Archive of ‘My Foxy Reading Corner’ category

16
Aug
2015

A Belated Foxy Book Challenge Update #11-17

I’ve been a once a week blogger lately, with distractions such as trying to find a flatmate who’s not a crazy psycho (only room for one in this house – me); winter finally get the best of me with a good old fashioned almost flu but not flu enough to take time off work; and other stuff that I’m sure seemed important at the time.

So instead of my usual few books there are 7, good news is that I am up to date with my book challenge over on Goodreads (read 30 books this year which doesn’t seem like much but was a goal that seemed feasible at the time). There’s a few good’uns for you to chuck on your “to read” list!

**Disclaimer: All the books with wee little * beside them were gifted to me by Hachette NZ, an awesome publishing company who ask nothing in return. Some of the books they send turn out to be my favourites ever, and others fall a bit flat (some I don’t even read), but the fact that they are gifted in no way affect my opinions. Anyway, on to the good stuff!

Day Shift by Charlaine Harris*
Okay full disclosure, I read this without at any point realizing that I was reading the second book in a series. So when I critique it for being a little hard to keep up with, with characters that didn’t seem to have great introductions and a story that felt lacking in set up I say it knowing full well that those things are all my fault. Overall it was an enjoyable read despite me being an idiot, Charlaine Harris does a good job in the fantasy-mystery genre, and its pretty light reading which is always nice for a change. 3 Stars (but it may well deserve more).
Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry*
This is one that you should put on your reading list now. I did a full review over here (cause it was that good) but long story short its a fantastic novel set in 1920s New York with a cast of memorable characters and a trail of different story lines that all tie in together. Wasn’t expecting to love this one but love it I did (and you may well too). 5 stars
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
I’ve been loving the Outlander series over on Lightbox (and it’s not just those Scottish accents) and so when Edd got me the first novel to read for my birthday I wasn’t expecting to take 4 months to finish it. I’m generally quite a speedy ready (which is a surprisingly useless skill most of the time) but something about this book made it a little hard to get through. Nonetheless it was an enjoyable read, a little odd in places but great in others. I dunno, a little undecided to be honest and not sure yet whether I can commit to the rest of them. 3 stars
Resistance is Futile by Jenny T Colgan*
As the book itself proclaimed: Independence day meets Bridget Jones’ Diary…not what I would normally pick up for myself I must admit. This alienesque/maths nerd (and I say that lovingly) take on a rom-com read was actually pretty fun and easy to get through. I gave it only 3 stars because it just wasn’t my kind of book but it was enjoyable, and light-hearted although strange in places with a few funny characters and one of the weirdest “sex” scenes I think I’ve ever read. 3 stars.
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson*
Best book of 2015 is already awarded to this Sci-fi novel by the author of the Mars series (which I am DESPERATE to read). Seriously this book was A++++, would read again. I rambled on about it a little while ago but long story short it’s amazing. The easiest 5 stars I have ever assigned to anything ever.
The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lipton*
Another great read that I was sent which is one I never would have selected! This novel was a psychological thriller/family drama set in the spookiest setting of Alaska where a Mother and her deaf daughter, Ruby, go in search of her Father who has gone missing. This was such an incredibly tense read, and a quick one too as I couldn’t wait long to find out what happened. Ruby was an incredibly likeable character, and the writing was done in the perfect way to keep you on the edge of your seat. 4 stars.
Half Asleep in Frog Pyjamas by Tom Robins
Dad told me that he would refuse to take on any of my book recommendations until I read something by one of his favourite authors, Tom Robins (not the same as Tony Robbins so don’t get them confused). I I grabbed this one from his shelf and gave it a shot and it was … okay?? Tom Robins has an incredibly humorous way of writing and is far wittier than I could ever dream to be, so 5 stars for that. The reasons I didn’t really enjoy this that much were as follows: the setting was a stock market crash in the US which holds zero interest to me; it was centred around a character who I kind of ended up hating; and it was written in second person (you did this, you said that etc) which whilst genius and incredibly unique was a little weird and off-putting at times. I will happily read another one by him but maybe choose a little more carefully. 3 stars (sorry dad, I promise I tried).

So there you go, some great (some incredibly great) and some not so great. What have you read lately?

14
Jul
2015

Book Review: Seeing Stars with Aurora

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

I have put off writing the review for Aurora, almost entirely because when I love a book this much it’s so intimidatingly difficult to think about how to put it all into words. I’ll try anyway.

I haven’t read a sci-fi novel in such a long time, and yet they were some of the first books I was exposed to thanks to my dad being a bit of a fan himself. Aurora reminded me of how amazing a good sci-fi can be, in a unique way that I never really experience in other genres.

Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson

Summary: This epic novel takes place in space, upon a generational ship on its way to find new, habitable places for humans to colonise. We join this group of 2000 voyagers (who have been born on the ship) as they near their destination in the Tau Ceti solar system, where their hundreds of years of travel and existence on a flying biome will come to its end, hopefully, with settlement on Aurora.

My Thoughts: There is an undefinable romance when it comes to the mystery of Space. The idea of travelling beyond Earth and exploring other solar systems is equally terrifying and exhilarating, and Aurora does such a spectacular job of capturing this in a novel that somehow effortlessly creates a cinematic experience of trying to find a home beyond Earth. Our narrator is the space ship itself, which is such a cleverly executed method of telling this story, and the way that this adventure unfolds was so utterly compelling that I could barely tear myself away.

People have ideas. They live in their ideas, do you understand? And those ideas, whatever they happen to be, make all the difference. – Badim, Aurora

The relationships in the book are also impressive in their thoughtfulness, from the mother-daughter/father-daughter dynamics of our main characters to the group behaviours that unfolded. The characters were interesting, and yet believable which is important in such a huge setting, and a plot that revolved around some complex notions like ecology and politics. Everything in this book was done so perfectly, from the way the events unfolded, to the use of language and our endearing narrator, to the cinematic imagery that was being conjured in my brain with every sentence I read. It was so impressive that I had several of those nights where sleep became a forgotten necessity and all I thought about was how on Earth this could come to an end.

What I liked: I loved the whole experience, and there isn’t often a book where I get so emotionally invested. I think it was a true sign of KSR’s talent that despite Aurora taking place over such a long time period, and involving so many events and characters, it still felt immediate, and real, and personal. There was enough science and explanation that I felt like I learnt something, and yet not too much as to remove any of the drama of the story itself. I was so emotionally invested in the outcomes of this ship and its inhabitants that in some way it was a relief to have it end and be able to breathe again. The thing I liked most about the book was the narrator and the ingenious ways in which it developed throughout the story. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before being used in a novel, but it worked so incredibly well.

What I didn’t like: The ending something that I can see others potentially not loving, I however thought it was perfect, and linked back to the beginning so ingeniously.

Worth a read: For anyone with an interest in sci fi/ecology/artificial intelligence/sociology, I would say yes. For anyone who is happy to go sleep-deprived, and come across as a little crazy when people happen to ask what you are reading, yes.

Rating: 5 stars, all of the stars.

*ps. Aurora was provided for me to read, with no obligation to review, and I couldn’t be more elated that I was given the chance to get back into such a fascinating genre with such a beautiful book. All opinions are my own.

**pps. If you want an awesome song to go along with this review there’s is Sea of Voices which felt strangely appropriate.

Image source

11
Jun
2015

Book Review: Church of Marvels

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry

This book arrived at my door and from the moment I saw its beautiful cover, I had a feeling I was in for a treat. Lately, books have been taking me forever to read, regardless of how great they are. Church of Marvels was demolished in two days (this was achieved with sleep deprivation and some casual anti-social attitudes towards colleagues at lunchtime, sorry). It doesn’t take a magician to work out whether I enjoyed this… but I reviewed it anyway so read on.

Summary: This marvellous story revolves around 3 narrators: a twin from a spectacular freak show on a search to find her sister, a wife who has ended up in an asylum with little recollection of how she got there, and an orphan man who cleans up the city at night, and discovers a thread which ties them all together. Set in the dark, and yet enchanting, late 19th Century New York, these characters lives become intertwined during one gripping night that unravels during the novel.

My Thoughts: I haven’t been this engaged with a book for a long time, and I forgot that feeling of truly losing yourself into a whole other world and time, a setting full of dark secrets, unique characters and twisted back stories. This novel was expertly woven together in a way that every chapter left me wanting more, each character’s snippet of their story was never quite enough. The twists and surprises were the perfect kind, subtly implied and presented, but it wasn’t until the reveal where all of the random threads suddenly made sense. This was a world like nothing I had read about before, dark and yet spectacular, dirty and yet magical. Coney island was the perfect backdrop for these characters to come together, and Leslie Parry’s writing was the perfect tool to do so, detailed enough to make each description irresistibly real but not too much so to detract from the rapidly moving story.

We can be a weary, cynical lot – we grow old and see only what suits us, and what is marvelous can often pass us by. A kitchen knife. A bulb of glass. A human body. That something so common should be so surprising – why, we forget it. We take it for granted. We assume that our sight is reliable, that our deeds are straightforward, that our words have one meaning. But life is uncommon and strange; it is full of intricacies and odd, confounding turns.

What I liked: I lose any semblance of eloquence when trying to write a review (I’m not sure I ever had any) but I loved so much about this book. The enchanting and at times disturbing setting, the courageous set of carnival characters and their world of opium dens, hidden identities, mysteries and revelations. Attention to detail, even for seemingly minor characters, made this story lush and complex. The pacing of this story and its surprises were also done really well, enough was given away to make me feel like I was gradually working out what was happening; until the secrets were revealed and then I realised I really had no idea of how deeply intwined the story was. I also really loved the physical appearance of this book…which seems very shallow (okay, it is very shallow) but it just made the whole experience something special.

What I didn’t like: This is tricky..the only thing that was a negative for me (and it’s a bit of a stretch) was that for the first bit of the book I was a bit slow at working out who each character was and understanding their story in relation to everything else. I have heard opinions from others who didn’t love this book as much as me, and I think it was because it has the potential to become confusing due to the interwoven stories and the use of some creative language that at times can feel a little inaccessible. Personally I found the confusing intricacies and the imaginative language of this novel part of its charm, but I guess for some, this made it hard work.

Worth a read: Yes. So much yes. Give Church of Marvels some of your attention and you will be rewarded with an evocative story that entertains just like a spectacular carnival.

Rating: 4.5 stars

*This book was provided to me to read, but as always this space is for my opinions, as un-organised and confusing as they can be. All thoughts and words are my own.

01
Jun
2015

My Foxy Book Challenge #6-10

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

Welcome to June! That means we are one month closer to Christmas, which makes me pretty excited at the same time as being terrified about the passing of time, just like everybody else. So in my rather feeble attempt to read 30 books by the end of this year, I have been making my way through a variety of fiction and non-fiction, albeit rather slowly. Luckily we have just had queen’s birthday in New Zealand so I was able to finish off a book, as well as devote some time to getting better at crochet (it’s an exciting life I lead, obviously).

Here is the next instalment of mini-reviews for what I have read over the last few months (you can read about the first five over here).

1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

This thriller was one I had wanted to read for ages, and once I picked it up it was highly unlikely that it would be put down. Written from the point of view of the three main female characters (all of which are rather flawed and unlikeable) who live separate lives which are becoming increasingly tangled. The stories were set at slightly different time points and so this had the potential to get confusing, but thanks to simple yet gripping writing the suspense never lost me. Fast paced, mysterious and unsettling, this was an awesome book for the people watcher in me who likes to come up with ridiculously farfetched back stories for random people. This is often compared to Gone Girl, and it is similar in some respects, the character development was just as fascinating as more and more is revealed about our narrators. I enjoyed this immensely, even though it wasn’t a very pleasant read at times, and gave a glimpse into lives that others may wish to not be a part of. 5 starts (I love a good thriller)

2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Another rather excellent book to start off this post, Eleanor & Park is a young adult romance (a la John Green style) with two characters who couldn’t seem more different, and yet fall for each other. What has the potential to be just another romance novel becomes something stand out for me. The 80s setting, the engaging characters and their imperfections, the amazing dialogue from each of them (another split narration, letting you see into both sides of this relationship). This was a beautiful book, one of those where I would reread certain passages, just to soak up the depth in their words. There was so much emotion, and anyone who remembers their first love (that one that made you whole and then broke you in two) will relate to the intensity that Rainbow Rowell has captured so incredibly well. Another easy 5 stars, I couldn’t give it anything less.

“You saved me life, she tried to tell him. Not forever, not for good. Probably just temporarily. But you saved my life, and now I’m yours. The me that’s me right now is yours. Always.” Eleanor & Park

3. The Biology of Belief by Bruce H Lipton

Just to break up all the fiction, I did venture into reading a book by this New Biology scientist about how it is not our DNA that controls our life but rather the expression of our genes, which he argues is primarily governed by our environment (meaning that our environment has a bigger effect on our body than our DNA). I don’t know how easy this would be to enjoy without some background in science, but in general I found this engaging thanks to Lipton’s enthusiasm for what he has studied. A lot of it was interesting, and the implications thought-provoking, but some of it was also just a little hard to make the logical leap for. 3.5 stars

4. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George*

I did a whole review on this book a while ago, but I’ll briefly recap. This story about a book apothecary on the seine, healing a long broken heart, and travelling throughout France captured my heart in the same way France itself did. I am a little biased (I will read anything that will make me feel like I am back in Paris or Provence) but this was easy to read and very easy to enjoy. The characters were likeable, the landscape was indescribable (but George did a good job trying), and the story was engaging. 4 stars.

5. One Summer in Venice by Nicky Pellegrino*

Another book that did a great job of taking me back to this time last year, when it was me getting lost in tiny side streets of Venice, instead of Addolorata, a mother and wife from London who escapes to Venice to find herself and decipher what makes her happy. This book has a sort of Eat, Pray, Love vibe, but I don’t think I engaged with the narrator as much as I should have. The setting was incredible, and the details that went into this along with all of the food descriptions/food porn (which I loved) was amazing. The only set back for me was a plot that at times lost its vitality and overcomplicated itself; and a character who I just didn’t quite connect with. It makes for an ideal holiday read, or just something to escape into for a bit. 3.5 stars

Anything that takes me back to my brief but unforgettable time in Venice is worth a read.

Connect with me on Goodreads and don’t forget to like myfoxycorner’s Facebook page!

What have you been reading lately? Let me know if there’s something I should add to my ever-burdened bookshelf.

*These two books were sent to me to read however I was not paid or sponsored for my opinions, and all thoughts are my own.

12
May
2015

The Little Paris Bookshop – Book Review

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

I’ve been lucky enough to be sent a few books to read from Hachette NZ and thought I would throw up quick reviews, at least for the ones worth talking about! Aside from my usual reading roundups, I haven’t really reviewed books before so please feel free to give me feedback on how I can make these more interesting and/or helpful. Or just comment below and let me know you love me, ’cause we all need some love every now and again.

Where most of my reading takes place. In bed.

Summary: The Little Paris Bookshop was published at the beginning of April, and as soon as it turned up at my doorstep I dropped my other book (sorry Outlander, I promise to return!) so I could dive right in. The beautiful cover was enough to perk my France-loving interest.

This story starts off in Paris and centres around Jean Perdu, the owner of a barge-based literary apothecary (I was sold as soon as I saw those two words) on the Seine where he prescribes books to his customers based on their ailments and needs. All of a sudden, he sets off with his young neighbour, searching for writing inspiration (aren’t we all!) down the country in search for closure.

My thoughts: The Little Paris Bookshop was the perfect way for me to escape into a Parisian story of love and friendship, and moving on from events we shut off in our past. Set in one of the most beautiful settings in the world, and with incredibly likeable characters (almost too likeable), it would be hard not to enjoy this book.

It was the kind of read where people interrupting me pissed me off, and I was only slightly ashamed of being rather unfriendly with colleagues. But when you are absorbed in a beautiful story set amongst Paris and Provence, with such vivid descriptions and characters, it can be a rather rude awakening to be brought back to reality. Sorry.

‘Most often he asked, “How should the book taste? Of ice cream? Spicy, meaty? Or like a chilled rose?” Food and books were closely related. He discovered this in Sanary, and it earned him the nickname “the book epicure.”’ – The Little Paris Bookshop

What I liked: The dreamy setting (obviously, France will always be my escape from life), the funny little emotional descriptions our main character came up with, the ending that ties everything up in one satisfying bow and then gives you a few Provençal recipes to leave with (lavender ice-cream is a thing guys!). The Little Paris Bookshop is an easy, relaxing, feel good read, and you can’t finish it without a little bubble of happiness slowly descending over you. All the talk of delicious food can also make you quite hungry, fair warning to all.

What I didn’t like: Sometimes the characters were all a little too perfect. I loved them all, but sometimes I don’t want to love everyone and its nice to have a bit of variety. And we all know the French, they can’t possibly be all that lovely.

Worth a read: Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment immersed in this and felt better off having read it. Any book lover/francophile would enjoy The Little Paris Bookshop. In fact almost anyone would enjoy it, it’s heartwarming in the best sense of the word and would also make an excellent gift.

Rating : 4 stars

*The Little Paris Bookshop was kindly provided to me with no obligations and this has not influenced any of my opinions. I can barely keep track of my own thoughts, let alone someone else’s.

The best part of this book was how vividly it brought to mind my memories of Paris and that beautiful Seine River

30
Mar
2015

My Foxy Book Challenge #1-5

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

Hey fellow book lovers,

Back in 2013 I did the 50 book challenge through Goodreads (which I use and love) and although the blogging trailed off, I was pretty pleased with myself for completing it. Last year reading took a bit of a back seat and I didn’t keep much track of the few books I managed to get through. Reading for me has always been an escape from reality, a journey into my imagination and a source for creativity. I feel more relaxed just by giving myself 10 minutes a day to absorb the pages of a new book (or an old one) and so this year I wanted to try and make more time for it.

2015 has been a bit shaky so far so I lowered the bar to 40 books. I know it seems strange to go backwards in terms of goals but I had a few ridiculously long ones to get through this year (I’m looking at you Luminaries) and didn’t want to set myself up for failure. I’m a bit late in updating the blog so here are the first 5 books I read this year (this is your cue to grab a cup of tea and a good seat).

1. Paper Towns by John Green

I love pretty much everything John Green writes. I lap up his words like milk for the mind. The way he does these character studies that are seemingly simple in their plots and descriptions, but actually have a much more complicated symbolism always boggles my mind. Paper towns was another good book by him, but I hesitantly admit that it wasn’t as great as others like Fault in Our Stars or Looking for Alaska. Unlike before, it took me ages to get through and I didn’t read it as quickly as usual. This could be why I feel like I didn’t *get* the imagery behind the characters and their story. Maybe if I reread it I would feel different. Nevertheless, I can still appreciate the way the book was sectioned into three careful themes and I still loved the way he weaved his story around two young characters. It was definitely a book that leaves you pondering long after you put it down. 3 stars.

2. Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

Lets be honest, autobiographies are normally something I don’t consider wasting reading time on. If I wanted to involve myself with reality I would deal with my own issues. After my flatmate giving this rave reviews and a trip to the beach where I wanted something easy to read, I gave this a go and was really surprised at how powerful this read was. It was a pretty raw and honest depiction of the damage addiction can do to a life, and although the writing sometimes leaves a bit to be desired, it was pretty gripping the whole way through. Definitely not a boring life (although I don’t think I was expecting his to be). 4 stars

3. We Were Liars by E.Lockhart

Okay, so I chose to read this book because I felt a bit defensive about my name being used by an author (how dare they) and I was hoping it would be rubbish so that if I ever became an author, I would be the better E.Lockhart. Alas, it was not to be. This book was unusual and written in a pretty unique way, but once I got into it you couldn’t pry this out of my determined hands. It was a short read and also pretty gripping so I got through this in a couple of days. The book is a suspense novel, with a twist that people smarter than me apparently worked out really early (I’m actually glad I’m not clever enough to work it out because I enjoyed the twist more that way…right?). Its better to just jump in knowing nothing and appreciate its cleverness at the end. 4 stars

4. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

This was a book that I swear took me months and months to finish. This is another true story, written by a young woman who survived as a prisoner for 18 years. Its not a fun or easy read, there were parts where I put the book down and was pretty convinced that I wouldn’t get through the rest. If you can handle an awful situation and a brutally honest retelling then this is definitely worth reading. 4 stars

5. Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb

Ending with the only book I would suggest no one bothers reading, this crime novel set in the future was a book chosen for book club (not by me I might add). Maybe I am misjudging because there are a whole series of books based around Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas before this, but I didn’t enjoy this at all, and I have a BIG section of my book loving heart dedicated to crime fiction. They are my Mills & Boon. This was pretty rubbish, the setting was pointless and a little confusing, the plots were complicated but not in a way that ever made sense, the characters were annoying and made me angry most of the time. I gave this book more stars than it deserved. If you are looking for a good crime message just flick me a comment because there are SO many that I could suggest over this. 2 stars

Bit of a mixed bag, hopefully my book choices improve over the course of the year. Don’t forget to keep up with me over on Goodreads.

What have you been reading so far? Let me know if you are doing any book challenges this year

10
Dec
2013

My Foxy Reading Corner: #39-44

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

Hi All,

Apologies for the long gap between posts. Life sometimes takes an unknown turn and suddenly blogging takes a back seat.

I know I should be blogging solely about all things Christmas but I am in dire need of throwing a quick reading update in as I have one more after this to do at the end of the year. So hear are books 39-44!

1. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell

I had high hopes for this book but was a little disappointed in what was a rather busy, shallow chick lit read. The characters were mostly rather unlikeable and the story lines were nothing spectacular. It took me a while to get into it and once I did I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the read to some extent but not something I would recommend seeing as there is so much to read and so little time. 3 Stars

2. Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Okay so confession time….I didn’t enjoy this very much at all and thought the characters lacked proper development, the reader was thrown into the middle of a pretty confusing story and it was pretty average. Here is where it gets rather shameful. I realised after reading and complaining about this that it is in fact the third book in a series. The conclusion in fact. And somehow I read the entire thing thinking it was the first. Suddenly the lack of information on characters and sub plots make a lot of sense whilst I sit in a corner sorry for all my criticisms. So yeah, average book but mainly because I am sure the two books before hand do a lot for the story. It still wasn’t good enough that I can be bothered going back to the first two… 3 Stars (Probably deserves more but who knows)

3. Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

Ah, I love authors that never fail to dissapoint. Whilst this isn’t my favourite novel of hers I can always rely on a very enjoyable read when it comes to Gerritsen. This creepy story centered around a child who is the lone survivor of his family’s mass murder and a pretty strange school sanctuary this book was a quick and satisfying read. One of my favourite crime/thriller authors and the two females leads are great characters throughout most of her books. 4 Stars

4. Serenity: The Shepherd’s Tale by Zack Whedon et al.

Are graphic novels cheating cause if so I kind of cheated. I have been pining after Serenity since falling in love with the TV series and Shepherd’s mysterious, religious character was one I was desperate to know more about. I don’t read many graphic novels but this one was a quick and easy read however I was left with a sense that I had just seen the shorts for a movie and not really delved into a character’s past like I had hoped to. The drawing was nice to look at but at times it was a little difficult to read. Not bad but could have been SO MUCH MORE. 3 Stars

5. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

So this is the third book in another series but I had actually read the first two in this case so I guess that’s progress.. I loved this dystopian series and was very excited for this books released. The conclusion to the series was okay but also felt a little forced in some places. The narration by the two characters was weird at first but worked once I got used to it. I like that the author wasn’t afraid to make big moves and overall they were done well. Very enjoyable thought not perfection but a good end for a must read series. 4 Stars

6. The Marriage Plot by Jeffery Eugenides (I will never say his name right. Ever.)

I was excited to finally read my first book by this rather popular author and the novel did not disappoint. At first I kind of floundered around in what felt at times a little over written but by a quarter of the way I was taken. Not everyone loves this book and I can see why. Some sentences are just so strange and bizarre but at the same time were what made me fall in love with the writing and the characters. For me I guess the juxtaposed characters, pretentious prose and the beautifully written love triangle cliche come across as unique and absorbing. A book that I just wanted to spend hours with so I could savour every word and that doesn’t happen very often. 5 Stars

All in all a bunch of solid books but a couple I could have happily missed. If you want to keep an eye on my reading follow me on Goodreads where I am happy to announce I am officially on track for reading 50 books in 2013! Exciting stuff guys.

Hope you are all having a great week!

31
Oct
2013

My Foxy Reading Corner: #33-38

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

Hi All!

Today I thought I would quickly throw up my next 6 books in my mission to read 50 books before December 31st. I actually have read ten books total since my last update but thought it might be better to break it up evenly. I’m currently on track to finishing my 50 book challenge which is exciting but I am actually kind of sad about the idea of it ending. I have to find a slightly different challenge that I can try next year….

#1: The Boy in Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. A pretty popular book and movie to is this sad story about an unlikely friendship. I knew this would be a tear jerker but was still kind of stunned (in a bad way) by the ending I’m glad I finally read this classic story and it was a nice easy read aimed primarily at a younger audience (although how they coped I will never know). 4 stars.

#2: The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. I rather enjoyed the chick flick movie version of this book so thought I would read the book itself. The book lived up to my expectations and was a fun read and a way to turn off at the end of a hard day. Nothing groundbreaking or especially unique but well written with strong characters and an interesting story/setting. 4 stars (maybe a little generous but out of the chick flick genre this is a definite favourite).

#3: Cleo by Helen Brown. Being a crazy cat lady I naturally attract cat related books so I was lent this biographical story of a NZ journalist and her family (fury members included). I am not a big fan of biographies so I was reluctant to read this. In the end I read it purely out of social obligation so I could return the book to my collegue. I ended up really enjoying this, way more than I expected to. The story was sad and funny, real and yet still an escape. The cat, Cleo, was a great character and tugged at my crazy cat lady heart strings. A good kiwi read and perfect for a weekend or holiday at the beach.

#4: A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. As I mentioned last time I am a big fan of The Curious Incident of the Dog and the Nighttime so when I saw this book by the same author at a book swap I couldn’t resist. The story was about a dysfunctional family and an older man who believes he is going crazy with old age. Chaotic and messy the story was good and I enjoyed the characters however I found the writing a little hesistant in places and the story seemed to drag on a little bit. Not a bad read but not as amazing as the Curious Incident. 3 stars.

#5: Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden. I read the start of this series as a kid and thought I would revisit is as I remembered the series being good but never got very far. Centered around a group of Australian kids who go camping and upon their return to civilisation find out (*Spoiler alert*) that their town has been invaded in some sort of world war three. Written in a gripping way with likeable characters and lots of action this book didn’t fail to dissapoint and I can’t wait to read the rest. 5 stars.

#6: Crossed by Ally Condie. The second in the Matched YA series told from the two view points of Cassia and Ky who are both trying to find each other in the outer provinces. This was interesting and enjoyable but their are so many great YA dystopian novels that this one doesn’t stand out as anything particularly special. I have the third one ready to read soon and finish off this trilogy so fingers crossed for an exciting end! 3 Stars.

See you guys soon with my next six!

18
Sep
2013

My Foxy Reading Corner: #25-32

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner, Uncategorized

Hi All!

Having a sick day off work today to try and recover from this combo cold/migraine situation so lets pray one day of rest is enough. Not that I don’t enjoy the chance to sit at home and drink tea all day. I would read if my eyes would stop watering for no reason haha. Anyway, who is ready for another installment? I am currently two books behind in my challenge…but I have faith I can make that up..hopefully.

#25 Poison Study (Study #1) by Maria V Snyder: So this is a random book I picked up which is the first in a YA series around a young girl who is due to be executed but instead is offered the option of being a poison taster for the Commander. I enjoyed the read but it wasn’t anything particularly special. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships but overall it was an average book and I doubt I will read the other books in the Study series. 3 Stars

#26 The New World (Chaos Walking #0.5) by Patrick Ness: So this probably shoudn’t count seeing as it was very short and just functioned as an introduction into the world and characters from the Chaos Walking series. However seeing as I am currently 2 books behind in my 50 book challenge I’m gonna go ahead and count it anyway…so sue me. This prequel introduces one of the two core characters of the series and was a nice short intro into Viola’s story. 3 Stars

#27 The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness: This was the first book in the Chaos Walking trilogy, I can’t remember where I first heard of the series but I went into it knowing basically nothing about the stories (apart from what the prequel revealed). The main character Todd is likable in naive kind of way and as the reader you really feel for him in the confusion of his story. This YA series is set on a planet where men’s thoughts are not able to be hidden. Todd then finds a female (of which there are none left in his town) and together they embark on a pretty intense task. There was only part of this series I DID NOT ENJOY. I won’t say too much but it made me want to bawl my eyes out. Be warned. 4 Stars

#28 City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare: With the movie having come out here recently for the first in The Mortal Instruments series I thought I should venture into this fantasy YA series that seems to be so popular. It was ok…I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I don’t have a lot to say, it was a fine read, the characters were at times a little annoying. I may push through and try read some more in the series if I get my hands on them. We shall see. 3 (generous) stars

#29 The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell: I loved Sex and the City but have never read any books by Candace Bushnell so when I got my hands on the first story about Carrie when she was at a small town high school I gave it a go. I really enjoyed this light hearted read. The characters were at times annoying/frustrating but in a way that was reflective of what people were like at highschool. Carrie was true to form, fabulous and unique. The story was surprising and moving and funny. Candace’s writing was easy to read and I would love to read some more books by her! 4 Stars

#30 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time by Mark Haddon: Okay, so I have already read this book ages ago but couldn’t resist picking it up again. The story of a young high functioning autistic individual who sets about to solve a neighborhood animal murder is a gem of a book. Mark Haddon captures the young Christopher’s narration and thoughts in a truly unique and captivating way. Trying to keep up with an autistic mind’s tangents and points of view was overwhelming at times but in a truthful and realistic way. A book I would recommend to anyone and everyone. 5 Stars

#31 The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2) by Patrick Ness: I couldn’t wait long before reading the next book in the Chaos Walking series, especially because the first book left us in quite a cliff hanger of a situation. This book was narrated by both Todd and Viola in alternative chapters which offered up an insight into both sides of a tense and stressful situation. The story was again emotional and moving at times and action packed at others. The characters just continue to improve and develop and I enjoyed the writing style in this even better than in the first book. 4 Stars

#32 I Am Legend by Richard Matheson: I LOVED the movie with Will Smith however I knew going into reading this book it was very different to the movie. Robert Neville is our main character and the last “living” man on Earth so hasn’t succumbed to a bacterial infection that turned human race into a vampire-like species. Most of the book is devoted to the monotonyo of his daily survival (but it doesn’t come across as boring, just depressing). Towards the end he meets another character and the already depressing story takes a turn for the worse, The story ends in a thought-provoking manner. All in all I didn’t enjoy reading the story cause it was depressing as hell but I still think its an amazingly written story that is at the top of my read list. 5 Stars.

Done! Only 28 books to go. Any recommendations please share And don’t forget to follow me on Goodreads

Liz xx

26
Aug
2013

My Foxy Reading Corner: #17-24

categories: My Foxy Reading Corner

Hi All!

So it has been a SHAMEFUL amount of time since my last reading corner update. I’m falling a little behind in my efforts to read 50 books by the end of the year, but I am determined so let the long nights trying to finish books commence. But not really because lately I have been exhausted enough without any extra reading involved. Anyway, today I thought I would share my next 8 books, there are 12 in total I have read since the previous update (which seems like a lifetime ago) but I thought splitting them up was a little more sensible.

#17 The Host by Stephenie Meyer: Okay so I am only slightly ashamed to admit I thoroughly enjoyed the Twilight series. Like I know it wasn’t Shakespeare or Harry Potter but I was rather happily sucked in to the stories (TEAM EDWARD) and quite frankly never wanted them to end (phew, glad that’s out. Time for some wine before I disappear into some 14 year old). So after Twilight I was actually a little shamefully excited to read and watch The Host. I read it and kind of enjoyed it but not much about the story really stuck with me, and if anything it tended to just annoy me. It was fine but nothing special and no where near as good as the Twilight series in my opinion. Also it was a pretty poor attempt at a very average sci fi story line (and I LOVE me some sci fi). And PLEASE don’t ask me whether I enjoyed the movie. 2 Stars (I actually gave this 3 stars in Goodreads when I read it way way back but I can’t bring myself to do it now).

#18 Matched by Ally Condie: Another rather popular YA dystopian series in a universe where people are matched with their life partners based on all sorts of compatibility ratings and emotions aren’t really involved (there is a lot more to it but hey, I read it like 3 months ago). This was fine but not that memorable. I can’t even really recall much about the main characters. I will read on with the series but seemed pretty similar to others like Delirium and just not as good. Maybe it will get better, who knows. 3 Stars (this can have the full 3 purely because it wasn’t quite as painful in some places as the host).

#19 The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick: I truly enjoyed this read (and would read it again if I didn’t have so many others to get through). I can see why people draw parallels with The Perks of Being a Wallflower, it just feels similar in its sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking honesty and its quirky characters that are so imperfect and unique that you are completely drawn in. Excited to watch the movie and not sure why I haven’t yet to be honest. 4 Stars.

#20 The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton: Michael Crichton is a sci-fi thriller author who I know I can turn to for some fast paced, enjoyable rides in a world of political lies, untamed biology and terrifying possibilities. I enjoyed this one which centered on a deadly particle from out of space and a group of scientists chosen to try and save us from it. At times awkwardly written but tense, enjoyable and still scientific/technical which I like. 3 Stars.

#21 Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver: After rather enjoying Delirium I moved on to the second in the YA dystopian series and actually ended up enjoying it more than the first. I felt it was faster paced, held more tension and emotion and just had a slightly more exciting story line. Needless to say I’m excited to read the third!!! #4 Stars

#22 Echo Burning by Lee Child: Another classic series that I always know I can enjoy is the Jack Reacher action/thriller series and I have been trying to read the books in the series that I missed out when I was a bit younger. This is number 5, centered on a woman desperate for Reacher’s help with an abusive husband who is about to come back out of prison. As usual was a thrilling enjoyment from start to finish. 4 Stars.

#23 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Okay so this was a book EVERYONE raved about and one I had for ages and just couldn’t get around to reading. Once I started it was still a little stop start (mostly my fault) and it wasn’t until the last third of this book that I really started appreciating the story and every puzzle piece that made it so unique. The characters, the writing, the narrator…everything worked really well and although it wouldn’t be in my top ten books ever like I know it is for some others I did thoroughly enjoy everything this book offered up. A unique and special read that should be on everyone’s list. 5 Stars.

#24 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: I wanted to reread this, having not done so since I was rather young and with the movies coming out and what not. I knew I would enjoy it, it was pleasant, easy to read and felt comforting like an old blanket. Not a lot else to say, a well written book in a universe I love. Oh and the illustrations are amazing. Only gave it 4 stars just because I love some books a lot more.

Phew, good job for getting through that. Another update to come in the next week or so Meanwhile if you have any book recommendations please share!

Coming up next is some tea inspired ramblings….want to see my new favorite? Too bad it’s coming up anyway.

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