Just a couple of hour until a whole fresh New Year unfolds before us (in the UK anyway, some of you are already there) 2010 has been a bit of a blur for me, getting used to being a mum, dealing with the million and one appointments we have for Monkey as she has some health issues, going back to work after a year off...
I was sat here trying to remember the big news stories of the year and I'm at a bit of a loss to be honest. We got a new Government, an exciting coalition, a bit of a novelty here even if plenty of other places in Europe manage it ok. For the first time we even had Amerian style debates with all the leaders. The novelty of having a coalition government was soon replaced by dread, waiting to hear about swingeing cuts. Que sera, sera and all that, there's a lot more in life (well, mine at least) to worry about than 2.5% extra VAT (coming to retailers near us very soon) and now we've voted them in we're stuck with them for a bit.
Then there were the Commonwealth games, and the shambles surrounding the organisation. I love sport and can't wait for 2012, I'm hoping to get some tickets so I can see some of it live. The football World Cup was so dire for England I shall say no more!
Last month we had the exciting news of the royal wedding (to be read with a hint of sarcasm) It'll be nice to see Wills and Kate wed, and for us to get an extra bank holiday. I was more pleased to hear another of the Queen's grandhildren, Zara Philips, got engaged this month. Princess Anne's branch of the tree is so much more low key and dignified, and I'm not sure that's all because of who the press decide are worthy of attention.
As I can't remember a lot more of 2010 than that I guess it's easier to look ahead to 2011 and wonder what it will bring. No new years resolutions for me, I just feel guilty when I break them. Now I am going to sit and enjoy the dying hours of this year, and will just wish you all a very Happy 2011 x
Friday, 31 December 2010
Sunday, 26 December 2010
Book Review: Being Light by Helen Smith
Roy Travers is helping his friend put up a bouncy castle for a fun day when he gets blown away aboard it and disappears. He finds himself in Paradise with an angel named Sylvia. Meanwhile his wife Sheila, unswayed by friends suggesting he might have run off with another woman or simply that he died in the freak accident, becomes convinced he has been abducted by aliens.
The book follows a cast of distinctive characters, whose lives are seemingly unconnected, but as the story develops the reader starts to see how they overlap. Some of the characters are larger than life and a good deal of humour derives from their views and actions in trying to achieve their aims, but there is also a sense of sadness that many are missing something from their lives, be it a person or a sense of direction. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but as the book progresses and their interactions become clearer it becomes easier to follow.
I enjoyed the satire and the wry observations about life the author makes, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what had happened to Roy but also to see who would finally connect with whom and how. I did find that because of the formatting on the kindle paragraphs ran together that probably shouldn't have, and it wasn't instantly clear that the action had moved, but careful reading and being engrossed in the story meant this was not a major issue.
I hadn't appreciated that this book features Alison of Alison Wonderland, had I done so I would probably have read that first to have had a greater background on her character but I think Being Light is perfectly capable of standing on it's own. It's a good, character driven story that I was desperate to finish to find out how things would turn out.
The book follows a cast of distinctive characters, whose lives are seemingly unconnected, but as the story develops the reader starts to see how they overlap. Some of the characters are larger than life and a good deal of humour derives from their views and actions in trying to achieve their aims, but there is also a sense of sadness that many are missing something from their lives, be it a person or a sense of direction. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but as the book progresses and their interactions become clearer it becomes easier to follow.
I enjoyed the satire and the wry observations about life the author makes, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what had happened to Roy but also to see who would finally connect with whom and how. I did find that because of the formatting on the kindle paragraphs ran together that probably shouldn't have, and it wasn't instantly clear that the action had moved, but careful reading and being engrossed in the story meant this was not a major issue.
I hadn't appreciated that this book features Alison of Alison Wonderland, had I done so I would probably have read that first to have had a greater background on her character but I think Being Light is perfectly capable of standing on it's own. It's a good, character driven story that I was desperate to finish to find out how things would turn out.
The big clean up
Well, that's it over and done with for another year. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Day. We spent the morning with my grandparents, had lunch with them and then took my nan up to see my parents and my sister and her family in the afternoon. With 3 girls under 18mths between us it was a bit hectic but watching the older two playing with their new toys (or more frequently the wrapping paper and packaging) was great.
My task for this morning was to clear up all the packaging and try to make space for Monkey's new toys. I was doing well until I was diverted by Amazon's 12 days of Kindle. They have a bunch of e-books available for 12 days at just £1 so I have bought a few to add to my To Be Read list. I think though that before I read another e-book I should read the tree book my husband bought me as one of my presents - it's a Clive Cussler monster.
I was watching the news this morning with my usual amazement, I can't imagine getting up at some ridiculous hour to be the first in line for the Boxing Day sales. That said I have been online looking to see what sort of discounts are about and am going to have to drag myself out as I need one last item to finish Monkey's room and I'm determined to get a bargain. The big question is where to start and whether I can find the motivation to get in the car and deal with crowds...
My task for this morning was to clear up all the packaging and try to make space for Monkey's new toys. I was doing well until I was diverted by Amazon's 12 days of Kindle. They have a bunch of e-books available for 12 days at just £1 so I have bought a few to add to my To Be Read list. I think though that before I read another e-book I should read the tree book my husband bought me as one of my presents - it's a Clive Cussler monster.
I was watching the news this morning with my usual amazement, I can't imagine getting up at some ridiculous hour to be the first in line for the Boxing Day sales. That said I have been online looking to see what sort of discounts are about and am going to have to drag myself out as I need one last item to finish Monkey's room and I'm determined to get a bargain. The big question is where to start and whether I can find the motivation to get in the car and deal with crowds...
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Book Review: In Praise of Savagery by Warwick Cairns
This is a book I read just before I started my blog, and it's about time I got round to adding it!
The author met and befriended explorer Wilfred Thesiger in his later years. Thesiger extended Cairns an invitation to visit his home in Africa and he decided to take up the offer, and do some exploring of his own with a couple of friends while he was there.
As a young man Thesiger led an expedition along the Awash River in Ethiopia, a trip which previous foreigners had failed to survive. He obviously did and the book switches between the two journeys.
The parallel journeys are interesting and provided glimpses into the culture of the tribes the two men encountered but I felt that the author tried to fit too much material in, glossing over what could have been more interesting and provided more colour to the picture of their trips, yet spent time musing on things that didn't really add to the book.
There were also some drastic changes in pace, drawing some things out that I felt didn't deserve that much attention then coming to breakneck conclusions. It wasn't my sort of humour and for me there wasn't enough for it to be an interesting commentary on tribal life and relative values, nor was there a strong enough plot for it to be a great novel, and not enough about the country and people to be a good travelogue. While there were some interesting thoughts on whether we in the developed world are the poorer for it again it wasn't considered in enough depth. Perhaps this book is trying to be too many things. It was good enough to keep me interested but I doubt I'll read it again and I wouldn't recommend it.
The author met and befriended explorer Wilfred Thesiger in his later years. Thesiger extended Cairns an invitation to visit his home in Africa and he decided to take up the offer, and do some exploring of his own with a couple of friends while he was there.
As a young man Thesiger led an expedition along the Awash River in Ethiopia, a trip which previous foreigners had failed to survive. He obviously did and the book switches between the two journeys.
The parallel journeys are interesting and provided glimpses into the culture of the tribes the two men encountered but I felt that the author tried to fit too much material in, glossing over what could have been more interesting and provided more colour to the picture of their trips, yet spent time musing on things that didn't really add to the book.
There were also some drastic changes in pace, drawing some things out that I felt didn't deserve that much attention then coming to breakneck conclusions. It wasn't my sort of humour and for me there wasn't enough for it to be an interesting commentary on tribal life and relative values, nor was there a strong enough plot for it to be a great novel, and not enough about the country and people to be a good travelogue. While there were some interesting thoughts on whether we in the developed world are the poorer for it again it wasn't considered in enough depth. Perhaps this book is trying to be too many things. It was good enough to keep me interested but I doubt I'll read it again and I wouldn't recommend it.
Is it nearly Christmas yet?
3 weeks ago I thought I was the only one lacking any festive spirit and felt like I needed to step up my preparations, but now I can't believe it's still not even Christmas Eve. Thank goodness we're nearly there. I love Christmas, or at least the build up, but not the massive anti-climax once all the presents are open, you've eaten too much and realised there's nothing on TV and nowhere to go. The run up seems to start earlier every year, soon we'll be merging Easter, Valentines Day and Christmas into one long, over-commercialised holiday. This year I shall make a concerted effort to go to church on Christmas Eve with my Nan, it's a tradition we started when I was a kid and she used to take me to a Christingle kids service at the Cathedral in the town where we used to live. We let it slip when I got older but now it's a great way to remember what it's all about and take a bit of time to sit and reflect.
The major upside of Christmas is a break from work and time with family. Tomorrow Monkey is off to nursery and I get a day to myself. I'm hoping that I can fit in some reading (started Helen Smith's Being Light yesterday) but I suspect most of the day will be taken up undoing the damage and mess I made today. We had a carpet fitted in Monkey's newly decorated room today and I moved lots of furniture, but ended up emptying lots of stuff all over the place. Then my sister, just arrived to stay with the olds for Christmas after a four hour drive, came round with my little nieces. That definitely brought an end to my chances of tidying! I thought moving the furniture while hubby was out was doing him a favour, but I get a feeling he'll be a bit grumpy when he comes in and sees the mess. Once he's recovered his sense of humour we've got 4 whole days as a family before he's back on shifts, with lots of visiting of family to do, and hopefully some books under the tree. Roll on Christmas Eve!
The major upside of Christmas is a break from work and time with family. Tomorrow Monkey is off to nursery and I get a day to myself. I'm hoping that I can fit in some reading (started Helen Smith's Being Light yesterday) but I suspect most of the day will be taken up undoing the damage and mess I made today. We had a carpet fitted in Monkey's newly decorated room today and I moved lots of furniture, but ended up emptying lots of stuff all over the place. Then my sister, just arrived to stay with the olds for Christmas after a four hour drive, came round with my little nieces. That definitely brought an end to my chances of tidying! I thought moving the furniture while hubby was out was doing him a favour, but I get a feeling he'll be a bit grumpy when he comes in and sees the mess. Once he's recovered his sense of humour we've got 4 whole days as a family before he's back on shifts, with lots of visiting of family to do, and hopefully some books under the tree. Roll on Christmas Eve!
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Review: The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland Age 42 and Three Quarters by Barbara Silkstone
It's been a long time since I read Alice in Wonderland but it didn't affect my appreciation of this book one bit. The main character, Alice, is a neurotic, germophobic, anglophile whose life has gone seriously off the rails. Her strange world is full of characters resembling those in Lewis Carroll's book and she's started seeing the Cheshire Cat. She works for a killer who litigates for a hobby, and is being leant on by the shady family of one of his victims to secure a confession from him and testify against him at trial. To try and escape her life in Miami she goes online where she finds Nigel. He seems to be her perfect man, English, witty, eccentric, with an air of John Cleese about him. Unfortunately despite some glaring clues that he is not what he seems Alice is blind to it. He takes her on a jaunt around Europe, where he is attacked by a phantom fish flinger and she is convinced they are being followed. Alice had been hoping to escape the drama in Miami and settle down with Nigel, ideally in the Cotswolds, but things don't look like they are going to go her way.
The book is (unsurprisingly) written in the form of a diary, which has quotes from Carroll's book at the start of each section. I thought the way the quotes were weaved in was clever. The story whips along at quite a pace and is a combination of romance and whodunnit. Despite the fact Alice is a xanax popping mess who needs a good shake to see Nigel for what he really is I still liked her. She isn't a simpering victim, she's got guts and a sense of humour. This is a quirky tale with the sort of humour I associate with comedies like A Fish Called Wanda, perhaps why Alice is so keen to find a John Cleese-alike. All in all a fun modern fairytale, read it and see if Alice gets her happy ending.
The book is (unsurprisingly) written in the form of a diary, which has quotes from Carroll's book at the start of each section. I thought the way the quotes were weaved in was clever. The story whips along at quite a pace and is a combination of romance and whodunnit. Despite the fact Alice is a xanax popping mess who needs a good shake to see Nigel for what he really is I still liked her. She isn't a simpering victim, she's got guts and a sense of humour. This is a quirky tale with the sort of humour I associate with comedies like A Fish Called Wanda, perhaps why Alice is so keen to find a John Cleese-alike. All in all a fun modern fairytale, read it and see if Alice gets her happy ending.
Friday, 17 December 2010
Book review: Unholy Angels by Karen Fenech
I was lucky enough to win this book in a giveaway and was delighted to have a crime thriller by an author who is new to me on my kindle.
As far as Liz Janssen was concerned her marriage to Peter had been over for a long time, and the couple had separated. When she finds her ex-husband to be dead, ruled to be a case of suicide, she doesn't feel to blame. However their son Will feels his beloved father's death is down to her demand for a divorce and becomes increasingly angry at her. Fuelling his anger are his father's friends, members of a satanic cult, who recruit him in place of his dad.
Sheriff Doug McBride has returned to his home town of Branville with ghosts to lay to rest. He becomes close to Liz having become involved in the investigation into Peter's death. He is also trying to figure out whether a series of strange events in the town are connected. However in trying to save her son Liz feels unable to trust Doug and the story moves to a dramatic climax.
The story is primarily told from Liz and Doug's viewpoints. I thought she was a strong character, I felt able to empathise with her as a mum desperate to save her relationship with her son. I found him likeable and the supporting characters were well written. This is a genre I particularly like and, although I can't put a finger on exactly why, this book generally reminded me of the style of Karin Slaughter, one of my "stuck in a rut" favourites.
Having finished the book I am slightly bemused by the note that some content may be disturbing. I didn't find anything detailed that was worse than you might find in other books of the same style, so I hope this wouldn't put anyone off. I will certainly be taking a look at other titles by Karen Fenech.
As far as Liz Janssen was concerned her marriage to Peter had been over for a long time, and the couple had separated. When she finds her ex-husband to be dead, ruled to be a case of suicide, she doesn't feel to blame. However their son Will feels his beloved father's death is down to her demand for a divorce and becomes increasingly angry at her. Fuelling his anger are his father's friends, members of a satanic cult, who recruit him in place of his dad.
Sheriff Doug McBride has returned to his home town of Branville with ghosts to lay to rest. He becomes close to Liz having become involved in the investigation into Peter's death. He is also trying to figure out whether a series of strange events in the town are connected. However in trying to save her son Liz feels unable to trust Doug and the story moves to a dramatic climax.
The story is primarily told from Liz and Doug's viewpoints. I thought she was a strong character, I felt able to empathise with her as a mum desperate to save her relationship with her son. I found him likeable and the supporting characters were well written. This is a genre I particularly like and, although I can't put a finger on exactly why, this book generally reminded me of the style of Karin Slaughter, one of my "stuck in a rut" favourites.
Having finished the book I am slightly bemused by the note that some content may be disturbing. I didn't find anything detailed that was worse than you might find in other books of the same style, so I hope this wouldn't put anyone off. I will certainly be taking a look at other titles by Karen Fenech.
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