Except the Wizard........ Hmmmm.

This novel is different to the movie, and it is really a book for adults, and is a tale from the side of: The Wicked Witch of the West. For me this book was a light, enjoyable, cosy read. It was a book that I loved snuggling up to on my bed or in the bath to read. I just loved entering their world. However, I know that some people have said it wasn't a light read for them as it contained political issues (personally I hate politics in real life). I guess this is where we all differ, and what a boring place it would be if we all agreed on everything.

There wasn't a boring moment in this book, it was exciting, emotionally moving and funny.
I haven't seen the Musical, may be one day I will?

So to sum this book up, it was and is.. EXCELLENT!
I'll be reading more from this author! ;)

Holy Fools by Joanne Harris

Author: Joanne Harris
ISBN: 0-552-77001-9
Genre: Fiction
Pages:383
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Black Swan


"Set in seventeenth-century France against a backdrop of witch trials, regicide and religious frenzy, this is the story of Juliette, one-time actress and rope-dancer. Forced by circumstance to seek refuge with Fleur, her young daughter, in the remote abbey of Sainte Marie-de-la-Mer, Juliette reinvents herself as Soeur Auguste under the tutelage of the kindly Abbess. But times are changing: the murder of Henri IV becomes the catalyst for massive upheaval in France. A new appointment is made, and Juliette's new life begins to unravel. For the new Abbess is Isabelle, the eleven-year-old child of a corrupt, noble family. Worse, Isabelle has brought with her a ghost from Juliette's past, masquerading as a cleric, a man she has every reason to fear..."

Being a Joanne Harris fan, I was really looking forward to reading this book. One of the things I like in her books is she writes about paganism. She is my most favourite author of pagan fiction. However, this is not one of my favourite books.

I liked the main character Juliette, I felt for her at times and was enjoying her story. I felt like I could connect with her and visualise what was going on around her. I really liked her.

Lemerle, I didn't connect with. I found his part in the story interesting and wanted to read more, but he didn't 'grab' me.

The abby with the other Nuns, I didn't really feel I could connect with. I found this part of the story hard to get into.

Basically the story is set in the seventeenth century when witch trials were taking place. Juliette who is part of a traveling circus, is forced to take cover in an Abby with her daughter Fleur. Lemerle a man, from her past turns up and he takes Fleur away from her mother. Juliette's struggle to get her daughter back begins.

I'm glad I read this book, there were times I felt it was boring in places and hard to get into, and so I didn't feel like carrying on with it. But, there was something there that made me want to pick the book up to find out more. So I kept with it.

So to sum it up, it was an OK read. Not one of my favourites. One that will sit on my shelf till I read it again. I sort of feel like this is the sort of book I'd enjoy more the second time around.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Audio)

A Christmas Carol

"A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, a time-honored classic, follows Ebenezer Scrooge's tranformation from a selfish and bitter man to a generous benefactor after he is visited by a series of ghosts.Scrooge, having gone to sleep, is first visited in his sleep by the Ghost of Christmas Past, a phantom who enkindles in him regret of his former lack of compassion. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge Christmas as it would unfold the next day, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come leads Scrooge through a series of scenes involving an unsympathetic creditor who turns out to be Scrooge himself. A changed man, Scrooge shares his newfound Christmas spirit, much to the wonder of others, and in the years that follow he honors Christmas with all his heart."

This is my second Audio Book, and I have to say I really did enjoy it. I don't have much experience with narrators having heard just two audio books, so I'm not sure what is supposed to be good and what isn't in an narrator? The narrator with this audio book, was good I thought. He used different voices for each character, although at times I wanted to laugh at some of them. I just thought a couple of the voices he did were funny, as they seemed to change accent too. However, that didn't ruin it for me, as I really enjoyed listening.

I hadn't read A Christmas Carol before, although I've seen different version of the movie. A Christmas Carol is my most favourite Christmas movie. So when I saw this as an audio book, I downloaded it, put it onto my MP3 player and began listening when I was cooking dinner or doing the gardening. I enjoyed every minute of it, I was able to visualise what was being read, and I felt a part of the book. Listening to this also got me a bit emotional, as I went through each journey with Scrooge. When some lines were said like when the Spirit of Christmas Present says to Scrooge about tiny Tim.;

``If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race,'' returned the Ghost, ``will find him here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.''

Scrooge hung his head to hear his wn words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief.

This really got me choked. And also after he has been visited by all three Spirits, and wakes up on Christmas day, a changed man, that got me emotional too.

Over all, I loved this audio book, it was a free download and the quality of the sound was brilliant! There are some free audio books out there on the net, where the sound quality is appalling. But it just goes to show that if you search, you can find some great free audio books to start of with. I'm definitely a fan of them now and will hunt some down in my shops soon.

Embraced by the Light by Bettie J Eadie

Author: Bettie J Eadie
ISBN: 9781882723003
Genre: Spiritual, Non Fiction
Pages:147
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Gold Leaf Press

I got this book as it was recommend to me, as I am very interested in Near death Experiences.
I was told it was a wonderful book and so I wanted to find out for myself.
It took me 3 days to read this book, I was hooked from the first page, to the last and felt sad when I got to the last page as I wanted the book to go on and on...

It is about a lady, Betty J. Eadie, who after having an operation to have a hysterectomy she died and had the most wondeful experience she never believed could happen.
She had a journey in the spirit realm, one she will never forget.
She met Jesus and learnt many things about earth and who we are.
If you are interested in Near Death Experiences, I highly recommend this book.

It is quite a small book, with 20 chapters which hold so much information that may change your life!