The Story Factory Reading Zone

The Friday 56 #15 DragonQuest

2012-03-09T11:04:00.000Z

Hosted by Freda's Voice

Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey

He could consoe himself with the fact they hadn't been able to escape all the implications of this incident.

Musing Mondays #11

2012-03-05T16:08:00.000Z

Hosted by Should Be Reading

This week’s musing asks…
When you walk into a bookstore — any bookstore — what’s the first section you head toward (what draws you)?

I used to always be drawn to the science fiction/fantasy, but nowadays I'm most likely to start at general fiction. Although, to be honest, I'm just as likely to stop off at any other bookshelves before it on-route.

Writing a Reply #2

2012-03-02T17:45:00.000Z

Welcome to my monthly reply to all your lovely comments. I really do appreciate your comments and I wish I had time to reply to all of them straight away but, unfortunatly, I just don't have the time. So please take this post by way of an apology and a chance to finally get the response you may have been hoping for.

Michele @ http://abigailannreadi... - The Corridors of the D... 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Hum, Interesting--thank you for posting this review on my linky!! I am now following you on GFC!!

Michele aka MikiHope www.mikishope.com

Thankyou for hosting the linky Michelle. I love to be able to share my reviews with others, especially those who might not read them otherwise. Corridors of the Dead is currently taking a new bookcrossing journey, it will be interesting to see where it ends up next.

TrueBookAddict @ http://abigailannreadi... - Winter Respite Readath... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · +1 points

Wow, I like your covet more than mine! I'll add that to my coveted home library list, if you don't mind. Lovely description of your books. I didn't need a picture. Your description painted a picture in my mind. I can tell you love your books as much as I love mine and it seems we might have similar reading tastes. Thanks for playing!

I dream of a place where I could have as many books as I want, all easily available to reach. Or even better, my own private library from which I could lend people books but always know where they were so that I could get them back and read them again whenever I wanted. But I guess most readers dream of that!

I love writing and I guess that must have come across in my description. Thanks for the compliment. And thankyou for hosting- I just love readathons and their challenges!

TrueBookAddict @ http://abigailannreadi... - Winter Respite Readtho... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · +1 points

That sounds really good. Thanks for playing!

I had great fun with the mini-mini-challenge. It was great to try and put together sentences from various parts of the book so that they still made sense in some way. I'm not sure I quite managed, but I think it nevertheless gives a good flavour of the book as a whole.

Laurie @ http://abigailannreadi... - Winter Respite Readath... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

dang, I wish I had found this when you started so I could have joined in. Sounds like you enjoyed it :)

Laurie
(alexa hopping from http://agoddessofliterature.com)

The Winter Respite Readathon was great fun! Sorry that you missed it, maybe you can join in next time?! You may have noticed that I do lots of readathons around here- keep an eye out in my 'Readathons and Reading Challenges' tab if you want to be sure of catching those that I'm signed up to.

Now hopping back

Brandilyn @ http://abigailannreadi... - Winter Respite Readath... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

I keep trying to find time to read... it isn't happening though :(
Alexa Hopping from http://www.BuildingCarpenters.com Now following you everywhere:)

Woah, following me everywhere sounds scary ;) Seriously though, thanks for the visit and the following. Hoping back over to see you now.

TrueBookAddict @ http://abigailannreadi... - Winter Respite Readath... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · +1 points

You did a great job, Abigail. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for joining me and I hope you will consider joining me for my next one. It will be in the Spring and I'm hosting at my other blog, Castle Macabre. Be watching for details!

Thanks. I loved doing the Winter Respite Readathon. I won't be doing your next one as its not really my genre, but the next time there's a non-genre-specific readathon I'll no doubt join you again.

diane @ http://abigailannreadi... - First Chapter, First P... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

That is an interesting intro -- think I'd need to read a bit more to decide whether this one's for me. enjoy

One paragraph is better than a line, but with Pratchett the start is quite mysterious. If you haven't spotted it already, I've posted a review of Pyramids here. Hopefully that will help you get a better idea of if you'd like to read it or not. It used to be my favourite Pratchett book, but I'm not so sure anymore.

Trudy Z @ http://abigailannreadi... - Operation Deepen Faith... 4 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

I need to do this type of project too.
Visiting from the Alexa hop. I took the time to write a review and hope you will do the same on one of my blogs. http://www.made-only-in-usa.com http://www.boystobooks.com

Thanks for your visit. Operation Deepen Faith has been going OK for me at the moment, but some of my fiction reading is starting to get in the way of my books about the bible reading- more in my monthly update soon.

I popped across to your blogs, but couldn't see a review- did you mean this comment? If not, drop me a link because I'd love to see the review. I'm popping back across to 'boys to books now' now to say hi properly.

Bonnie @ http://abigailannreadi... - Wicked Winter Readatho... 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Fantastic idea! Can you imagine the culture shock when you woke up? ;)

Thanks for the compliment. Ice just made me think of cryogenic status, that's all! It would be an enormous culture shock when you woke up. Interestingly enough I watched a Stargate episode the other day which had a similar plot- on a planet had been devastated the natives went into a sort of virtual reality which sustained and nourished them. Eventually, after lots of unexpected delays, they woke up to find their planet thriving with life once more. The first thing they did was to pick the flowers!

Kim @ http://abigailannreadi... - Wicked Winter Readatho... 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · +1 points

Bloggity Blog just hopping over to share some love! http://my-bloggityblog.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the hop. Hopping back over to you to show my appreciation.

Claire @ http://abigailannreadi... - Wicked Winter Readatho... 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Brilliant teaser! I love Terry Pratchett. Thanks for taking part :)

Terry Pratchett is brilliant isn't he! I just love the way his fantasy takes elements of real life and distorts then into something else completly different. Its such an intelligent kind of wit!

Savings is free @ http://abigailannreadi... - Book Blogger Hop #7 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Stoping by from Alexa hop!

Thanks for the visit

spar9797 @ http://abigailannreadi... - Teaser Tuesday #20 Gua... 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · +1 points

Visiting from MVM Alexa Hop. Make it a great day :)

Its already a great day! Hope your day is as great as mine :)

Paige @ http://abigailannreadi... - Teaser Tuesday #20 Gua... 3 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Sounds interesting! Here's my teaser.
http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/2012/02/teas...

Guards! Guards! certainly is an interesting book. And I'll tell you what else is interesting- I seem to be getting more comments on Pratchett books than on my other review. Must mean something!

Popping by to visit your teaser now.

Centsablelady @ http://abigailannreadi... - Pyramids by Terry Prat... 2 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Just stopping by from the alexa hop. Come by and leave some alexa love: http://www.centsablelady.com

It's really interesting the mix of people that visit during an Alexa hop. I usually pop by all the book-related sites that are there when I sign up, but there only seem to be a few of those at the moment. Thanks for visiting me. I'm dropping by your site now- 'see' you there! (What a catchy name btw)

sharon martin @ http://abigailannreadi... - War horse by Michael M... 2 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Liking the review xx

Alexa hopping and saying hi :-) http://www.beckvalleybooks.blogspot.com and www.beckvalleybooks.co.uk xx

Glad you liked the review. War Horse is one of those books that I felt it was important to read before I saw the movie. Still haven't managed to get round to seeing the film however *rolls eyes*. Interestingly, I took this book to a local bookcrossing meetup the other day and everyone wanted it- even more popular than I thought!

pussreboots @ http://abigailannreadi... - TGIF at GReads #4: Blo... 1 week ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Hard to believe February's more than half over. Happy Blog Hop. I hope you stop by.

I know, February has gone so fast! It may take me a while to stop by but if you leave a link then I always will eventually. Stopping by now.

Alexa Loves Books @ http://abigailannreadi... - TGIF at GReads #4: Blo... 2 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Building an audience and appealing to them with your posts is definitely something you should be proud of! :)

Now I just have to find an efficient way of quickly replying to comments in a meaningful way.

Darla @ http://abigailannreadi... - TGIF at GReads #4: Blo... 2 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

I can't help but enjoy watching as the follower numbers go up too. Just because then I know for sure someone has been reading my blog and the stats aren't just someone googling some random sentence and wound up at the blog.

Here's my FF
http://dfordarlasdefinitereads.blogspot.com/2012/...

Yes, although its becoming more complicated as there are more ways to follow. Does anyone know a way of counting how many people are following you by e-mail / feed? Is that even possible?

Kristin @ http://abigailannreadi... - Saturday 9: I Second T... 1 week ago · 0 replies · 0 points

I am happy being single as well :)

Stopping by from the Alexa Hop! Please stop by my blog at http://wholelottamama.net <3

Isn't it sad that so many people presume your have to be going out with someone to be happy! Stopping by your blog now.

Wickedly Bookish @ http://abigailannreadi... - WWW Wednesdays #11 1 week ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Love Anne McCaffrey! Now I have the urge to pick up one of her books! Happy reading!

Here's mine:
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/

Anne McCaffrey is quite a new writer to me, but I just love books about dragons as a rule. And this one did not disappoint! I'm reading the 2nd book in the series now and finding that good as well.

Valentina @ http://abigailannreadi... - WWW Wednesdays #11 1 week ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Nice mix of books :)
http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/02/www...

My reading is nothing but varied. I just love the fact that I have such a range of genres, time periods and writing styles on my shelves. It means that I rarely get tired of reading since there's always something to pique my interest.

Vicki @ http://abigailannreadi... - WWW Wednesdays #11 1 week ago · 0 replies · +1 points

Ugly To Start With sounds interesting!
Here's My WWW

It was very interesting! The review is now up btw- its here if you're interested.

Thankyou again for all your comments.

I'd love to hear what you think of this method of replying.
Also, feel free to ask me any questions that interest you- I'd love to tell you some more about myself, my reading and my blogging.

Ugly to Start With by John Michael Cummings

2012-03-02T09:00:00.001Z

Blurb:

Jason Stevens is growing up in picturesque, historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia in the 1970s. Back when the roads are smaller, the cars slower, the people more colourful, and Washington, D.C. is was across the mountains- a winding sixty-five miles away.

Review:

A series of short stories, brought together by the simple fact that their main character is the same boy. We read about how his family, and he himself, is changed my the passage of time. Jason's life unfolds rapidly infront of your eyes, showing the ups and downs of his growing up. The perfect book for those who don't have much time to read, each chapter being a story on its own but also fitting together as a whole book.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Action Reader's Action: Write a chapter, or short story, about your own growing up. Plan a time when you will share it with someone special.

Discussion point: Do you prefer reading novels or short stories? Why?

Happy World Book Day

2012-03-01T16:30:00.000Z

If you hadn't realised already today is World Book Day.

It's one of my favourite days of the year- a time when we can really celebrate books! Loads of schools in the UK (and elsewhere in the world, I guess) have been dressing up as bookish characters, doing sponsored reads, or sharing their favourite reads with other classes. And, of course, each child has received a £1 book token to spend at their local bookstore.

The official website says:

This is the 15th year there’s been a World Book Day, and on 1st March children of all ages will come together to appreciate reading. Very loudly and very happily. The main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.

What are you doing to celebrate World Book Day?

Well, I was down in the woods this morning, preparing a big surprise. OK, it wasn't exactly the woods- but it was a big surprise judging by the looks I got. I popped round to an area of trees just over the road from a secondary school and a short walk away from a nearby primary school. Then, and this was the fun part, I hung lots of children's books from the tree branches. Each of them was registered with bookcrossing and protected by its very own plastic bag. The purpose? To encourage passing pupils to enjoy the fun of reading and to provide free books for some of the primary aged children.

4pm, and I passed by the school once more. Where this morning there had been a forest of books, now there were just a few pieces of string and empty bags. I hope this means that they've found a good home (or stopping place to rest before their next journey.

I'd like to give a big thankyou to all the bookcrossers for encouraging me to keep releasing through they're own great stores and those who have picked up and journalled my releases for giving me great joy. But a particular big thanks goes to MissMarkey for giving me the idea of making a bookcrossing tree for children.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (A Review)

2012-02-26T13:28:00.000Z

Blurb:

After ten long Turns, Lessa was ready to come out of hiding, to reclaim her birthright.... and to Impress the young dragon queen and become Weyrwoman of Benden.

Suddenly the deadly silver Threads once again threatened all Pern with destruction. But the mighty telepathic dragons that for centuries had defended Pern were now few in number, not nearly enough to protect the planet in its hour of greatest peril. Then Lessa hatched a daring and dangerous scheme to rally support from people who had long ago ceased to exist!

My review:

A real classic fantasy, set in a medieval-style world where dragons really do exist. I loved the characters and the complexity of their relationships with one another (and their dragons). It was also a very interesting society, feudal in many respects but somehow more than that. My only disappointment was that it ended on a cliff-hanger; just as well I've got the next instalment at hand to read as soon as possible.

I got this book as part of a bookcrossing spiral

Action Reader's Action: Sponsor and help look after an animal.

Discussion point: What sort of relationships do you have with your animals? Does it feel like they can talk to you?

WWW Wednesdays #11

2012-02-22T16:02:00.000Z

Hosted by Should Be Reading

• What are you currently reading?

Ugly to Start With by John Michael Cummings

Jason Stevens is growing up in pictursque, historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia in the 1970s. Back when the roads are smaller, the cars slower, the people more colorful, and Washington, D.C. is way across the mountains- a winding sixty-five miles away.....

....Ugly To Start With reveals the exuberant highs, bewildering midpoints, and painful lows of growing up, and affirms that adoescent dreams and desires are often fulfilled in surprising ways.

• What did you recently finish reading?

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (review coming soon)

After ten long Turns, Lessa was ready to come out of hiding, to reclaim her birthright.... and to Impress the young dragon queen and become Weyrwoman of Benden.

Suddenly the deadly silve Threads once again threatened all Pern with destruction. But the mighty telepathic dragons that for centuries had defended Pern were now few in number, not nearly enough to protect the planet in its hour of greatest peril. Then Lessa hatched a daring and dangerous scheme to rally support from people who had long ago ceased to exist!

• What do you think you’ll read next?
Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey

Another Turn, and the deadly silver Threads began falling again. So the bold dragonriders took to the air once mor and their magnificent flying dragons swirled and swooped, belching flames that destroyed the shimmering strands before they reached the ground.....

Have you read any of these books? What did you think?

Winner of Strata by Terry Pratchett

2012-02-20T14:35:00.000Z

Thankyou to all the people who entered (we had 317 entries in total!) and to those who helped promote the giveaway.

Now, its the time you've been waiting for. The time to find out who's the winner.

Drumroll please.

And the winner is.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Solange said:

I've not read it

Well, as good reason as ever for wanting to win a book IMO. Hope you'll enjoy reading it when it arrives.

Congratulations. An e-mail has already been sent to you asking for your mailing address.

Saturday 9: I Second That Emotion

2012-02-18T14:27:00.000Z

Hosted by Saturday 9

1. Do you every solicit advise on your love life?

Nope, I'm quite happy being single.

2. What was the last thing you argued with someone about?
Almost certain that would have been some sort of argument with my parents- not sure what it was about though

3. Who do you hate right now?

No-one

4. Who do you love right now?
No-one in a romantic way. In a familiar way- my parents, auntie, grandma etc.

5. Where do you want to be in 6 years?

Working with autistic young people/children for a living

6. What is your craziest vice?

Crazy? Mmmmm, that's a hard one! Probably blue cheese with christmas cake (although it only comes round once or twice a year)

7. How did you celebrate Valentines Day?

I didn't, I thoroughly ignored it

8. What is your most unique or fondest memory of a special Valentine's Day?

Not a special day for me I'm afraid

9. Were you in the same location five years ago that you are today? Would you have expected to be?

Yes, and no. I was expecting to have moved out of my parents' house, but with the financial crisis. *shrugs*

How would you answer these questions? Feel free to leave a link to your responses (or post them in the comments) and I'll try to check them out.

TGIF at GReads #4: Blogger's Pride

2012-02-17T11:33:00.000Z

Hosted by GReads!

Book Blogger Pride: What do you take pride in when it comes to blogging?

I wouldn't say its exactly taking pride, but I love looking at my bloggers stats to see how many people have been reading my blog. I also like looking at my new Alexa toolbar and seeing that my ratings are on the rise. I guess this makes me feel valued by other bloggers/blog readers. I also hope that it means I'm giving others pleasure and that people are interested in what I'm writing.

I do take pride in the range of countries that my readers come from. Its really interesting to pop into my stats and find another new country appearing. Ontop of this, I love the fact that the number of UK readers I'm getting seems to be increasing. One of the aims of my blog is to help independent authors, and most of the books I've been getting are from the US so it feels good to know that I could be helping them break into new territory.

What do you take pride in?

BBRAW 2012: Improvement Abound

2012-02-17T11:01:00.000Z

Hosted by Miss Remmers' Review

Take this opportunity to survey your readers; maybe you haven't done this in years or perhaps ever. Find out what it is about your blog that your faithful readers love, what they wish you wouldn't do (constructive criticism is never a bad thing), what keeps readers coming back for more, what posts they'd love for you to do more of (vlogs etc). The possibilities are endless!

Recently I've been considering different ways of letting people follow me, as well as how I can reply to comments left.

I've set up a presence on facebook, as well as joining networkedblogs and linkyfollowers. I've also tried to make ways to follow a bit more obvious. So my question to you is, how easy do you find it to follow me? Is there anything else I can do to make it easier.

As regards replying to comments- I'd love to reciprocate all the visits that get made, and reply to all your comments straight away. But, unfortunatly, I just don't have the time what with life, reading, posting and other commitments. So I'm trying something new, replying to comments in one giant post near the end of every month. At that point I also check out any blog links I've been given and follow them if they look interesting. In addition, I choose one blog to follow for each meme with a linky that I make a post for. I'd like to know if you feel that I am replying to your comments, whether or not you'd noticed my monthly post and, if not, any suggestions of what I can do about it given my lack of time.

Since I've only just posted a google doc for interview questions, I'm going to ask for replies in the comments this time. I promise to take them onboard, consider them and act on them where possible.

BBRAW 2012: Inspire Me!

2012-02-16T10:49:00.000Z

Hosted by Miss Remmers' Review

Today I have two spectacular choices for you! You could do a reader interview with a reader of your choice OR (if you're not the interview type) you could highlight a blog that you enjoy reading. What is it about this blog that you enjoy, what is it about the reviews, the blogger, the style, the look, etc? If you don't feel comfortable highlighting one blog, be general in regards to a few blogs you enjoy and what you enjoy about them.

I'd love to do a reader interview but, typical me, I didn't look at the schedule ahead of time and therefore don't have one ready. So, instead I'm going to ask you, my readers, to fill in a questionnaire/interview and then I'll post the responses over the next week or so as they come in. I think this will be a great way to get to know you better. And, as an added bonus, I'll throw in a surprise book (that I've read) for one random respondant.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Walking Ulysses

2012-02-16T10:24:00.000Z

Thankyou to Stephanie at So Many Books for introducing me to this fantastic digiital walk through the Dublin of Ulysses. I've never really suummoned up the courage to try Ulysses, but this looks like it could be a great introduction. It really appeals to me as someone interested in history as well.

Check it out and see what you think.

BBRAW 2012: A Memorable Moment

2012-02-15T09:31:00.000Z

Hosted by Miss Remmers' Reviews

Today commemorate a specific reader or moment in your blogging career that has made a significant difference in your IRL or blogging life. It might be that first comment you ever received, the first follower, the first interaction with a reader of your blog on Twitter, the first time an author commented on a review, etc.

For me it has to be the moment I felt I finally had some sort of online relationship with an author. Heidi , author and fellow blogger, sent me a copy of her book Ambasadora for review. After I posted it she linked up to it and commented on my own blog. I series of e-mails followed, accumulating in an interview and thankyou for giving away a copy of her book. I really felt that my blogging activities were being valued and that I was truly helping out a talented new author.

The result? I was even more keen to accept independent authors for review, do giveaways and try my best to interact with other bloggers. Plus, it gave me a great confidence boost. So, thanks Heidi!

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-02-14T15:28:00.000Z

Blurb:

This is where the dragons went. They lie... not dead, not asleep, but.... dormant. And although the space they occupy isn't like normal space. nevertheless they are packed in tightly. They could put you in mind of a can of sardines, if you thought sardines were huge and scaly. And presumably, somewhere, there's a key....

Review:

This tale really hooked me with its talk of dragons and other dimensions. It read partly like a classic fairytale and partly like a comedy. Captain Vimes and the Watch were particularly entertaining, as were Carrot's attempts to understand human nature. I think I'd consider this one of the best Discworld novels that I've re-read so far. It will appeal to all who are observers of the world we live in.

This book was bought by me for my own personal collection

Action Reader's Action: Play your own part in changing the society you live in by writing to your local MP, or other government leader

Discussion point: What do you think makes a good leader?

The bit for Discworld fans: Who is your favourite member of The Watch and why?

War horse by Michael Morpurgo (A Review)

2012-02-13T15:28:00.000Z

Blurb:

A powerful story of the truest friendships in the worst of wars from the award-winning former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo

Review:

This is very much a children's/YA book. I found the writing symplistic at times, the way the horse narrated very human-like. However, the plot well and truly made up for this. It was emotional, heartfelt and truly educational. Overall, a very good book for older children and an OK book for adults.

I bought this book myself

Action Reader's Action: Find out more about the role of animals in wars.

Discussion point: What are your feelings about reading children's/YA literature?

The Fantastic Flying Book of Mr Morris LessMore

2012-02-09T09:00:00.002Z

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Pyramids by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-02-08T15:47:00.000Z

Blurb:

Being trained by the Assassin's Guild in Ankh-Morpork did not fit Teppic for the task assigned to him by fate. He inherited the throne of the desert kingdom of Djelibeybi rather earlier than expected (his father wasn't too happy about it either), but that was only the beginning of his problems

My review:

Quirky and bizzare (even slightly more so than the usual Pratchett fare), this story will be of interest to both fantasy fans and those who are curious about ancient religions. It had a rather weak start, in my opinion, but by half way through the book I was hooked. Whilst it is easily possible to see what influenced the plot, the way these elements were brought together is truly amazing and often unexpected. Not the best Discworld novel, but still brilliant!

This book is part of my permenant collection and was purchased by myself.

Action Reader's Action: Find out more about a religion or belief that is unfamiliar to you.

Discussion point: Do you believe in God(s)? If so, are they always kind?

Extra question for discworld fans: What is your favourite discworld culture and why?

Teaser Tuesday #20 Guards! Guards!

2012-02-07T17:58:00.000Z

Hosted by Should Be Reading

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

Now that their eyes were used to the darkness they could see an indistinct red glow ahead of them. It turned out to be a wall, cooling rapidly.

Wicked Winter Readathon Update #3 (Final update)

2012-02-06T15:40:00.000Z

So, it's all over (far too quickly I might add). But, I still haven't updated you on my final day, so here you are:

Sunday 5th February 2012
A busy day, so only 1hr 30mins reading and I'm still on the same book. But I did have a great time reading this one and taking a break out from some of everyday life to do this readathon. Bring on the next one!

Total reading time: 7hr 30mins
Total number of books finished: 2

Wicked Winter Readathon@ Tease at Random Challenge

2012-02-05T16:03:00.000Z

Hosted by Project To Be Read:

"For this challenge I would like you to tease me at random from your current read. All you need to do is to divide your book roughly into thirds and then randomly select two sentences from each third (so six in total) and put them together to give a good tease."

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

He remembered Wonse as a skinny little kid, always tagging along behind in hand-me-down pants with the kind of odd skipping run he'd invented to keep up with the bigger boys, and forever coming up with fresh ideas to stop them idly ganging up on him, which was the usual recreation if nothing more interesting presented itself. It was superb training for the rigours of adulthood, and Wonse became good at it. A small and extremly frightened golden dragon was clamped firmly under one arm. His other hand held it by the tail. Sparkly stuff. The councillors were not in a poisition to pay much attention to this, however, because of what was hanging above their heads.

Wicked Winter Readathon Update #2

2012-02-05T14:00:00.000Z

Saturday 4th February
I can't believe it- another 3 hours reading and another book finished! So, that's 6 hours and two books finished in total now! I've not taken part in any more challenges because I've been trying not to let my computer distract me, so its' been off a lot of the time.

Today (Sunday) I have quite a lot to do, so I'm not sure how much of 'Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett I'll get read. Good luck to all who are still reading :)

Wicked Winter Readathon Update #1

2012-02-04T13:59:00.000Z

Friday 3rd February 2012
It didn't feel like I read much yesterday, so I was very surprised when I added all the little bits I did up to 3 hours. I would probably have done even more had I note gone out to a literary quiz in the evening (great fun by the way). I finished my first book of the readathon, 'Pyramids by Terry Pratchett' (review to follow later) and am now reading 'WarHorse by Michael Morpurgo' (hopefully prior to going to see the film). I also entered one challenge.

How is your reading going?

National Libraries Day

2012-02-04T11:52:00.004Z

Today is 'National Libraries Day'!

Why not watch this YouTube video....

..... before going out and supporting your own local library!

Wicked Winter Readathon: Fight for Survival Challenge

2012-02-03T10:22:00.000Z

Hosted by Kindle Fever

“A second Ice Age is coming on quickly! What do you do in order to prepare and how do you end up surviving it?”

I'd cryogenically freeze myself and set a timer to wake myself up in a million years or so. I'd also do the same for a whole lot of plant species, so that I'd be able to replant them when I woke up (maybe saving their DNA info as well just to make sure).

Wicked Winter Readathon Starting Post

2012-02-03T10:12:00.000Z

Over the next three days I will be participating in the 'Wicked Winter Readathon'. As usual this means, for me, reducing the amount of TV watching, Reader reading and game playing that I do; and increasing the amount of reading. I'll be reading as many books as I can from my TBR pile and participating in challenges that interest me. Hopefully, it'll be just as great as the last 'Respite Readathon' that I recently undertook and enjoyed immensely.

Just: Imagine (The Social Justice Agenda) by Danielle Strickland & Campbell Roberts (A Review)

2012-02-02T10:18:00.000Z

Blurb:

Just Imagine is a call to action. The authors, both Christians and active proponents of social justice, remind us og the world-changers who shaped our Christian heritage and equipped us with the tools we need to follow in their footsteps. Just Imagine is a thorough exploration of the biblical and Christian foundations of social justice, and a practical guide to applying them in our own lives, in our local and ultimately in our global communities. Filled with inspiring examples, stimulating advice and helpful resources, Just Imagine encourages us to live out the dream of God's just world in our waking lives, and help it to become a reality.

Review:

This truly is an inspiring book. The examples have been carefully chosen and explained in a way which can be related to and which does not seem impossible to come close to emulating with God's help. The book includes clear step-to-step plans for ways to reflection on issues and construct strategies to help others. These are applied to specific issues but, with a little imagination, could be developed to include a much wider range of needs. Throughout my reading I was drawn to exploring issues, groups and strategies in more depth- often finding myself reading next to an open internet screen so as to have more information at my fingertips. Now that I have finished, I'm keen to look at the list of organisation and website links in the back of the book. I've also become more interested than ever in praying to find out what God wants me to do.

I received this book at the Christian Resources Exhibition. All opinions are my own.

Action Reader's Action: Consider what cause you believe is the most important. This could be done through prayer and/or looking at what's been most important to you in the past. Write an Action Plan to help you think about how you can make a difference.

Discussion point: Tell us about a cause close to your heart. Why should we get involved / care about it?

Terry Pratchett Reading Challenge: January Check-in

2012-02-01T15:49:00.000Z

I am so glad that I decided to join in with this challenge. In order to get as many books read as possible, I've decided to make every 2nd book in my immediate TBR pile a Prachett. This, combined with a Discworld Readathon as part of the Bout of Books Readathon, means that I've read quite alot for the challenge this month.

These are the Terry Pratchett books I have managed to read in January (links are to my reviews):

The Colour of Magic

The Light Fantastic

Equal Rites

Mort

Sourcery

Wyrd Sisters

If you're also interested in Terry Pratchett please do consider entering my giveaway to win a copy of Strata. I'd also love to get up some discussion and, with this is mind, have popped a question for fans at the end of each of my reviews- just click on one of the above titles, scroll down to the bottom the post, and then put your reply in the comments.

Operation Deepen Faith: January Check-in

2012-02-01T15:36:00.000Z

You can read more about my resolutions for 'Operation Deepen Faith' here.

Going Deep
I've almost finished reading the NIV translation of Romans (only 1 chapter away). I've set myself the challenge of reading a chapter a day and, most days, I'm managing that.

Meditate
I've been finding this bit a little bit harder. I've chosen to pick a verse each week and put a post about it on my faith blog, 'Blog for the Thought'. I've only actually managed to do it once this past month though.
Here is the link to my post for those that are interested:

Reflection on Romans 8:14

Christian Non-Fiction
I've decided to make every 4th book in my small TBR pile a christian book. Some of these are christian fiction and others are non-fiction. What actually surprised me was how many christian non-fiction books I had on my TBR shelves already. I'm certain that I will make my aim of reading 3 books, as I've already read one this month. I haven't had a chance to post the review yet, but the title is 'Just:Imagine The Social Justice Agenda' by Danielle Strickland and Campbell Roberts.

Are you doing this or a similar challenge? How are you doing?

Patrick Patterson and the World of Others Giveaway Winner

2012-02-01T14:25:00.000Z

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kulsuma said: "Thanks for the giveaway!"

First Chapter, First Paragraph #4

2012-01-31T16:58:00.001Z

Hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea

Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

Nothing but stars, scattered across the blackness as though the Creator had smashed the windscreen of his car and hadn't bothered to stop to sweep up the pieces.

Winter Respite Readathon Wrap-Up Post

2012-01-30T14:49:00.000Z

In my final day I managed to get 1hr30 of reading done- not as good as I'd hoped but OK I guess.

What really surprised me about this readathon was how easy I found it to get engrossed in my books. I read fast, so fast in fact that (for once) my reviews have fallen slightly behind schedule. I also managed to find time to join in with some of the mini-challenges, which is unusual for me during a short event like this.

Next readathon I think I shall stick with just trying to read ans join in challenges as much as I can, rather than setting an actual time / number of books target. Having a variety of books to read also helped me.

I hope that you enjoyed my posts and that they weren't too boring for non-readathon readers- I shall be returning to normal scheduling now for at least a little while. And of course, don't forget to check out the 2 giveaways currently running here (links on the right-hand sidebar).

Readathon Summary
Reading time: 12h30
Number of books finished: 4
Number of challenges participated in: 3
How I feel about this: :)

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-01-30T14:38:00.001Z

Blurb:

Witches are not by nature gregarious, and they certainly don't have leaders. Granny Weatherwax was the most highly-regarded of the leaders they didn't have. But even she found that meddling in royal politics was a lot more difficult than certain playwrights would have you believe....

My review:

A book full of Shakespeare inspired puns, this book is one of Pratchett's best. Its also a perfect start for any new Discworld readers of a literary persuasion, since it doesn't relie on knowledge of the previous books for its plot. What I particulary love about this story though, is how tackles ideas such as destiny and rule in a totally unserious way. Certainly a tale that can be taken on many levels and enjoyed starting from a range of viewpoints.

This book is part of my permenant collection.

Action Reader's Action: Contact your local MP (by letter, e-mail, or in person) to tell them your opinions on an issue that matters to you.

Discussion point: What do you think makes a good ruler?

Question for Discworld fans: Which Discworld book would you recommend someone new to the series to start with?

Winter Respite Readathon Update #4

2012-01-29T10:32:00.000Z

Yesterday (Saturday) I had a decent reading time. I really got into reading 'The Wyrd Sisters' by Terry Pratchett and finished it in 2hr30. Not a bad pace, I think. Review up later today.

Now I'm reading Just:Imagine by Danielle Strickland and Campbell Roberts. It'll be one of the few non-fiction books I read this year, and its really motivating me to try to do more for justice. Look out for my Action Reader Actions at the end of reviews, and on 'Blog for the Thought' (my sister-blog about faith and issues).

Writing a Reply

2012-01-28T12:51:00.000Z

This is my new feature where I reply to some of the questions made in my post comments. If you have any additional/general questions you'd like to ask me feel free to write them heree and I'll reply next time.

In response to me saying that I have 199 books on my TBR pile:

Giselle @ http://abigailannreadi... - Follow Friday #5 2 weeks ago · 0 replies · +1 points

Haha well 199, how many books do you read a year!? Haha isin't it stressful! Eeek

Giselle
Xpresso Reads

Well, last year I read 78 according to goodreads, so there's a few years worth of books for me to read there.

Commenting on my post about Christmas Tree Festivals:

Susan @ http://abigailannreadi... - Virtual Advent Tour: D... 8 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

Yes, this is a new tradition. Certainly in York 10 years ago, and in Essex three years ago, there were no tree festivals. Do you know what began them?
I liked your post, and it is interesting to see how trees are being used as a symbol of hope and reaching out and sharing. It's what I always think trees are - so long as we have trees, the earth will continue to thrive, somehow. Thank you for writing about your festival! Have a happy holiday :-)

I'm afraid that I have no idea where Christmas Tree Festivals started. I tried searching on the internet for more information about them, but no history came up. If anyone else knows how they started (or even knows of one which took place earlier than the last 10 years or so) I'd love to know.

About 'The Children of the New Forest'

aloi @ http://abigailannreadi... - The Friday 56 #14 The ... 9 weeks ago · 0 replies · 0 points

that title is so intriguing - i agree wth freda -- what the heck does the cover look like!?

Thanks for all your comments and questions. You're the ones who make this blog what it is!

Winter Respite Readathon Update #3

2012-01-28T11:07:00.000Z

Having just finished my second book of the readathon, yesterday proved to be a fast reading day for me. I only managed to read for 3 hours, due to repeated headaches and tired eyes, but I've almost reached the end of my 3rd book now. Hoping tha I can get on just as well today.

Winter Respite Readthon Mini-Mini-Challenge

2012-01-27T11:14:00.000Z

The True Book Addict has challenged readathon participants to come up with a paragraph made up from various book sentences.
Here's mine (original book text in bold):

It had happened that Vitoller's strolling players had been passing through at the time, and the dwarf had ventured one small copper coin on a performance of The Dragon of the Plains. Now he was bored and also angry. Mix them all together... and they seemed to cancel out, become a mere hundrum way of filling the stage for a couple of hours. Taken from 'Wyrd Sisters' by Terry Pratchett

Winter Respite Readathon Mega-Challenge

2012-01-27T11:00:00.000Z

The True Book Addict has set us a covet and cherish challenge.

Here what I covet:

And now to tell you about what I cherish:

I have four permanent collections of book: Terry Pratchett,Ursula le Guin, Christian Jacq and Jasper Fforde. These are housed ontop of my wardrobes, so that they are really easy to see. Amongst the bookends holding them up are two wooden owls. These are beautifully hand-carved and painted- I like to think of them as the guardians of my Ancient Egypt book collection.

The rest of my books are on one of three bookshelves that surround my room. There are over 200 books in total and they are roughly sorted by time period. I try to read a mix of time periods, writing styles and genres from these. On the bookshelf next to my bed I have a small collection of my immediate TBRs- basically what I'm intending to read over the next few weeks.

I would hate to find myself ever without a book at hand, or to have a choice of what to read- this is why I really cherish all my books!

The Corridors of the Dead by Jonathan D. Allen (A Review)

2012-01-27T10:23:00.000Z

Blurb:

In a time before humans walked the Earth, a mysterious being known only as The Lost Aetelia crafted an elaborate series of Watchtowers, along with their resident guardians, the Aetelia, to watch over the operations of the Universe. In time, a rebellious group of these Aetelia came to Earth in an attempt to challenge the established structure of the Universe. War ensued. These rebels, known as the Watchers, disappeared from human history.

The time of the Aetelia- now as angels- is come again. After a fateful night of violence, Matty DiCamillo finds herself drawn into this world by a mysterious savior, who becomes a driving force in Matty's new life. Both driven by and fighting the words of prophecy that lay out her destiny, Matty, her lover Kristy, and her best friend Daniel, follow this mysterious savior on a journey from Northern California to Las Vegas on a path that crosses the boundaries of time and space.

As Matty struggles to understand her new destiny, she discovers that her mysterious savior may not be what she seems, and that even the denizens of the twilight world that she has entered have no idea what lurks behind the stage dressing of their reality. Matty finds herself racing to rescue the woman she loves, and learning that she herself could be the cause of the Universe's day of reckoning.

My review:

A unique and complex story-line structured around some very interesting characters. It took me a while to get into this book and, for some reason, I found it incredibly hard to imagine Matty as a woman rather than a man. However, I got more and more into the story as I read on until I really wanted to find out what would happen next. Disappointingly, it finished on rather an anti-climatic cliff-hanger. Worth a read if you want something totally different, but could be even better with some re-editing.

This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Action Reader's Action: Consider your future plans. How much are they shaped by you, and how much by the views of others. Make them all your own!

Discussion point: Do you believe in angels? If so, what do you think they are like?

Winter Respite Readathon Update #2

2012-01-27T09:47:00.000Z

Wednesday's reading didn't really happen as I ran out of time due to various commitments- 30minutes reading achieved.
Yesterday was slightly less busy, but only slightly. In the end I managed to just about squeeze in 1hr 30mins worth of reading. I was quite pleased with this since it was a jam-packed day.
On other news, I won a prize for day 2- a lovely surprise!

The bad news is that I'm not feeling very well today. The good news is that it means I have plenty of time to read as I don't feel up to much else (if I can keep awake that is).

Winter Respite Readathon Update #1

2012-01-25T08:59:00.000Z

First day started off quite promising. Despite having housework to do I nevertheless managed 3 hours worth of reading. I finished my first book (Sourcery by Terry Pratchett- click for review). I was pleased and certain that my part of this readathon would be a success.

Then yesterday I unexpectedly ended up being out all day. My Dad arrived back from a journey in the evening, and we all ended up watching TV together. The result- only 30minutes of reading done.

So, 3.5 hours so far. I wonder what surprises (and reading opportunities) today will hold.

Sourcery by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-01-23T15:08:00.000Z

Blurb:

There was an eighth son of an eighth son. He was, quite naturally, a wizard. And there it should have ended. However (for reasons we'd better not go into), he had seven sons. And then he had an eighth son... a wizard squared... a source of magic..... a Sourceror"

Review:

I absolutely love Terry Pratchett's style of writing, his humour and the fact that he has created such a imaginative world as discworld. However, this book felt a little bit like- "what can we do with Rincewind now?" at times. Several of the subplot ideas and puns seem to have already occured in earlier books as well. Taking individually this would no doubt be a wonderful book (all the stuff that's already happened is explained sufficiently), but as part of a series its just a little repetative. Having said that, I did still really enjoy this book. What I liked the most was how the characters of the luggage and the wizards as a whole were expanded on. There was also some great cultural / religious references that took it beyond a simple story; this makes it readable time and time again if taken on different levels. Worth reading if you're into Discworld.

Action Readers' Action: Help someone who is under the 'power' of others. Write a letter, through Amnesty International, to someone in prison.

Discussion Point: If you were a Sourceror how would you change the world?

Question for Discworld fans: Who is your favourite magical person (witch/wizard/sourcery) in the Discworld series?

Winter's Respite Readathon Starting Post

2012-01-23T11:08:00.000Z

This week I'm participating in the 'Winter Respite Readathon'.

My aim is quite simple, to read as many books as I can during the week. To this end I'm going to be extra vigilant to always carry a book with me, substitute most of my TV watching for reading, and find any excuse possible to read during the rest of the time.

My TBR shelves are stacked high (199 at last count), so I'm going to continue working my way through them during the readathon. At the moment I'm reading 'Sourcery' by Terry Pratchett, then I plan to read 'The Corridors of Dead' by Jonathan D. Allen. Stay tuned for what I'll be reading after that as I've yet to decide.

I'm also hoping to enter at least one mini-challenge. I'm notoriously bad for picking and choosing on these, so I'm not 100% sure it will happen though.

As always I welcome any comments you might have. I will be visiting other bloggers doing the readathon, but may not have time to post so please don't think you've been neglected if you don't hear from me.
Good luck everyone with your reading!

Interview with James Fryer

2012-01-20T12:00:00.000Z

I'm glad to be able to welcome James Fryer, author of 'Patrick Patterson and the World of Others' to 'The Story Factory Reading Zone' today. James kindly agreed to be interviewed for the blog, here is what he replied:

1. Please tell us a little about yourself.
I currently live in New York, with my wife and dog, who's really like a daughter to us. We're a happy little family. I'm originally from a small town in Texas, called Grapevine. I've always been told to write what you know, so I decided to base the prominent locations in my book in areas I'm familiar with. It was also gratifying to bring attention to my home state of Texas--in a very fun way, I think.

2. Describe 'Patrick Patterson and the World of Others' in 5 words

That's tough. Five words feels so limiting. Okay, here it goes: "A wild, fast-paced, adventure ride." Does fast-paced count as one or two? I think one. But it's so much more than that, because that doesn't even get into the love story and the betrayal...five words just isn't enough!

3. Do you believe in aliens / 'others'?

I'd like to. I recall seeing this movie a while back that had a line (regarding if there actually weren't aliens out there) that said something like, "That would be an awful waste of space."

4. If you could transform into any living thing what, or who, would you choose?

A monkey. I don't know how to elaborate any further. I've just always liked monkeys.

5. Which of your characters do you think you are most like, and why?
Patrick. He's curious and brave, two character traits that I find most appealing in people. I'd like to think that I exemplify both qualities.

6. Earth or Svarog?
Earth, absolutely. There are so many places I haven't yet visited that Earth is almost like another planet in many ways.

7. What is the most boring place you have ever been to?

Odessa, Texas. Not too unlike Farwell, actually. Small and dusty. Odessa would be number one, followed closely by a visit to the DMV.

8. Do any particular books or films influence your writing?
Many things influence me. In small ways, all books, films, and art influence me, even the ones that might not be to my overall liking. To me, the art to living is to be observant. To observe the small, ignored, everyday things that go overlooked. All of those tiny aspects of life make their way into my writing.

9. If you had a Mechanical Mockingbird what message would you send, and why would you send it to?

My wife is a flight attendant, so I would send surprise messages to her, wherever she might be staying on her trips. As far as the actual message, that would be between her and me. No offense ;)

10. Tell us a little about your next book.

Well, it's going to be the next installment of Patrick Patterson. It will pick up almost exactly where the first book leaves off. I'd like to say more, but I don't want to ruin the first book for those that haven't read it yet!

Thanks James for those fascinating answers. I look forward with anticipation to the sequel.

If this interviews piqued your interest (and you live in the UK- sorry) then you can enter to win a copy of 'Patrick Paterson and the World of Others' on this blog until the end of the month.

Book Beginnings- 20th January 2012

2012-01-20T11:50:00.000Z

Hosted by A Few More Pages

Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

There was a man who had eight sons. Apart from that, he was nothing more than a comma on the page of History.

International Giveaway: Strata by Terry Pratchett

2012-01-19T14:47:00.001Z

To celebrate having over 10,000 blog views I'm giving away a book by one of my favourite authors- Terry Pratchett. Strata is one of Pratchett's earliest works and is completly stand-alone since it is not part of the Discworld saga. To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Strata simply fill in the rafflecopter form below.

This is what goodreads has to say about the book:

The Company builds planets.
Kin Arad is a high-ranking official of the Company. After twenty-one decades of living, and with the help of memory surgery, she is at the top of her profession. Discovering two of her employees have placed a fossilized plesiosaur in the wrong stratum, not to mention the fact it is holding a placard which reads 'End Nuclear Testing Now', doesn't dismay the woman who built a mountain range in the shape of her initials during her own high-spirited youth.
But then come a discovery of something which did intrigue Kin Arad. A flat earth was something new...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mort by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-01-18T14:35:00.000Z

Blurb:

Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job. After being assured that being dead was not compulsory, Mort accepted. However, he soon found that romantic longings did not mix easily with the responsibilities of being Death's apprentice...

My review:

A comical look at what it means to be human, the role of death in the world and how a job can become someone's life. As usual this discworld novel is full of wit and fun, as well as parodies of our own world. Extremly enjoyable!

Action Readers' Action: Re-evaluate your own life and re-check your priorities.

Discussion point: What is the most important thing in your life?

Question for Terry Pratchett fans: What is your 'favourite' discworld death?

For those who wondered what on earth BookCrossing was

2012-01-16T09:32:00.000Z

My regular readers may have noticed me ocassionally writing about BookCrossing. Now, I've tried to explain what this is on a special page of my blog, but I'm conscious that my explanations are not always what I hope them too be. A group of students from the Eindhoven University of Technology, however, have come to my rescue with a video that clearly explains the bookcrossing concept of wild releasng (my favourite part of bookcrossing). Take a look, see what you think and then feel free to ask any questions you think of, or just start joining in yourself:

Bout of Books Goal Review

2012-01-16T09:26:00.000Z

My goals were:

To finish at least 3 DiscWorld books DONE
To write reviews of all my finished books ALL BUT ONE (finished at bedtime Day 7)
To enter at least 1 mini-challenge OOOPS
To read for a minimum of 20 hours NO

Could have been worse I guess. Turned out (as it often does) that I had less time for reading and challenges than I thought I'd have. I also forgot, when setting my goals, that I was away for the weekend (note to self: remember to check diary when making goals).

Bout of Books Days 5-7 Summary

2012-01-16T09:22:00.000Z

Number of hours read on Day 5: 1.5
Number of hours read in total: 13
Number of books finished on Day 5: 0
Number of books finished in total: 2
Number of reviews posted on Day 5: 0
Number of reviews posted in total: 2
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett

Number of hours read on Day 6: 1
Number of hours read in total: 14
Number of books finished on Day 6: 0
Number of books finished in total: 2
Number of reviews posted on Day 6: 0
Number of reviews posted in total: 2
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett

Number of hours read on Day 7: 2
Number of hours read in total: 16
Number of books finished on Day 7: 1
Number of books finished in total: 3
Number of reviews posted on Day 7: 0
Number of reviews posted in total: 2
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-01-13T10:14:00.000Z

Blurb:

"The last thing the wizard Drum Billet did, before Death lad a bony hand on his shoulder, was to pass on his staff of power to the eighth sn of an eighth son. Unfortunatly for his colleagues in the chauvinistic (not to say misogynistic) world of magic, he failed to check on the new-born baby's sex..."

My review:

In this tale of how tradition can be changed by the simplist accident, we begin to explore the relationships and differences between the types of magic on the discworld. Terry Pratchett's characters really come off the page and sometimes seem almost to take on a life of their own. The are different and yet somehow familiar, weird and wonderful, yet true to our own experiences. An essential read for anyone who loves comic fantasy.

Action Readers Action: Consider if you there are any unhelpful boundaries that you construct for yourself in your life. Put a plan in action to overcome them.

Disussion point: Have you ever been told that you can''t do something because of race, colour, or gender?

Question for Discworld fans: If you found yourself on Discworld with magical powers, would you rather be a witch or a wizard?

Bout of Books Day 4 Summary

2012-01-13T10:03:00.000Z

Number of hours read on Day 4: 1.5
Number of hours read in total: 11.5
Number of books finished on Day 4: 0
Number of books finished in total: 2
Number of reviews posted on Day 4: 0
Number of reviews posted in total: 2
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Bout of Books Day 3 Summary

2012-01-12T17:07:00.001Z

Just time for a quick summary at the end of a busy day, before I head out for yet more activities

Number of hours read on Day 3: 4
Number of hours read in total: 10
Number of books finished on Day 3: 1
Number of books finished in total: 2
Number of reviews posted on Day 3: 1
Number of reviews posted in total: 2
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-01-11T11:38:00.000Z

Blurb:

As it moves towards a seemingly inevitable collison with a malevolent red star, the Discworld has only one possible saviour. Unfortunatly, this happens to be the singularly inept and cowardly wizard called Rincewind, who was last seen falling off the edge of the earth.

My review:

A sequel, in the classic sense, to Colour of Magic, this book truly introduces us to Rincewind and the society of Ankh-Morpork as they appear in later Discworld stories. Full of wit and one-liners, its a fun and entertaining read for any fantasy fan.

This book was bought by me for my permanent collection

Action Readers Point: Consider ways in which you could save the world and then put them into action.

Discussion point: What things scare you and how do you overcome them?

Question for Discworld fans: What is your favourite Discworld spell?

Bout of Books Day 2 Summary

2012-01-11T10:00:00.002Z

Quite a busy day yesterday, but I did manage to get a little bit of reading in. Hoping to get a lot more done today.

Number of hours read on Day 2: 2
Number of hours read in total: 6
Number of books finished on Day 2: 0
Number of books finished in total: 1
Number of reviews posted on Day 1: 0
Number of reviews posted in total: 1
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: The Light Fantastic By Terry Pratchett

Bout of Books Day 1 Summary

2012-01-10T15:24:00.000Z

I really didn't want to stop reading to do this post, but I felt that I ought to give you at least some sort of update.
I've not read as much as I've wanted so far, due to other commitments / parents wanting me to do things around the house / TV distractions, but I'm still quite happy with my achievements.

Number of hours read on Day 1: 4
Number of hours read in total: 4
Number of books finished on Day 1: 1
Number of books finished in total: 1
Number of reviews posted on Day 1: 1
Number of reviews posted in total: 1
Number of challenges participated in: 0
Currently reading: The Light Fantastic By Terry Pratchett

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (A Review)

2012-01-09T15:50:00.000Z

Blurb:

On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive and wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet.....

My review:

Only Douglas Adams is as random as this! This book introduces DiscWorld, a fantastical disc floating through space under a rather unusual steam. There's plenty of comedy, whimsical characters and imaginative scenes, strung together using a whole string of plots and sub-plots which exercise the readers mind no end. In my opinion, this is not the best of Terry Pratchett's work, but it is none a very good read for anyone interested in fantasy, and/or comedic fiction.

I bought this book (a long time ago) and its now part of my perminant collection

Action Readers point: Visit a new and unusual tourist attraction and try to see it through Twoflower's positive eyes.

Discussion point: What's the most interesting place that you've ever been to?

Extra question for Pratchett enthusiasts (is this you?): What is your favourite DiscWorld book and why?

Bout of Books Goals

2012-01-09T09:30:00.000Z

Hosted by Bout of Books

I'm a bit late setting my goals for this readathon, mainly because I'm never sure what I'm going to read until the last minute. I've decided now, though, that I'm going to make the most of this week to get ahead in the Terry Pratchett Reading Challenge.

So, my goals are as follows:

To finish at least 3 DiscWorld books
To write reviews of all my finished books
To enter at least 1 mini-challenge
To read for a minimum of 20 hours

I hope these are realistic, but all I can do it wait and see.

Are you taking part in Bout of Books? If so, what are your goals?

Book Tunes #3

2012-01-06T19:38:00.000Z

Hosted by Down The Rabbit Hole

I'm currently reading 'The Colour of Magic' by Terry Pratchett.

Follow Friday #5

2012-01-06T10:56:00.000Z

Hosted by Parajunkee

Q: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Ummm, can I just answer far too many?

No! OK- 199.

Actually, that' not as bad as I thought it would be.

Patrick Patterson and the World of Others by James Edward Fryer (A Review and Giveaway)

2012-01-06T09:51:00.001Z

Giveaway at the bottom of this post (UK only please)

Blurb:

"A match was struck in the distance, bringing light to what was otherwise darkness." And so began the tale of Patrick Patterson. For almost thirteen years, he's lived a quiet, simple life in the tiny town on the edge of Texas, called Farwell, but he is suddenly whisked away by a rag tag group of warriors and others across the United States to ddiscover his true identity and a destiny clouded in mystery. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he'd walk through an underground city filled with citizens from across the universe, contend with powerful enemies from the edge of the galaxy, or travel to the Arctic Circle on a high speed train. Now, he must decide what he truly desires and whether he even wants to take up the mantle of hero... or alien.

My review:

I really enjoyed this book! It began like a sci-fi classic, but soon developed into a world of its own which had me hooked right to the end. The characters were deep and complex. The plot was forever revealing new twists and turns. I also loved the way that little asides were made to reappear and take on new meanings just as you had forgotten them. The fact that this was all enclosed in a plain-looking cover and miniscual text makes the fact that I couldn't stop reading all the more remarkable. I can't wait for a sequel!

I was provided with this book in exchange for an honest review.

Action Reader Point: Think about the different cultures that surround you. Find out more about one of them by talking to neighbours, or reading about them.

Discussion point: Are there any cultures/races/groups that you feel are discriminated against in your own society? What (if anything) is being done to promote integration?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WWW Wednesdays #10

2012-01-04T10:39:00.000Z

Hosted by Should Be Reading

• What are you currently reading?

Patrick Patterson and the World of Others by James Edward Fryer

"For almost thirteen years, he's lived a quiet, simple life in the tiny town at the edge of Texas, called Farwell, but he is suddenly whisked away by a rag tag group of warriors and others across the United States to discover his true identity and a destiny clouded in mystery. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he'd walk through an underground city filled with citizens from across the universe, contend with powerful enemies from the edge of the galaxy, or travel to the Arctic Circle on a high speed train. Now, he must decide what he truly desires and whether he even wants to take up the mantle of hero...or alien." (Goodreads summary)

• What did you recently finish reading?

The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis (click for review)

• What do you think you’ll read next?
Unless any other ring, ray or review books turn up in the meantime, I'll be starting the Terry Prachett Challenge by reading 'The Colour of Magic'

The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis (A Review)

2012-01-03T14:07:00.000Z

The blurb:

There is a lion in our village and it is carryin away our children. Binti was the child star of a popular radio programme in Malawi. She believed she was special, but now she is nothing. Now she is just another AIDS orphan. But Binto Phiri is not about to give up. If she and her brother and sister are to be together, Binti will have to look outside herself and find a new way to be special.

My review:

A lovely charming books dealing sensitively with a difficult issue. I really felt connected with Binti and wanted to see how things would turn out for her and her family. The only thing that I think could have improved this book would have been if the negative conceptions had been challenged even more. I'd definatly recommend this book for teens and adults alike.

Action Readers' Point: Find out more about AIDS and how if affects your local community.

Discussion point: Have you ever found yourself in a tough situation? Can you share any advice for others who might be in a similar situation?

Silverbirch by Robkaay (A Review)

2012-01-03T13:02:00.000Z

Blurb:

My name is Nudge. I am the only Human on Earth to be given a green light from a higher power to unconditionally rid the world of dickheads. How I came to be in this position, and why I was chosen, is about to be explained to you.

My review:

A unique and captivating plot, starting from the end of the story and then explaining how the main character got there. Told in plain language, which somehow hightened the tension and enhanced the action. The male characters had good backstories and behaved in a way consistent with their characters. Unfortunatly, this didn't seem to always be the case with the female characters. Overall, this book was interesting and showed good potential.

This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Action Readers' Point: Think about how you can make the world a better place

Discussion point: Do you believe murder can ever be justified?

First Chapter, First Paragraph #3

2012-01-03T12:12:00.000Z

Hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea

Patrick Patterson and the World of Others by James Edward Fryer

Farwell, Texas was a small town, and it hadn't changed a single bit in the almost thirteen years that Patrick Peterson haad lived in the same little farmhouse just down Route 348.

Reading Resolutions

2012-01-01T15:11:00.000Z

Last year I decided to abandon reading challenges about half-way through the year- I was too busy and not really in the mood for them anymore. Plus, I felt that I needed some time to read what I really wanted to read, as well as establishing myself in the review request market.

This year, I've found it hard to resist taking on two new reading challenges:

Operation Deepen Faith

I made a sort-of resolution the year beforelast to try and read my bible more often. Then, last year, I set up and soon gave up on a challenge to read and bookcross more Christian books. So, I thought maybe joining someone else's bible-based challenge this year might actually get me to keep up my good intentions.

This challenge comes in several parts. I've signed up for:

II. Going Deep; Goal: STUDY one book of the Bible throughout the year. Read it in at least four translations. Read the notes in a study Bible. Read a commentary book about it. Read or listen to sermons on it. Read it as often as possible--whether that is once a week or once a month or even once a day. Get to know that one book well. Let God speak to you through it. You might even choose to take notes or journal as you read. Whatever you want to do.

III. Meditate. Choose about a verse a week--or a verse every other week--to reflect and meditate on. It might mean memorizing it. It might mean writing or journaling about it. (Or blogging about it if you like.) It might mean praying it. Or studying it. It's taking the reading of Scripture into something a little more--worship. These verses would not be chosen ahead of time. I'm not asking for a list. This is all about choosing-as-you-go, choosing as you read, let Scripture speak to you.

IV. Christian Nonfiction. Don't be afraid to give it a try. Read some theology. You choose the number of books to aim for. A beginner might not feel comfortable committing to more than two books. And that's fine. I want to challenge you to start somewhere. This challenge is for everyone. Not just for people who want to commit to reading twenty! It isn't about reading the most. It isn't about reading fast. My aim is to read 3 books.

I'll be posting my challenge progress and Christian book reviews on this blog, but I'll also be writing about the bible passages / nonfiction discussions on my other blogs, as content appropriate.

2. The Terry Pratchettt Reaing Challenge

As soon as I saw this, I knew I just had to do this one. I'm a BIG Terry Pratchett fan and have been collecting his books for a while now. Plus, I've bee thinking about re-reading them. So, I've bought the few last books I didn't have and my aim is to read as far as possible through The Discworld series and its associatted books as I can. Wish me luck!

I'm also going to be trying to read 100 books to make my goodreads target. Last year I only managed 78, so I'l have to try a bit harder to make this year's goal.

2011 Blog Statistics

2012-01-01T14:47:00.000Z

The Following Figures Are Accumulative since this blog began:

Most popular posts:

Pageviews by Country

United States

4,930

United Kingdom

963

Australia

363

Canada

352

Germany

311

Russia

207

South Korea

140

India

130

Netherlands

130

Brazil

Total number of visits: 9209
Number of GFC Followers: 131

Festive Book Buys

2012-01-01T14:16:00.000Z

OK, so I went a little crazy on my Christmas book buys. But most of them were in the sale!
Want to know what I got? You don't?! Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway (you can always skip this post if you're not really interested):

'Pick Up Your Parrots and Monkeys' by William Pennington
'The Flower Net' by Lisa See
'The Time Traveller's Guide To Medieval England' by Ian Mortimer
'Where's My Cow' by Terry Pratchett
'The Last Continent' by Terry Pratchett
'The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch' by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen
'Barry Trotter and the Dead Horse' by Michael Gerber
'The High Street' by Philip Wilkinson

All in all a good set of purchases I think. I may also get some bible study guides to help me with one of this year's reading challenges (stay tuned for more information on that shortly).

(Book) Marking Christmas

2012-01-01T14:10:00.000Z

I promised you all that I'd share with you the book-related activities I'd done over the Christmas period, so here we go:

My bookish Christmas started off with making a BookCrossing tree at my local Community Christmas Tree Festival. I loved doing this, especially unwrapping the decorations as they arrived from bookcrossers all around the world. Then there was the added joy of watching people's amazement as they realised they could take a book or a decoration home completly free- it brought home the true meaning of Christmas
Sending off cards to bloggers and a present to my bookcrossing secret santa. Left to the last minute this year I'm afraid, but enjoyable to do none the less. And getting cards back from others countries so great as well. Some interested messages, thoughtful cards and stamps for my stamp collection.
Watching the new Dicken's spoof on TV. Truly hilarious! I can't say I''ve particularly enjoyed reading Dickens, so this programme was a great alternative to re-reading 'A Christmas Carol'
BookCrossing Christmas books whilst on holiday in Yorkshire. A Donald Duck Christmas story went into a child's ride at a motorway services, whilst 'Wayne in A Manger' was left for someone to find in Bolton Abbey.
Seeing the Dr Who Christmas Special, loosly based on 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe'. I love Dr Who and this was a brilliant episode in my opinion. Truly magical!
Of course, there was plenty of time for reading, including a little time for an end-of-year readathon. But what was best were the early mornings, knowing that there was plenty of time to read rather than having to rush out to do things. I allowed myself the pleasure of reading the books that I wanted to, rather than just those I had to for review/rings and rays. I also enjoyed some lighter books than my usual fair.
Going to see Creation Theatre's production of 'A Christmas Carol'. A brilliant use of props, as always, and I liked the use they made of actual Christmas carols to explain the story. This group is realy talented, we go to see them at least once a year and they're always good- do go yourself if you get the chance.

What did you do this Christmas?

The Thankyou (letter) post

2012-01-01T13:54:00.000Z

I had intended to take a picture of all the lovely cards I got from the card exchange and all the lovely gifts I got from my bookcrossing secret santa, but I haven't got round to it I'm afraid. I know, useless excuse, but I thought rather than fiddling with new batteries for my camera and picking the cards back out of the card holder, it would be best to make a simple post now saying thankyou.

So, thankyou to my card exchange buddies- for your lovely cards and thoughtful extras, including the sherbert that I'm waiting for a special ocassion to savour, and the lovely bookmark that I'm currently using to keep the pages of my read.

And thankyou to me bookcrossing secret santa- for the gorgeous soap, the two christmas decorations and the copy of Geraldine Brooks 'People of the Book' (you got my taste so right, even without a wishlist to aid you).

Also, a big thankyou to all of you for supporting my blog through the festive season, 2011 and before. I look forward to sharing with you more during 2012.

Readathon Final Update

2012-01-01T13:38:00.000Z

Hosted by Squeaky Books

Total Books Read: 1
Total Pages Read: 477
Books Read Since Last Update: 0
Pages Read since last update: 147
Total time read: 4hr
What I'm currently reading: The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis
How I'm currently feeling: Tired. I went out to celebrate new year last night and didn't get as much reading done as I'd hoped- hence the very late final update. Oh well, never mind, there's always the next readathon!

2011 in First Lines

2011-12-31T23:59:00.021Z

Hosted by The Indextrious Reader

January: First of all, apologies for the lack of recent updates
February: Hosted by Should Be Reading
March: The Olive Farm by Carol Drinkwater
April: I wish I'd read the first two books before I read this one.
May: Well, what is it?
June: One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
July: The most interesting, fascinating and powerful non-fiction that I have read in a long time!
August: Apologies for the late start to this 'Summer Special'.
September: Hosted by Freda's Voice
October: What do you get when you cross around one thousand books, 3 authors, 2 blankets, a hotel, some crazy hats and a video link with a room full of bookaholics?
November: "In seventeenth-century Valladolid, Spain's new capital, Miguel Cervantes is busy writing his comic masterpiece, Don Quixote.....
December: Welcome to my little part of the 2011 Advent Tour.

Readathon Update 3

2011-12-31T19:16:00.000Z

Total Books Read: 1
Total Pages Read: 330
Books Read Since Last Update: 1
Pages Read since last update: 154
Total time read: 3hr
What I'm currently reading: The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis
How I'm currently feeling: I'm pleased with how much I've read today, especially in the last few hours, but wish I'd had more time yesterday and tonight. Oh well, I've read more than usual (just) and hopefully I'll have time to read a bit more still

Saturday 9: Abigail's Last Stand

2011-12-31T19:07:00.000Z

Hosted by Saturday 9

1. Over all, how do you feel about what happened in your life in 2011?
It's been a year of ups and downs for me. Luckily though things have got gradually better as the year has gone on, leaving me feeling OK

2. Do you do New Year's resolutions? If so, what are they this year?
Every year I make a resolution not to have any, and then change my mind and make some at the last minute. This year I've made 3:

To read the bible more often
To lose at least some weight by the end of the year
To get my study sorted and usable for relaxation, reading and writing

3. In the past 24 hours, I have reconnected with 3 old friends that I've not spoken to in years. If you could reconnect with someone from your past who would it be, and why?
One of my friends from university (Nell)- we lost touch soon after university and I've wished I still had contact with her ever since

4. Do you have anything that you would have not done or done differently in 2011 as you look back?

Probably, but isn't it better to look forward than back

5. Going back to my ex-friends that I reconnected with, one of them ended over a boyfriend. She called to apologize. Do you have someone that you fell out with you and wonder how they are?
See question 3

6. If you had a chance to reconnect with an ex (say for coffee), who would it be, and why?

I don't think I'd want to

7. One of resolutions is about weight-loss. Have you ever struggled with your diet?
Yep, and its one of mine as well

8. What do you think was the top news story of 2011?
The marriage of Prince William

9. What are your plans for (New Year's Eve) tonight?
I'm going to spend it with family and friends, mixed with a bit of reading as well

Readathon Update 2

2011-12-31T09:14:00.000Z

Hosted by Squeaky Books

Total Books Read: 0
Total Pages Read: 176
Books Read Since Last Update: 0
Pages Read since last update: 14
Total time read: 1.5
What I'm currently reading: Still Silverbirch by Robkaay
How I'm currently feeling: I have to keep reminding myself that there is a reason why I've read so little during the last 12 hours- I was asleep for most of them! I have a busy day today, but I'm going to try to snatch a little bit of reading inbetween activities

Readathon Update 1

2011-12-30T20:57:00.000Z

Hosted by Squeaky Books

Total Books Read: 0
Total Pages Read: 162
Books Read Since Last Update: 0
Pages Read since last update: 162
Total time read: 1hr 15mins
What I'm currently reading: Silverbirch by Robkaay
How I'm currently feeling: Plodding along slowly, having got distracted by the TV. Will go to bed soon and then try again in the morning

How books can grow on trees

2011-12-30T17:28:00.000Z

Who says books don’t grow on trees? You’d be forgiven for thinking they do if you’d visited the Community Christmas Tree Festival in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England this December. Thanks to the combined generosity of BookCrossers around the world, the joy of books was spread to all who visited the fabulous Festival. There were plenty of trees present, but this tree was the only one with decorations and books donated from all around the world. Those present were amazed to learn that the books tucked underneath the branches were theirs for the taking - no strings attached. As an added special treat, Festival attendees were able to help themselves to decorations from the tree itself. Two people have already made journal entries about their catches (and one of them was a new member)! Hopefully, there will be plenty more people who think of BookCrossing as they open their books, drop in their bookmarks, or decorate their own trees this Christmas.

Also posted on BookCrossing

A big thankyou to everyone who helped by sending me books and/or decorations, or by posting their messages on bookcrossing. I'm hoping to do it again next year, although maybe with a slightly different style of decorations.

Robin Hoodie by Hans Christian Asbosen (A Review)

2011-12-30T13:31:00.000Z

The blurb:

This explosive historical document reveals the real Britain of old; where the orphan Jamie Oliver Twist campaigned for healthier workhouse gruel; Dick Turpin was a notorious charity mugger; Shakespeare was busy penning the Christmas special of his soap opera; and Robin the Hoodie nicked iPods off ruch joggers to give to the poor. Painstakingly mistranslated from the original sources, Robin the Hoodie is a treasury of anti-social tales from history that will help you forget all that nonsense they taught you at school.

My review:

This alternative history of England has truly bizarre. Don't get me wrong, it was humorous, but there was something missing somehow. I think it was probably the fact that most of the jokes were one-liners that was the problem- funny in themselves, they lacked a sense of continuity. Furthermore, there was only a skating reference to the true history in most cases, with some stories centred around puns on names, or one small legendary incident. Having said this, it was an enjoyable light-hearted read, perfect for the Christmas holidays.

I bought this book new.

Action Point: Think about your view of the past. Is there any historical period that you need to brush up on?

Discussion point: How do you view history? Is it a purely factual thing, or open to interpretation?

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (A Review)

2011-12-30T13:14:00.000Z

The blurb:

When Coraline explores her new home, she steps through a door and into another house just like her own... except that it's different. It's a marvelous adventure unttil Coraline discovers that there's also another mother and another father in the house. They want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to keep her forever! Coraline must use all of her wits and every ounce of courage in order to save herself and return home.

My review:

An enoyable and intriguing read. Younger readers might enjoy the gruesome aspects more than I did, but there was plenty else to keep me reading. Coraline's character came across extremly well, reminding me of many a child her age. The other world was mysterious and creepy, it kept your attention very well.

I read this book as a bookcrossing ray

Action Point: Make a list of all the things that make your family unique and special to you. Read it when back at times when you don't appreciate them quite as much.

Discussion point: What things are you scared of?

The Little Book of Mornington Crescent by Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer and Humphrey Lyttelton (A Review)

2011-12-30T12:27:00.000Z

The blurb

Edited by I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue regulars and Mornington Crescent enthusiasts Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Barry Cryer with contributions from Grand Master Humphrey Lyttelton. The new and revised history and rules of the Gentleman's game of Morningto Crescent. Not since N.F. Stovold's celebrated book Mornington Crescent: The Rules and Origins has there been a publication that brings professionals,amateurs, devotees and newcomers up to date.

My review:

Humourous and witty, a great book for both those who listen to 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' and thoe that don't. It often makes little sense, but that's the great fun of it. A super light read, perfect for a change from more serious stuff.

This book was passed onto me at a bookcrossing local meetup

Action Readers point: Next time you're in London, note the stations that you pass on the underground. Be more aware of your surroundings and you may yet become a champion of mornington crescent

Discussion point: Have you ever invented a board game? Tell us about its rules

The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble (A Review)

2011-12-30T12:07:00.000Z

The Blurb

NEW BEGINNINGS A glass of wine, a gossip and a good book- The Reading Group is born. CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE Its members are as different as the books they read, But each woman has secret hopes and fears- for a new lover; a straying husband; an ailing mother; a tearaway teenager- and each woman finds laughter and support in the group's monthly meetings. HAPPY ENDING A warm, funny, touchhing novel about a group of women learning to read between the lines....

My review:

It started off slowly, but by the end of the book I really felt a part of the story. I wanted to know what was going to happen with the characters, to help them with thhe difficulties in their lives and to chat with them in the reading group. Having read the books they did was useful for some chapters, for others it didn't seem to matter at all. I think the best way to read this book would be chapter by chapter, reading each of the books they studied just before their featured section. I've never been in a reading group, but this was exactly as I imagined they would be, and almost like a soap opera at the same time.

I read this book as part of a bookcrossing spiral

Action Readers point: Do something extra to help you share and explore the books you read. Maybe you could join a reading group, post more discussions on your blog (or start a reading blog), or chat on goodreads. Maybe you could pass a book along to your friends when you've finished with it, or bookcross it so that others can share.

Talking point: What forms of communication do you use to discuss books with others

The oh-my-word-the-year-is-almost-over-and-I-haven't-reached-my-goal readathon

2011-12-30T11:51:00.000Z

I just spotted this readathon over at Squeaky Books and, being such a sucker for readathons, I just had to sign up (even though its so late in the day).

My goodreads reading challenge counter currently shows 73/100 books read, but I know I've a few finished ovr Christmas that I haven't added yet. Little chance of reaching my goal, but I'll get as close as I can!

A Wayne in a Manger by Gervase Phinn (A Review)

2011-12-30T10:16:00.001Z

Goodreads summary:

"A Wayne in a Manger" includes some wonderfully funny and touching nativity play anecdotes, including children forgetting their lines, ad-libbing, falling of the stage, picking their noses and showing their knickers. One hilarious anecdote tells of an innkeeper who generously says there's plenty of room for Mary and Joseph, while another child, jealous of Joseph's starring role, allows Mary to come in but not Joseph, who can 'push off'...There's the baby Jesus who suddenly pipes up with 'My name is Tammy, are you my Mommy?' and funniest of all, Mary who tells Joseph, 'I'm having a baby - oh and it's not yours'.

My review:

The perfect read for a Christmas holiday, this book have me chortling and "ahhhh"ing all the way through. Anyone who had ever had contact with young children will recognise the antics and anacdotes told in these chapters. It made me want to read it outloud to all around me. In fact, I shared so much that my Auntie wanted to read it as well. Despite not usually being a book reader, she found it hard to put down and finished it within two days.

I bought this book 2nd hand from a charity shop

Action point: Take note (and maybe even write down) the antics of young people around you. You never know, it might brighten up an otherwise dull day.

Reader's question: What's your funniest nativity story?

Christmas Blogging Break

2011-12-21T09:43:00.000Z

I'll be taking a blogging break for the next week or so, in order to enjoy a family Christmas. I'll return with some information about my book-related Christmas activities at somepoint soon after that.

In the meantime have a great Christmas and don't read too much (as if that's possible).

The Morello Letters by Duncan McNair (A Review)

2011-12-20T10:32:00.000Z

GoodReads summary:

Mr. Morello is a slightly confused, pear-shaped, 45 year-old Italian immigrant living with his larger, plump wife and three children. As a family, they share a curious fondness for all things British and yet by dint of their Italian heritage, struggle to come to terms with some of our more esoteric characteristics. Mr. Morello, a fastidious and prodigious letter writer, takes it upon himself to correspond with some of the great institutions and individuals—from Tony Blair, George W. Bush, The Lord Chancellor, Richard Branson, and the Archbishop of Canterbury to Gordon Ramsay and The Bank of England. All in an attempt to have his seemingly endless list of quandaries answered by the experts and, at times, in vain attempts to secure employment for his idling children. These hilarious letters, composed in Mr. Morello's bizarre English-Italian hybrid vernacular, and plethora of responses from the great and not so good, follow a long and successful tradition of prankish correspondence, as pioneered by Lazlo Toth and Henry Root. This good-natured exploration of British customs and idiosyncrasies is written with gentle and generous humor.

My review:

Packed with humorous and often hilarious letters to the stars, this book is great for picking up and reading in little bits, and equally easy to read all the way through in one setting. Some of the letters are fantastically imaginative, others are just plain weird. A wonderfully light book, perfect for a break from the seriousness of real life.

Action Point:
Why not brighten up someone's day by sending them a letter, humourous or heart-warming as suites your nature.

Meet Me On Monday: Christmas Edition

2011-12-19T14:40:00.000Z

Hosted by Never Growing Old

It's been a little while since I've done this, but what with Christmas I just had to do it this week.

Questions:

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper. Isn't it great fun to attempt to wrap strangely shaped objects!?

2.Real or artificial tree?
I prefer real, there's nothing like the smell of fresh pine needles

3.When do you put your tree up?

Usually about a week before Christmas but, depending on how busy we are in can sometimes be left until only a few days before

4.When do you take your tree down?
2nd January

5.Do you like eggnog?
I've never tried it, but it doesn't sound very appetising to me

6.Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes. We collect a new figure ever holiday and now have basically a full set- stable, angel, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, 2 donkeys, ox, camel, 3 shepherds, 2 sheep and 3 kings.

7.Favorite Christmas Movie?
A Muppet Christmas Carol

8.Favorite Christmas cookie?
I don't really do Christmas cookies, but my favourite cookie is double chocolate chip

9.Where will you eat Christmas dinner?
With my family around the dining room table

10.Angel, bow or star on top of your tree?
Angel- a fairtrade straw design

11.Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Christmas carols playing in the stores since October

12.Do you like Fruitcake?
Yes, especially if its Christmas cake with marzipan

13.What are you most excited about the holidays?
The possibility of snow

14.Do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

We open stockings and 1 present before church on Christmas morning, the rest usuaully have to wait until the afternoon

15.Will you still be wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?
With no doubt

Book Beginnings- 9th December 2011

2011-12-09T12:21:00.000Z

Hosted by A Few More Pages

The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble

7.15pm. Clare watched as the young woman passed her in the corridor.

Ambasadora winner!

2011-12-07T10:18:00.002Z

Congratulations to Carol Thompson by won a copy of Ambasadora!
You have been e-mailed!

The Christmas Truce by Carol Ann Duffy

2011-12-05T14:41:00.004Z

Simple, yet evocative verse accompanied by beautiful pictures. A tale of the peace of Christmas which none should forget.

Action Point: Try to be kind to everyone, included those you consider to be your enemies.

The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson (A Review)

2011-12-04T14:32:00.000Z

A moving and inspiring account of a young boy with autism and his family's journey to Mongolia to try ad help him. There is rarely a page in this book that doesn't haveyou either crying, ahhhing or cheering. The photographic inserts reinforce the amazing passage taken in this real-life story. A truly memorable tale. Should be read by all.

Action point: Donate to the Horse Boy Foundation at http://horseboyfoundation.org

Virtual Advent Tour: Day Two

2011-12-02T00:01:00.028Z

Welcome to my little part of the 2011 Advent Tour.

Do pop over to http://adventblogtour.blogspot.com/ to check out the other stops

Today I'm going to introduce you to a tradition that seems to be taking off recently around the UK:-

Christmas Tree Festivals!!!!!

Of course the idea of Christmas Trees is quite an old one and first came across here from Germany courtesy of the Victorian royal family. Nowadays it would be strange to find a town in England without one, and a trip into the countriside reveals plenty of them for sale. But the 'tradition' of holding festivals full of trees seems to be quite a new one. I've no idea when (or how) it first started, but a quick google search reveals page after page of them happening around the UK this year.

My experience of Christmas Tree Festivals started last year when it was suggested that my church ought to hold one. It was decided that we could raise funds for charity by filling the church full of christmas trees and invited people to come and see them. We invited local businesses to provide and decorate the trees and so our yearly 'Community Christmas Tree Festival' was born. It was lovely to be able to run it alongside the annual playgroup christmas fair, making the place full of bustle.

This year we've decided to support the local community even more by inviting mainly small independent businesses and local oragnisations to supply the trees- the hope being that this will help them with their advertising. I'm even doing a BookCrossing tree, adorned with decorations and books donated by bookcrossers around the world. There's going to be a quiz, as well as activities for children. We're also providing refreshments and lunches on the Saturday. We hope it will be a real festive occasion, raising lots of money for charity.

The Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat (A Review)

2011-11-27T15:35:00.000Z

A classic children's book, yet suitable for adults as well. What I love most about this book is the real grounding you feel in the historical context. The characters and places are only described briefly, but yet it is still possible to form a real connection with them. The plot comes across simple and sometimes charming, despite the often complex situations which take place. This is definatly a book that everyone should read at least once during their lifetime.

Action Readers: Think of a cause that you feel strongly about, and then do something to help it.

The Friday 56 #14 The Children of the New Forest

2011-11-25T11:40:00.000Z

Hosted by Freda's Voice

The Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat

"You ask strange questions, young sir, but still I will answer you that"

Book Tunes #2

2011-11-25T11:35:00.000Z

Hosted by Down The Rabbit-Hole

I'm currently reading 'The Children of the New Forest'. The Forest and escaping to / fighting for freedom reminds me of Robin Hood. And so, through my roundabout thinking, here's a tune that I'm reminded of whilst reading this book:

TGIF at GReads #4

2011-11-25T11:02:00.000Z

Hosted by GReads

This Friday's Question:

When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time

when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

Blogging about books and writing takes up quite a bit of my time nowadays (especially if I'm setting up new social pages like I was yesterday with Facebook). The rest of my time is split as follows:

Music activities, e.g. playing with my brass band, learning music theory, singing with choirs/at church
Craft activities, e.g. tapestry work, card making, making soaps / bubble bath, decopatch
Church activities, e.g. stewarding, attending services, creche
Youth activities, e.g. volunteering work in schools
Going for walks
Watching TV

Wow this makes me seems like I'm really busy! I'm sure I'm not really as bsusy as this!

Theme Thursdays- Place Description

2011-11-24T15:23:00.000Z

Hosted by Reading Between Pages

Today's theme is:

PLACE DESCRIPTION (Location / Place / Room description)

The Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat

As we said before, it contained a large sitting-room, or kitchen, in which were a spacious hearth and chimney, tables, stools, cupboards and dressers

Third Sentence Thursday #16 The Children of the New Forest

2011-11-24T15:04:00.000Z

Hosted by Proud Book Nerd

The Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat

The Cavaliers, or the party who fought for Kin Charles, had all been dispersed, and the Parliamentary army under the control of Cromwell were beginning to control the Commons.

We're on Facebook!

2011-11-24T14:45:00.002Z

Just a quick message to tell you that 'The Story Factory Reading Zone' is noow on facebook!
Like using the tab on the left of the page or click here to visit our page.

Teaser Tuesday #19 The Children of The New Forest

2011-11-22T11:25:00.000Z

Hosted by Should Be Reading

The Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat

"Who knows what they might do with these children!- Destroy the nest as well as the rats, indeed!- they must find the nest first"

Updated review policy

2011-11-21T11:58:00.001Z

Just a quick note to let any authors / publishers that may be passing through know that I have updated my review policy. Please take a peek if you are considering sending me a book.

Thanks