Category Archives: Spotlight on

Our monthly discussion, like in a face-to-face book club.

June’s focus is on African Fiction

Posted on 1 June 2012 by

I have never been to Africa but some of my favourite fiction comes from, or was written about, this continent and I would love everyone to share their own reading experiences here.  Some of the outstanding reads for me have … Continue reading →

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A ghostly story

Posted on 24 May 2012 by

The movie preview of this book sparked my interest in reading it. I thought I would read it before seeing the film as I often like to make comparisons. However, after now reading it I am not so sure I will go and see it on the big screen. I can’t decide on whether I liked the story of whether it was just the fright that I enjoyed. Essentially, The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, is a classically written ghost tale. It begins with an elderly Arthur Kipp having Christmas with his family. He is not entirely present at this family gathering as he is a vacant soul who is deeply burdened by his troubled past. The story then travels back in time to a younger Kipp, as a junior solicitor who is assigned the job of tying up the loose ends of a deceased estate. This assignment changes his life forever!
As soon as he arrives at the Estate he begins to realise that all is not right, not right at all. He senses strange vibes from the local folk at the funeral of the Estate’s late owner and the Estate has such an eerie presence. All sorts of wickedly freaky things start to happen such as the sound of a rocking chair creaking from an empty nursery, a bone chilling scream from a invisible child and a vivid image of a wraithlike woman dressed all in black.
The story is really terrifying and the author does a brilliant job at describing the haunting scenes. I can still picture the woman in black, her face all sunken and wasting away….so horrifying. Despite its scariness nothing really big happens in the story and I found it at times hard to read due to the many long-winded sentences. The unique writing style made it a challenge to string together but if you can get past this hurdle and the lack of action it is a terrifying read that will stick with you!! Will the movie have the same scare factor and will I go and see it?
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Posted in Book reviews, Books into films, horror stories, paranormal stories | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

White Oleander

Posted on 19 May 2012 by

White Oleander was on the required reading list for a literary subject I took at University and I have vivid memories of how intoxicating I found it. I don’t think I will ever forget this book. It’s written with such poetic eloquence with charm and wit and a clever flow despite its sensitive storyline. The writing is authentic and dubbed with lyrical verse. Not something that would instantly appeal to me but I will be forever grateful to have taken that University subject that listed it as required reading material.

The book narrator is Astrid, a girl who is forced to grow up much quicker than a child should ever have to. When Astrid was six years old her mum is sentenced to life in prison after killing her ex-lover with the poison of oleander flowers. This leaves Astrid to grow up in foster care with several foster parents each with their different agendas. Her years in the foster system are really gut-wrenching to read and she quickly realises that she is entirely on her own and must be suspicious of everyone. She has to deal with physical, physiological and mental abuse at such a young age from a foster parent who suspects her of sleeping with her boyfriend, another who accuses her of having a lesbian relationship with a neighbour, another who encourages alcohol and drug taking to another who makes her dig in rubbish bins for food scraps. Life surely has it is for Astrid!As much as these dark chapters moved me so too did the chapters in which Astrid bonds with some of the people she encounters. Sadly these relationships never last long. One sweet yet short connection I remember was when a pregnant foster-child looks to Astrid for support as she is freaking out about her pregnancy. Astrid herself is only young but has the maturity to comfort this young pregnant girl and offer her hope for the future. Such a bond suggests that human companionship can be found in the least likely of places.

The chapters Astrid visits her mum in prison are also truly compelling. Janet Fitch describes Astrid’s mum as a control freak with her unfaltering beliefs and her conviction to mould her daughter despite being behind bars. Her overbearing personality hinders any possibility of creating a real relationship with her daughter. In fact Astrid starts to dread her prison visits and increasingly feels suffocated by her mothers domineering facade. A favourite quote I used to title my University paper sums up Astrid feelings: “Who was I, really? she asks. “I was the sole occupant of my mother’s totalitarian state, my own personal history rewritten to fit the story she was telling that day. There were so many missing pieces.” Astrid transforms from a girl who worshiped her mum to a young lady who endeavours to be as far removed from her mum as possible.

This book will pull on your heart-strings, possibly even break them and then put them back together again, stronger than before!

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Posted in Book reviews, Books into films, Family Stories with a Moral Dilemma | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Blog, the Frog and Petite Anglaise

Posted on 18 May 2012 by

Petite Anglaise by Catherine Sanderson A very brief synopsis of the plot is English girl falls in love with France, moves and adopts a new homeland. Meets the Frenchman, falls in love with “The Frog”, falls pregnant, and so little … Continue reading →

Posted in Book reviews, Travel Memoirs | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Eve by Anna Carey

Posted on 13 May 2012 by

You will read a touching sad letter at the start of this book written by a desperate mother for her daughter, Eve to read. The letter gives you the premise of the story and tells of a horrible epidemic that will soon claim this mother’s life and leave Eve with little hope for the future. Fast forward to a world where this epidemic has killed off the majority of the world’s population and young girls have been raised in schools and boys in labour camps. Girls have been educated with the idea that once graduating the world is their oyster….they will go on to learn a trade, earn money and live very successful and rewarding lives. However, on graduation day Eve uncovers the disturbing truth of what the girls’ future really holds. (I won’t spoil it for readers by revealing this truth) but Eve yearns for much more out of life. She runs away from the school and embarks on an incredible journey. She meets up with another girl named Arden, who has also escaped, a girl she wasn’t fond of while at school. They quickly form a strong bond as they are forced to rely on each other for survival.

The girls run into a boy named Caleb, who tales them back to a place were a group of wayward boys have taken up residence after they have run away from a labour camp. The three swap childhood stories, the girls telling of their fake education and their predestined fate and the boys of their harsh upbringing and dismal future. They soon discover that the King is searching for Eve and she must once again go on the run. Nothing quite goes to plan as Eve, Arden and Caleb come up against unsuspecting problems which force them into all different situations.

The writing style is good and the characters are very different yet all likeable in their own way. Eve is brave, intelligent, considerate and full of thought. Arden is tough, street smart and resourceful. Caleb is charismatic, protective and a real sweetheart. The three interact really well with each other and I connected with them all. They are so real – it would be hard not to bond with them :-)

Anna Carey had me believing what I was reading, an essential element for a dystopian novel to work. It’s fast pace had me turning the pages and I couldn’t put it down. The summary for the second book, entitled Once, is intriguing with a plot centred on dealings with this King. What will Eve do now???
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Posted in Book reviews, Distractions, Terrific teen reads | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments