One thing I particularly enjoyed about Deep Connections was the way in which the author slowly teased out the twin secrets of why the heroine, Brenna, is being stalked and Slater’s family history. That seemed to me very well done. I liked the characters, although I don’t generally subscribe to the “one true love/soulmate” way of thinking. This was a light, easy read and I will certainly look out for the sequel. I gave Deep Connections 3.5 out of 5 stars.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about Deep Connections was the way in which the author slowly teased out the twin secrets of why the heroine, Brenna, is being stalked and Slater’s family history. That seemed to me very well done. I liked the characters, although I don’t generally subscribe to the “one true love/soulmate” way of thinking. This was a light, easy read and I will certainly look out for the sequel. I gave Deep Connections 3.5 out of 5 stars.
So, my copy of No Place on Earth has finally arrived, and I’m ready to make a start on my blog challenge to read the World’s Ten Most Difficult Books as defined by The Guardian. I plan to follow a similar format to Leigh Butler’s wonderful Ice and Fire reading blog; that is, I will read a few chapters each week, note what happens and my reactions to it. I hope to post once a week. Before I get into No Place on Earth, some background information. Christa Wolf was born on March 18, 1929, in Landsberg, which is now Gorzow, Poland. Her father joined the Nazi Party and she became a member of the girls’ version of the Hitler Youth. In 1949, she joined the Socialist Unity Party and studied German literature at universities in Jena and Leipzig. She wrote numerous novels during her lifetime including The Divided Heaven, The Quest for Christa T., A Model Childhood, and Cassandra. She won several awards including the Heinrich Mann Prize in 1963 and Thomas Mann Prize for literature in 2010. She died on December 1, 2011 at the age of 82. Published in 1979, No Place on Earth describes an imaginary…
So, my copy of No Place on Earth has finally arrived, and I’m ready to make a start on my blog challenge to read the World’s Ten Most Difficult Books as defined by The Guardian. I plan to follow a similar format to Leigh Butler’s wonderful Ice and Fire reading blog; that is, I will read a few chapters each week, note what happens and my reactions to it. I hope to post once a week. Before I get into No Place on Earth, some background information. Christa Wolf was born on March 18, 1929, in Landsberg, which is now Gorzow, Poland. Her father joined the Nazi Party and she became a member of the girls’ version of the Hitler Youth. In 1949, she joined the Socialist Unity Party and studied German literature at universities in Jena and Leipzig. She wrote numerous novels during her lifetime including The Divided Heaven, The Quest for Christa T., A Model Childhood, and Cassandra. She won several awards including the Heinrich Mann Prize in 1963 and Thomas Mann Prize for literature in 2010. She died on December 1, 2011 at the age of 82. Published in 1979, No Place on Earth describes an imaginary…
Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson tells the story of Ethan Kaille, a man with a checkered past, who uses his conjuring skills to track down thieves and return stolen goods to their owners. When the daughter of a prominent citizen is found killed by non-conventional means, Ethan is hired to track down her missing brooch and to shed light on her murder. Tor McMillan was kind enough to send me a copy of this book to review. Here are my thoughts. D.B. Jackson's writing style is light, easily accessible and engaging. It was very easy to become drawn into the story and to empathise with Ethan, the protagonist. Set in mid 18th century Boston, the book is a fun blend of historical drama, fantasy and murder mystery. Now, I am neither American nor a student of American history, so I am unfamiliar with the historical events referenced in this novel – The Stamp Act of 1765, The Sons of Liberty, the riots in Boston – but I was inspired to read more about this period of American history. I was intrigued to read in the author's note that the novel was originally set in a fictional world and that it was…
Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson tells the story of Ethan Kaille, a man with a checkered past, who uses his conjuring skills to track down thieves and return stolen goods to their owners. When the daughter of a prominent citizen is found killed by non-conventional means, Ethan is hired to track down her missing brooch and to shed light on her murder. Tor McMillan was kind enough to send me a copy of this book to review. Here are my thoughts. D.B. Jackson’s writing style is light, easily accessible and engaging. It was very easy to become drawn into the story and to empathise with Ethan, the protagonist. Set in mid 18th century Boston, the book is a fun blend of historical drama, fantasy and murder mystery. Now, I am neither American nor a student of American history, so I am unfamiliar with the historical events referenced in this novel – The Stamp Act of 1765, The Sons of Liberty, the riots in Boston – but I was inspired to read more about this period of American history. I was intrigued to read in the author’s note that the novel was originally set in a fictional world and that it was…
Last night my husband and I watched My Week with Marilyn, which is an excellent film, by the way, and it got me wondering; who will be this generation’s silver screen legends? Who will leave the reputation of lighting up the screen a la Marilyn Monroe or Vivien Leigh? It seems that in recent years Hollywood has focused more on special effects to draw audiences rather than talented actors. The Dark Knight Rises and Bourne Legacies are far more numerous than The King’s Speeches in Hollywood. Having said that, some actors do shine in whichever movie they’re in. For the gentlemen, my first thoughts were Johnny Depp or Leonardo DiCaprio. Both of these fine actors light up the screen and add depth to any character they play. For the ladies I found it trickier to come up with some names. I had thought of Meryl Streep at first, but as my husband pointed out, she is not of my generation, fine actress though she is. Perhaps Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett or Renee Zellwegger? I imagine only time will tell.
Last night my husband and I watched My Week with Marilyn, which is an excellent film, by the way, and it got me wondering; who will be this generation’s silver screen legends? Who will leave the reputation of lighting up the screen a la Marilyn Monroe or Vivien Leigh? It seems that in recent years Hollywood has focused more on special effects to draw audiences rather than talented actors. The Dark Knight Rises and Bourne Legacies are far more numerous than The King’s Speeches in Hollywood. Having said that, some actors do shine in whichever movie they’re in. For the gentlemen, my first thoughts were Johnny Depp or Leonardo DiCaprio. Both of these fine actors light up the screen and add depth to any character they play. For the ladies I found it trickier to come up with some names. I had thought of Meryl Streep at first, but as my husband pointed out, she is not of my generation, fine actress though she is. Perhaps Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett or Renee Zellwegger? I imagine only time will tell.
It always seems to happen this way. I’d placed holds on three library e-books and all three became available within a few days of each other! On my reading list I now have: Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort by J.K. Rowling. (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in French). For some reason it really amuses me to see how the Potter-specific terms were translated into French; “Muggle” becomes “Moldu”, “Squib” becomes “Cracmol” and “Crumple-Horned Snorkack” becomes “Ronflak Cornu.” However, Quidditch remains Quidditch. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen. I think this was a recommendation I picked up from GoodReads. I don’t know much about it, other than that it’s a well written memoir by a Pulitzer prize winning author but it seemed an interesting read. It was free to borrow from the library, so I thought I’d give it a go. Rapture by Kate Lauren. This is the fourth and final part of Lauren’s Young Adult fantasy series about angels and demons. It’s not the best series in the world, and probably not one I’ll invest in to buy, but again, I don’t mind borrowing it from the library to see how it ends….
It always seems to happen this way. I’d placed holds on three library e-books and all three became available within a few days of each other! On my reading list I now have: Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort by J.K. Rowling. (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in French). For some reason it really amuses me to see how the Potter-specific terms were translated into French; “Muggle” becomes “Moldu”, “Squib” becomes “Cracmol” and “Crumple-Horned Snorkack” becomes “Ronflak Cornu.” However, Quidditch remains Quidditch. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen. I think this was a recommendation I picked up from GoodReads. I don’t know much about it, other than that it’s a well written memoir by a Pulitzer prize winning author but it seemed an interesting read. It was free to borrow from the library, so I thought I’d give it a go. Rapture by Kate Lauren. This is the fourth and final part of Lauren’s Young Adult fantasy series about angels and demons. It’s not the best series in the world, and probably not one I’ll invest in to buy, but again, I don’t mind borrowing it from the library to see how it ends….