Charmed, delighted and enchanted.
28 March 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. This week’s topic is:
Ten Authors that I’ve met/seen/listened to
- Neil Gaiman – at a book reading. Not only are his books amazing but he’s great to listen to and really patient. He signed everyone’s books and it was a very long queue – must have took him forever (or at least a couple of hours).
- Joe Abercrombie. Another reading organised at Central Library in Manchester. This was for his venture into YA with his Half a King book. I don’t think there’s anything better than listening to an author read their own work – they just bring something more to it.
- Robin Hobb. A great reading for her The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince. She answered lots of questions about her inspiration and how she came to write books. Really interesting session.
- Sarah Pinborough – this is a woman who just makes me laugh. She’s so funny! And, of course it doesn’t hurt that I’ve read and loved quite a number of her books. She was at the Gollancz Festival last year and took part in a number of the panels.
- Ben Aaronovitch. At a book event in Waterstones, Deansgate, Manchester. Another really genuinely nice guy – he just had plenty of funny stories about asking fans about things on twitter and about sitting on different buses as they travelled around London just to take a different look at some of the places he could use in his writing. I use public transport a lot – and there are always plenty of funny/not so funny stories as a result!
- Brandon Sanderson – another book event at the above Waterstones. He was great to listen to. He answered a bunch of questions, he spoke about his experiences as a writer and his processes, he read a sneaky peak out of his third Words of Radiance book and he signed a huge amount of books for an extremely long line of fans.
- Joanne Harris. This was a very informal event at a Library in Oldham. It was great because it was a very small venue and felt almost like you were all just having a chat. There was a reading for the Gospel of Loki and then questions and answers.
- Joe Hill – who was at the Gollancz Festival. I didn’t see too much of him but he did attend the end of one of the panels I was observing and he took part in the audience Q&A asking questions of the panel himself and I thought that was pretty cool.
- Elizabeth May – who also attended the Gollancz Festival – a lovely young woman indeed whose name you will no doubt recognise from The Falconer series.
- Who next??
My precious..
14 March 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Spring TBR, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. This week’s topic is:
Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR
That’s right – Spring is here! It’s official. The birds are going crazy, the nights are getting lighter, and it looks like I need to do some gardening. So, a little prevarication never hurt… With that in mind I give you a few books that I have on my upcoming shelves.
- Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi (March)
- Heart of Stone by Ben Galley (March)
- Skullsworn by Brian Staveley (April)
- Avengers of the Moon by Allen Steele (April)
- Borrowed Souls by Chelsea Muller (May)
- Skitter by Ezekiel Boone (May)
- The Only Child by Andrew Pyper (June)
- The Fallen Kingdom by Elizabeth May (June)
- The Turn by Kim Harrison (July)
- A Kiss Before Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton (July)
Okay, I cheated slightly because a couple of these fall, strictly speaking, in Summer – but I knot you won’t call the TTT police and have me thrown into a dungeon (I hope you won’t anyway!)
Beautiful books
31 January 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Beautiful books, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. This week’s topic is:
All about the visuals
Books with illustrations, comics or graphic novels. Whatever floats your boat really. It’s not a secret that I love beautiful book covers, gorgeous books and fantastic illustrations. Here are a few.
The Sandman Comics by Neil Gaiman – I’m working my way through these (slowly) and loving them. They’re dark. Very dark. The graphics are awesome.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I’m not going to deny that this book is emotional – in the extreme. It’s an excellent story – but, you have to be in the right mood and it could definitely cause you floods of tears depending on where you’re at – but, have you seen the illustrations in this book. If not. Go and look at them. That is all.
Lips Touch by Laini Taylor. Now, okay, I confess I haven’t read this yet – but the cover is so gorgeous (both covers – one I want to eat and one I want to sit and look at for a long time) and then on the inside are the most gorgeous illustrations that they make me want to smile whilst being simultaneously jealous that I can’t do that!
The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss. Firstly, Patrick Rothfuss. So, that is all. Actually no. This is another book, very short and from the world of Kvothe – but it’s just gorgeous.
The Hobbit graphic version by JRRTolkien – this book is effing excellent. Yes, it is.
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Another wonderfully illustrated book with the most gorgeous and totally distracting illustrations (I think the second illustration is from Through the Looking Glass)
Winnie the Pooh by A A Milne. If you don’t like Winnie the Pooh, and all the gorgeous pictures – then I can’t even look at you right now!
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis. Shut up and take my money. Have you read this – and have you seen the illustrations?
That is it for me – only made it to nine!
Book Adaptations
24 January 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Adaptations, The Broke and the Bookish, Three, Top Ten Tuesday
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. This week’s topic is:
Top ten book to film/tv adaptations
This includes, likes, dislikes and some where I’ve seen the adaptation but not read the book. Some of these really won’t be a surprise but here goes:
- Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien – love the books, love the films. Aragorn *le sigh. Simple really. These films are so good and so true to the books. Yes, of course, some things are not included and some sequences maybe slightly altered, but not by much (to my mind anyway).
- Harry Potter – very much ditto the above. Great books. Great films. Although, and I hate to be critical, the last two films annoyed me somewhat – no need to split the book into two and I didn’t like some of the changes. Just saying.
- I am Legend by Richard Matheson. This is only a short book but it really does have an impact. It’s a very dark read and frankly is a bit miserable – but it’s supposed to be because you’re supposed to feel how the main protagonist does – and he’s pretty bloody miserable. I think the film adaptation is a really good film – but it annoys me so much how they changed the ending. For me, the ending of this book is what really has an impact. It’s just so unexpected and so good – it gives meaning to the title of the book in fact. Why change it?
- Watership Down by Richard Adams. This is a great book and a good film. Thank Frith.
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This book is so good and there have been so many adaptations that it would be difficult to list them all here. My personal favourite is the film with Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins.
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – again, a magnificent book. Such a conundrum – nurture/nature and who is really the monster here. It’s difficult to really pin down a favourite adaptation but I really like the one that takes a more comical look, Young Frankenstein. Brilliantly funny, shot in black and white and surely one of the most quoted films ever – if only by me!
- Shakespeare – could there be any more adaptations – I’m sure that somebody somewhere most have checkout if he has the most adaptations ever. I’ve not read all his plays. Okay, I’ve read one – which is A Midsummer Night’s Dream – and I’ve watched a few adaptations for this. Not sure how brilliant they were to be honest – I hold out for a really good one given what can now be achieved.
- We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver – this is the sort of book that takes you a little while to get into but, once it sinks its hooks in, you read it with an ever increasing sense of dread/fascination and horror. Yeah, I wanted more answers from this book – why oh why! Just why? The film. I have mixed feelings for. I’m not sure that it quite gives the same sense of foreboding as the book and it’s even more gloomy. They’re both pretty grim to be honest but I think the book had me more hooked.
- The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. This is a book that doesn’t resound with everyone but it totally had me hooked. I think, given the way the book grabbed me, it was always going to be a difficult act to follow. I think the adaptation is pretty good but the book is so much better.
- The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. A series that is very good to read and an adaptation that is really faithful to the books so far. Very enjoyable on both counts.
This list could have been a lot, lot longer. But, 10 it is. What adaptations have you enjoyed??
All good things to those who wait…
10 January 2017
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. This week’s topic is:
Top 10 new releases Books I Bought in 2016 and Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to)
- Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marilier. This is the second instalment of her Blackthorn and Grim series that started with Dreamer’s Pool – a book that I absolutely loved. I bought the second book virtually immediately but as with most of my own books it has taken a back seat to review books. As it happens I now also have a copy of Den of Wolves so hopefully I will get to these two soon – I know that I will love them.
- V E Schwab is an author that I haven’t yet read and so last year I picked up a copy of A Darker Shade of Magic and Savage Song – any recommendations as to which one I should pick up first???
- Patricia Briggs Fire Touched. I simply can’t believe that I’ve not started this one yet. I love this series and the main character Mercy Thompson.
- Beyond Redemption by Michael R Fletcher. I really am very keen to get to this. It had such great reviews from people who I trust to steer me onto the path of excellent reads!
- Wake of Vultures and Conspiracy of Ravens by Lila Bowen – I bought both of these – that’s how confident I am that I’m going to love them.
- Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – I loved the first in series so I’m really looking forward to picking this up.
- Senlin Ascends and Arm of the Sphinx (yes, I bought book 1 and 2 of the books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft – another excellent recommendation and two books that I’m really eager to read – they’re receiving positively glowing reviews!
- The Marie Brennan series that revolves all around Lady Trent – I bought In the Labyrinth of Drakes early last year so really need to prioritise this one.
- The Hunt by Chuck Wendig. Another book bought early 2016. I loved Atlanta Burns. My review here.
- The Chrysalids by John Wyndham – I’m bursting to read this book and as it’s Vintage Sci Fi month right now it really is the perfect time so I need to get on with it.
That’s it for me this week – well, I say that’s it – it really isn’t, I have so many books just waiting. I need to make a dedicated plan to start knocking them off the list.
Books and travelling with Lynn 