Day 209 – How could I go anywhere with my throat threatening everyone? (pg 68)

Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish comes from my winnings from the Book Depository and is another woeful teenage ‘horror’ story in the vein of Twilight garbage.

I completely fail to understand how anyone could be swept away by this story. See the quote above for a lovely example; ‘My throat threatening everyone?’ oh give me a break, parts of the story that were evidently supposed to be horrifying made me laugh in disbelief at the ridiculous manner in which they were written.

I did not care about the stupid characters, their ‘plight’, nor the ‘mysteries’ they faced. I found it very easy not to turn the page, fell asleep while trying to read it and would often put it down to go and do more exciting things like clean the toilet. I will not even bother providing you with a general overview of plot, as it may in fact put you to sleep.

Harsh? Possibly, however if I was not sworn to finishing the books on the list, I would’ve given this away to the op shop by page 2.

I do find it quite interesting to note however, the amazing reviews it has been given. Apparently wishy washy Twilight rubbish is what teenagers want these days. I can only hope there aren't anymore in my list of books yet to read.

72 days remaining, 17 books to go.

Day 207 – I went to look at one of the books, but I’m scared to. I’m scared to do anything (pg 140)

I did happen to finish One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest about 4 weeks ago, I have just been terribly hopeless at blogging. Thankfully I did write down all of my thoughts soon after I finished the book so my review is quite ‘fresh’ I assure you!

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey is quite a disturbing book. I had previously seen a short scene from the film while at film school so my experience of the book was a little tainted. The story takes place in a mental asylum in the 1960s (which is when it was written and am assuming when it is set).

The tone of the story reminded me a little of Catcher in the Rye. Interesting side note, during his life J. D. Salinger would not allow Catcher in the Rye to be made into a film. Now that he has passed away, apparently Hollywood directors are falling all over themselves to try and secure the rights... a shame really I think. I am however quite interested to see One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on screen now.

The descriptions Kesey provides from the point of view of the main character the ‘Chief’ about the life in the asylum and the forest of his childhood are magical.

The way the ward is described creates an atmosphere, although oppressive and confined, that is accepted without question by the reader.

A confronting but also beautiful book, if I was to give out stars... 4 stars from me!

74 days remaining, 18 books to go.

Day 207 - I fancied a look at some pregnancy and child-care books, but I discovered most of them are absolutely shocking (pg 136)

Oh holy whoops. I am very very very behind in my reading and it’s now going to be an epic effort to find myself at the finish line victorious.

Two books have been added and completed in this time; What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel and Up The Duff by Kaz Cooke.

Why have these books been added? Well surely that is quite obvious?! I am both up the duff and expecting a small thing at the beginning of February next year. I am also currently planning my wedding for October this year and will be on my honeymoon in Tasmania when the deadline comes to pass...

Now while I have also borrowed other books from the library on the topic of pregnancy, I have found it best just to stick to the two mentioned above. They are brilliant books.
What to Expect when You’re Expecting is a good reference book, you can quickly look up what is going on if your hair suddenly turns blue or you start doing the nut bush uncontrollably (these are not official symptoms of pregnancy , I am merely saving those who are reading a blog about books and not one about pregnancy from the ups and downs and ins and outs of it all.)

Up The Duff is also extremely informative with multitudes of humour thrown in for good measure. This helps a lot when one finds oneself in such a condition as this. It is very easy to read and my future husband has even been found to be perusing the pages week by week keeping tabs on our baby’s development. The quote above is taken from Up The Duff. I would highly recommend both if you in fact require such books as these.

74 days remaining, 19 books to go (oh my)

Day 166 – You mean your great novel with all your choice comments about my mother? (Pg 88)

Katy Carter Want's a Hero by Ruth Saberton, was actually better than I had expected. It's the story of a 29 year old woman who decides to pack in her job and take off to the seaside to write a novel... oh glorious escapism!

The story did become a little tedious. I got rather sick of the hopeless and ridiculous situations Katy got herself into that she really should’ve seen coming, however it was not to be taken too seriously.

I loved the beginning of the novel were when Katy was writing her romance novel and lines from her writing would slip into the story, I laughed out loud at some of them; ‘The voice contained a potent masculinity that made the small golden hairs on Millandra’s slim arms ripple deliciously’. Towards the end of the book these lovely lines disappeared and I didn't find the story quite as enjoyable. Funny that, I never thought of myself as a Mills and Boon girl.

This book comes from the pile of 'winnings' from the book depository and I’m quite happy that I’ve actually enjoyed one of these. I’m now much more hopeful that there may be a hidden gem in the pile.

119 days remaining, 19 books to go.

Day 159 - Went on to illustrate the fact that some people never read anything properly, or if they do, they ignore what they see (Pg 85)

I have enjoyed the adventures and musings of Monica Dickens (daughter of Charles), domestic servant / cook-general. Apparently she wrote this book in 3 weeks and I wonder if she kept a journal during her various employment situations or if she just sat down one day and proceeded to write it all out in one go.

One Pair of Hands is quite an amusing account of persons and social classes during the 1930s, and I did not fail to notice similarities with today’s social structures. Monica was not particularly ‘up to’ most of the different tasks she took on, and it is rather astonishing that she fails to improve her skills at all! She is also a most dreadful liar, telling all kinds of stories about widowed mothers and sisters dying of pneumonia.

I am very interested to read the next book in the series, One Pair of Feet, as it is about her time working as a nurse. One can only imagine what the poor patients must have endured under her ‘care’!

Still behind on the pile, doing my best to catch up.

125 days remaining, 20 books to go.

Day 146 - Knowing I loved my books, he furnished me from mine own library with volumes that I prize above my own Dukedom (160)

Oh folly and fate, thy hast found me most wretched. I have tarried too long and time itself, that fickle mistress, begins to elude me.

Over halfway through and I have arrived squarely back at 21 books to read. Life has distracted me from my course and I now have under a week for each book that remains. This seemingly simple undertaking has become more complicated than first imagined. I will not give up, I plan to prevail and stand the victor upon a pile of read books.

Yes I have just completed The Tempest and no it should not have taken me almost a month to read. I could easily have read it in a day, however as I said, life has distracted me.

Shakespeare wrote plays, plays which I enjoy watching very much. I have come to the conclusion that one should not read Shakespeare unless one is studying it for literary or thespian related pursuits. I did enjoy The Tempest, however it takes a large amount of concentration and Shakespeare is much more enjoyable when performed. My recommendation would therefore be to see The Tempest, and not to read it.

138 days remaining, 21 books to go.

Day 125 - Reading those birthday and Christmas books we never got round to reading (Pg 471)

I found A Spot of Bother to be rather enjoyable. There are some parts that are a little graphic and not quite so amusing (mainly the character George performing surgery on himself using scissors) but all in all, it’s an entertaining read about just how mad families can be.

I don’t often say this about books, however I can really see this as a film. It’s English, and the Brits do this type of humour very well. I couldn’t find anything through google about plans for a film, however I think it would be very remiss of the British Film Industry to let this gem pass them by. Perhaps I should buy the film rights from Mark Haddon as an investment... hmmm don't you go stealing my idea now...

159 days remaining, 22 books to go.