Keri from the blog Midlands Musings has tagged a couple of bloggers in a ‘reading list challenge’ of sorts (see more here) and here is my post in response to her request that we list our fave books :)

Incidentally, I wrote a post a while back called Growing up with books that some of you might want to take a look at – potentially amusing for those who grew up in the same era as me – some major blasts from the past!

I definitely go through phases with reading though – sometimes I wont pic up a book for months, other times, I’ll read three in the span of a few days – but regardless of frequency, I absolutely LOVE reading, and the escapism it affords me. I have a rather wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide taste in books. Warning: I don’t shy away from the odd fantasy (love me some Twilight and HP), and I sometimes do like easy reads like {cough, cough, splutter} Jodi Picoult (although admittedly haven’t read one of hers in a while because I have started to find them too ‘samey’) but I promise this list will contain only the quality you are after Kez ;)

A lot of the books I’ve already written blog posts on, so will link where appropriate. I can’t pick a favourite so these are in no order of preference, and they are really just a few of the many great books I’ve read that stand out, not necessarily my “all time favourite top ten”, but HERE GOES…

1. Like Keri, I also lurrrrved The Other Hand, by Chris Cleave  – while I was reading it, I watched a brilliant movie on TV called Incendiary and it was written by Cleave too, so reckon that would be another good one to flip through if you haven’t already read it.

2. The Millenium Trilogy, by Stieg Larson – if you haven’t heard of these and don’t know the gist of the story, then you have surely been living under a rock for the better part of the last few years. If you haven’t read them yet – even worse! Tsk tsk…

3. The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh – an easier read (I think – quite sad though) about a really sweet love story (and more) – worth a try…

4. Zoo City, by Lauren Beukes – there’s a definite fantasy/scifi vibe to this one, might not be everyone’s cuppa but I loved it! More so because it is ‘homegrown’ and there are so many recognisable/identifiable aspects to it (from the language, to the locations etc) Beukes has just released a new book called The Shining Girls which I am excited to try.

5. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski – if you love dogs, read this. So touching. Oprah smaaks it stukkend. ( I also LOVED Marley and Me… Big dog fan here!)

6. Room, by Emma Donahue – wow, brilliant writing! “Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don’t have the key. Jack and Ma are prisoners” This is a Joseph Fritzle-esque tale from the point of view of Jack, for anyone into those sorts of twisted ‘kidnap’ stories – very good…

7. The Help, by Kathryn Stockket - I mean, really, I don’t have to say much more do I?

8. The White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga – for some reason, I love stories based in India. This one does not disappoint. Read a synopsis here. Fabulously detailed and well written.

9. Spud, by John van de Ruit – um, hilarious! I read this on a night flight from SA to London a while back and couldnt put it down. Much to the dismay of the other passengers, I couldn’t stop snorting with laughter either. Too much funny, especially for those who went to boarding schools and can relate ;) More here, but again, if you haven’t heard about it, Im worried for you!

10. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini - from the same author as The Kite Runner – a beautiful story set in tumultuous Afghanistan about the intertwined lives of two women… (more here)

At the moment, if I dare to admit (!), I’m enjoying some light reading in the form or books by Nicolas Sparks – yip, the mastermind behind all those amazing-yet-tragic-love-story movies like The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, A Walk To Remember, Message in a Bottle – eee tee cee. If you like those, the books are better (the books are ALWAYS better aren’t they?!) and there are loads more that haven’t even been bastardised into films yet. Definitely verging on the ‘easier read’ side of the spectrum, and obviously they all follow a similar formula that leaves you feeling devastated for the characters, but who doesn’t enjoy a good cry every now and then, right?! (This pregnancy is making me tres emotional!)

Big plans to one day read When a Crocodile Eats The Sun and Mukiwa, by Peter Godwin (when I have the energy, emotionally! Because, Zimbabwe.)

Hopefully someone finds something in this post that tickles their fancy – keep me updated – and happy reading all!

x

Another ‘book post’ (see previous one here) – I’m enjoying the reading at the moment, it definitely goes through phases… Finished this one in less than two days:

I cannot actually explain how tragic this story is (especially if you are a mother!) – I cried A LOT – read it if ‘high emotion’ is your vibe.

It’s well written (alternating chapters from the view of the main characters), terribly sad, frustrating, intriguing and quite mysterious -until the end where the truth is revealed… Basically you’ll be wondering what the hell really happened the whole way through, but it’s definitely worth the emotional upheaval!

More about the actual storyline on the author’s website HERE. I’ve already started on another of her books – The Weight of Silence – which looks promising so far and has me turning pages (or, in my case, clicking the buttons on my Kindle) at a rate of knots!

It’s a pleasure :)

A number of people recommended Zoo City (by Lauren Beukes) to me and it sat on my kindle for months before I actually decided to give it a try – I can confirm that it is brilliant as everyone says!

A quick intro courtesy of Wikipedia:

Zoo City is set in an alternate version of the South African city of Johannesburg, in which people who have committed a crime are magically attached to an animal familiar – those who receive such punishment are said to be “animalled”. The novel’s chief protagonist, Zinzi December – who was “animalled” to a sloth after getting her brother killed – is a former journalist and recovering drug addict, and is attempting to repay the financial debt she owes her drug dealer by charging people for her special skill of finding lost objects, as well as making use of her writing abilities by drafting 419 fraud emails. The book’s plot focuses on Zinzi’s attempts to find the missing female member of a brother-and-sister pop duo for a music producer, in return for the money she needs to fully repay her dealer.

Science Fiction is not everyone’s cup of tea, but reading this for it’s unashamed South African-ness is reason enough alone. Beukes has a great writing style and combined with SA familiarities, it almost felt real – I wish there was more to read!

I’d LOVE to see this book turned into a film – it would make a great story and it would be amazing to see how they translate the whole animal vibe…

Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for something different and entertaining to read.

For anyone thinking about venturing into the world of blogging, or for those who already have blogs and find the subject interesting – this guide book by  Jo Cho (from the well known blog Oh Joy!) is a MUST-READ!

I recently downloaded the Kindle version and breezed through it – really interesting, easy to read and packed with loads of useful tips from those in the know. There is no hectic techno jargon, it’s simple to understand and it showcases a handful of successful part time and professional bloggers and their blogs.

Brush up on the basics or simply learn how to:

- Design your site
- Choose the right platform
- Attract a fan base
- Finance your blog
- Maintain work/life balance
- Manage comments
- Find content inspiration
- Overcome blogger’s block
- Choose the right ads
- Develop a voice
- Protect your work
- Create a media kit
- Leverage your social network
- Take better photographs
- Set up an affiliate program
- Partner with sponsors
- Build community
- Go full-time with your blog
- And more!

Available on Amazon. GO!

PS. my next reads from the same series include: Mom Inc., Craft Inc. and Creative Inc. – right up my alley!

I’ve written about Geninne Zlatkis and her beautiful work before and now have her stunning book to add to my small but growing collection of creative reads! I pre-ordered it from Amazon before I left the UK and it arrived with Mr Bird when he landed on Saturday…

LOVE IT! It’s filled with stunning pictures, ideas and tips for creating your own stamping masterpieces and more…

Along with the other recent online shopping I’ve been doing, I’ve been searching for something special to buy for Addi – something to commemorate her (brief) stay in London – something to remind her of her birthplace…

A few weekends ago I went shopping in Kingston with a friend and came across a beautiful London- themed pop-up book, illustrated by Jennie Maizels – no better gift than a book that can be cherished and enjoyed for years, and what child doesnt love a pop-up!

The one I saw was slightly damaged so I left it behind, but I looked it up online, ordered it from Amazon and here’s what arrived today…

Not only is it perfectly beautiful, but it was very reasonably priced. I really hope Addi inherits my love for books and beautiful illustrations – if so, this will be right up her alley (and if not, I’m keeping this for myself!)

If this is something you’d be interested in, get one for yourself here on Amazon for only £10.50 + free delivery (a steal!)

Always been a big fan of beautifully illustrated/designed books so when I came across This is for you, by Rob Ryan, the other day (in TK Maxx of all places), I had to have it!

Ryan is a London-based artist who specialises in exquisite cut-paper illustrations (similar to Rural Pearl which I blogged about here) – he communicates this story (about love) visually through his beautiful cut-paper work, combining both text and imagery to convey his message…

After a bit of a Google-stalk, I’ve found other works of his that I am now lusting after – mainly one of his other books A sky full of kindness about two birds who become parents for the first time (I know, right?!) and you can see more for yourself on his website and in his etsy shop. (Some of his stuff is also available to buy off Amazon – stunning as gifts…)

{images from Rob’s website}

Just finished reading this – thoroughly enjoyable, a love story and a bit of mystery never go amiss! It’s my second read by author Diane Chamberlain. She’s Jodi-Picoult-esque in style for me, so if you like Picoult’s books, you’ll definitely like this. I see she has also written a number of other titles, might have to try another soon because I like how they have more substance in terms of plot than the average boy-meets-girl novel, but at the same time they are not too heavy (I read intermittently and like to be able to pick up and put down without losing track of the story!) “Laura Brandon’s promise to her dying father was simple: to visit an elderly woman she’d never heard him speak of before. A woman who remembers nothing – except the distant past. Visiting Sarah Tolley seemed a small enough sacrifice to make. But Laura’s promise results in another death – her husband’s. And after their five-year-old daughter, Emma, witnesses her father’s suicide, Emma refuses to talk about it…or to talk at all. Frantic and guilt-ridden, Laura contacts the only person who may be able to help, a man she’s met only once before – a man who doesn’t know he’s Emma’s real father. Guided only by a child’s silence and an old woman’s fading memories, the two unravel a tale of love and despair, bravery and unspeakable evil. This is a tale that links them all. It is a tale shrouded in silence…“

Click HERE for a bit about the first one I read – The Lost Daughter – which I also really enjoyed.

Last week I finished reading The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Thank you, thank you, thank you Hayley Alfers for recommending this book to me! I think your exact words were that is was “just stunning” and I couldnt agree with you more.

Not only is the actual story beautiful (a love story essentially I think, although so much more) but it’s written beautifully, with alternating chapters in past and present, coming together to share the experiences that have molded orphan Victoria Jones into the person she is and into the person she becomes by the end of the novel.

The other aspect to the story is the actual Language of Flowers. HUH? I know, right – didnt know that it even existed!

Basically – all flowers have an emotive meaning attached to them, which could be considered when making up bunches for special occasions etc –  it’s really super fascinating if you happen to like flowers – some more info here via my good friend Wikipedia:

The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken… The nuances of the language are now mostly forgotten, but red roses still imply passionate, romantic love and pink roses a lesser affection; white roses suggest virtue and chastity and yellow roses still stand for friendship or devotion. Also commonly known meanings are sunflowers, which can indicate either haughtiness or respect… Gerbera(daisy) means innocence or purity. The iris, being named for the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, still represents the sending of a message. An Anemone signifies disappearance of hope. A pansy signifies thought, a daffodil regard, and a strand of ivy infidelity… 

Definitely keen to find out more about this sort of thing, there’s loads of stuff on the net but think a good old fashioned book with pictures would be more appropriate in this instance <3

When I first got my Kindle, I went a bit crazy buying and downloading loads of cheap/free books and this was one of them (cant remember what it cost, but it was like £4 max…)

It’s been sitting on my device for a couple of months now (okay, nearly a year) and I finally got round to reading it thanks to the long bus rides (to and from my current temp job) that I’ve endured for the past few weeks, and will (hopefully!) keep on surviving for the next few weeks to come. Moaning aside, I am secretly grateful for the 30 minute (sometimes-1-hour-depending-on-traffic!) bus rides because I love reading while traveling and to be honest, it’s generally the only time I do actually have time to read.

Back to the book: LOVED IT – had never heard of it before I downloaded it. Had never had it recommended to me. Cant remember why I chose it at all. I obviously liked something about it’s ‘jacket blurb’ though, because there it was, waiting patiently for me to give it a try…

Basically, it’s the story of a family dealing with the tragic loss of their son/brother and their feelings towards the accused, a young local mechanic, who, after almost 20 years on death row, is finally given ‘the date‘. It focuses especially on the murdered boy’s mother and her way of coping with the unthinkable. It also shares the story of the prison warden whose experiences are brought to the fore by his imminent role in preparing the prisoner for death.

The whole way through it, you know there is some sort of twist coming – the anticipation keeps the pages turning – and when it comes, you will probably remember having suspected something like it at some stage or another, but even so, the reveal is great – and bittersweetly, the stories in the book come to an end, with peace of mind for some and new beginnings for others…

ENJOY x