The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan (67/81)

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets and the Guardians and their power and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future - between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

This is the first book of the RIP challenge that I am doing ...... And I loved it :) ........ It was an easy read and I couldn't put it down .......... Dishes and Kids where left to my poor husband to sort out while I was totally engrossed in the book ........ Like a another reviewer said "putting the book down is not an option."

It is a young adult read and yes it does have Zombies in it ......... I heard that they have decided to make this into a movie which will be brill ...... Reading it did remind me abit of 'The Village' but a totally different concept ..... I will definitely be going out and buying more books by Carrie ...

Ok getting back to the book .... It is about a girl called Mary who lives in a village surrounded by the Unconsecrated ........ She dreams for escaping and hopes that there are other people like her beyond the Forest of Hands & Teeth .... Her whole world changes when her Mother is turned ...... And her only option is to stay with the Sisterhood who claim they are the ones who protect the village ....

If you love fantasy books and of course Zombie books you are going to eat this up ( excuse the pun )

I rate this book 5*****

Here is short trailer put together for the book ...



I am excited as the companion/sequel to The Forest of Hands & Teeth is coming out in the Spring 1010 in USA ......

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (30/81)

As an orphan, Jane's childhood is not an easy one but her independence and strength of character keep her going through the miseries inflicted by cruel relatives and a brutal school. However, her biggest challenge is yet to come. Taking a job as a governess in a house full of secrets, for a passionate man she grows more and more attracted to, ultimately forces Jane to call on all her resources in order to hold on to her beliefs.

Move over Mr Darcy here comes Mr Rochester ......

This is one of my favourite books and movies of all time .... I don't know how many times I watched Jane Eyre when I was growing up and Mr Rochester was always Timothy Dalton until the new version came out in 2006 ....

This novel is truly a classic ... And a novel which you can read with great ease and amusement ... Jane is such a wonderful character .... Even as a young child she knew her own mind even under such awful surroundings .....

I would truly call this novel a love story .... It is full of passion .... And it amazes me that it was written so long ago but yet is still so fresh .... I couldn't help but continually turn the pages to see what happens next ....

I feel this book has everything that you would require in a story ... Romance ( which sometimes you can feel the attraction between Jane and Edward was electric ) .... There was suspense and mystery ( What exactly was in attic? ) ... There was Ghosts and stately Mansions ( With beautiful gardens and women dressed in wonderful apparel ) ... There where the characters you loved to hate ( The wicked Aunt and Mr Brocklehurst ) .... The character who is the heroine ( Jane .... Plain she was not ) and no story would be complete without a brooding, Ruggedly Handsome Landing Man in Mr Rochester ....

I have so many favourite parts in this novel but here is but a few ....

"He rose and came towards me, and I saw his face all kindled, and his full falcon-eye flashing, and tenderness and passion in every lineament. I quailed momentarily - then I rallied." pg 329
(Swoon .... Swoon ... Swoon )

"My little friend!" said he, "I wish I were in a quiet island with only you; and trouble, and danger, and hideous recollections removed from me" ...... Can I help you, sir? - I'd give my life to serve you." .... "Jane, if aid is wanted, I'd seek it at your hands; I promise you that." Pg 244

"If one shook hands, for instance; but no - that would not content me either. So you'll do no more than to say Farewell, Jane?" ...... pg 271

"God pardon me!" he subjoined ere long, "and man meddle not with me: I have her, and will hold her" Pg 308

I cannot tell you how much I really love this book ... If you have not read it yet please do yourself a favour and go and get a copy !!! ..... You will not be disappointed ... You can really see how it is a Classic and remain one for many years to come ...

I rate this book 5*****

Ok we are doing this book as a book club and are going to settle down to watch the series .... So here is a wee teaser .... If you haven't seen this series it is well worth the watch :)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (28/81)

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Love, Love Love the cover .... I am going through a teen stage at the moment it seems .... As a majority of books I have picked up are all from this range .... Not that I am complaining because I am not I am loving the books ...

It is great to see a strong female character ... And Katsa is definitely that .... I completed this book in a couple of days .... I loved it ... The chemistry between Katsa and Po is electric to say the least ... And it is interesting to see the character of Katsa discover who she really is ... And to realise that even though you are capable of doing everything yourself it is good to let other people in to help ... And that it is not considered a weakness ...

For a first novel the book is very well done and flows beautifully and you do get carried away into her world ... There are loads of adventures and of course the romance ..... I would have rated this book 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact that the end of the book left me abit deflated ... I know I am probably being petty but the whole book was quite fast paced until you get to the last couple of pages .... Is Kristin going to do a follow up book? .... It would be a shame not to do another book as the characters are wonderful ...

In saying that if you love fantasy, adventure and a touch of romance then you will love this book ...

I rate this book 41/2 ****

I would say this would make a brilliant movie so here is a wee clip to wet your appetite - done by a fan !!!

3 Willows by Ann Brashare (25/81)

Seeds
Polly has an idea that she can't stop thinking about, one that involves changing a few things about herself. She's setting her sights on a more glamorous life, but it's going to take all of her focus. At least that way she won't have to watch her friends moving so far ahead.
Roots
Jo is spending the summer at her family's beach house, working as a bus girl and bonding with the older, cooler girls she'll see at high school come September. She didn't count on a brief fling with a cute boy changing her entire summer. Or feeling embarrassed by her middle school friends. And she didn't count on her family at all. . .
Leaves
Ama is not an outdoorsy girl. She wanted to be at an academic camp, doing research in an air-conditioned library, earning A's. Instead her summer scholarship lands her on a wilderness trip full of flirting teenagers, blisters, impossible hiking trails, and a sad lack of hair products.
It is a new summer. And a new sisterhood. Come grow with them.

This is from the author of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants which I really liked ... So this is a new book with new characters ....

Well this is definitely a wee book that my 11 year old daughter would love .... A book about 3 young teenage girls and how their friendships grow !!!

I loved the little factual quotes about the Willow Tree it was very interesting ... It is a sweet book and an easy read .... And I am sure alot of young girls will identify with the girls ... My favourite girl in the novel would have to be Ama ... She is funny, smart and willing to give anything a try !!! I cannot really say anymore just that it is a nice wee read !!!

I rate this book 31/2 ***

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (20/81)

The carefully controlled and chess-like movements of polite society often conceal passionate hearts, keen minds, and rebellious wills. High-spirited Elizabeth Bennet attempts to stay true to her ideals while her meddlesome mother schemes to get all five Bennet sisters married and to secure their family's fate at all costs. Can a girl who refuses to abandon her independent and scrutinizing ways find true love and a faithful heart? More than one unexpected twist and shocking revelation await our heroine as she must choose between the dashing Mr. Wickham and proud, aloof Mr. Darcy.

Well it begs the question who doesn't love this novel ... From the opening lines of "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" You just know that you are going to enjoy this book ...

It does take a little time to get used to the language but after that you get lost in in the Bennett household .... Gosh you wonder how people can be so stubborn and how a good line of communication is vital .... Our book club nite was great when we where discussing this novel we totally lost track of time ... But the overall view was that we all adorned the book .... And each of us in our way are married to OUR every own MR DARCY .....

This is a novel that will never go out of fashion it is just timeless ... We all know someone like Elizabeth who is not afraid to speak her mind .... Charlotte who will settle because she feels that is the best they can do .... A Mr Bennett who just wants a quiet life ... Mrs Bennett who we hope we will never have as a mother-in-law .... We all love those bad boys like Mr Wickham and we do get frustrated by men like Mr Darcy but ultimately we just want to be swept away and loved ....

This is truly a classic and if you have never read it you need to rectify that right away !!!

I rate this book 5*****

Ok there are may versions of this out there but I have to put this one in it is from Lost in Austen and is one of my favourite scenes ..... Enjoy xx

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (19/81)

The story’s unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry’s mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy? Catherine finds dreadful portents in the most prosaic events, until Henry persuades her to see the peril in confusing life with art.

Well this is the book which is to blame for me not reading too many books this month ... I loved the cover and it is also hard backed .... With uneven pages which I loved !!!! .... I have had this sitting on my shelf for some time and have been itching to dive in ....

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book !!! I totally got lost in the Gothic period ..... And the reason it took me soooooo long to read it was because I just took my time and thoroughly got absorbed into the story and characters ..... So much so that I was actually saddened when I was finished and wanted to read it again !!! I love it when that happens !!!

The story is about a young girl called Catherine who really is coming of age and has lead a quite a happy sheltered life but this all changes when she goes to Bath for the first time .... You will have characters you will dislike and characters that you will fall in love with .... I have to say Henry is one of those characters !!! He is gentle, charming and funny and you do get swooped away !!! ..... The whole book is funny, lighthearted and makes you pause for thought that you should never jump to conclusions, because you might just be wrong !!!

I know that people love Mr Darcy ( I hasten to add that I am one of them ) but I just loved Henry Tilney from the moment he was mentioned ....... It must be the romantic in me !!! ....

This book has everything a girl could ask for Castles, Adventure, Romance and Danger !!!! With an adorable leading lady in Catherine and a most Charming leading Man in Henry !!! ... So if you haven't ever read this book before .... Lock your bedroom door ..... Get your husband to watch the kids and curl up with a wonderful book .... You will not be disappointed !!

Well I couldn't leave you without a couple of my favourite Quotes ...

"No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine"

"No young lady can be justified in falling in love before the gentleman's love is declared, it must be very improper that a young lady should dream of a gentleman before the gentleman is first known to have dreamt of her"

"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pang of disappointed love"

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid"

"I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible"

I rate this book 5 *****

If you have never seen the BBC production of it ... it is well worth the view .... And you can swoon over Henry with a box of chocolates ....

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (16/81)

COULD YOU SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN, IN THE WILD, WITH EVERYONE FIGHTING AGAINST YOU?

Twenty- four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Well who knew that walking in Big W the other day that I would come across a book that I have been after for a while now !!! And the thing was I was staring at it for a while before it registered that it was The Hunger Games .... I have come accustomed to a different cover ... But I have to say I am delighted with this cover and I couldn't put the book down .... I read it in one day and loved it .... The only down side to the whole thing is that it is a trilogy and the second part isn't coming out until September ...!!!

I have been reading alot of Young Adult reads lately and I am really loving it !!! I think I am going back to my own teen years ... when all I used to read was Fantasy Books ... And I have to admit I have missed them !!!

This is a brilliant first novel by Suzanne Collins ... That both a girl and boy could identify with ... And the front cover is really clever that you can change it to a boy or girl cover depending on what you want !! This book has it all action, danger and romance and you will be grounded to your seat until you finish it !!! It was definitely well worth the wait to receive it !!!!

I rate this book 5*****

A short movie of Suzanne talking about her book .... Enjoy :) It is nice to put a face to a name ...

The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho (15/81)

How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves—even if we are unsure of whom we are?
That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho's profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well—or hardly at all. Among them:

"People create a reality and then become the victims of that reality. Athena rebelled against that—and paid a high price."Heron Ryan, journalist

"I was used and manipulated by Athena, with no consideration for my feelings. She was my teacher, charged with passing on the sacred mysteries, with awakening the unknown energy we all possess. When we venture into that unfamiliar sea, we trust blindly in those who guide us, believing that they know more than we do."Andrea McCain, actress

"Athena's great problem was that she was a woman of the twenty-second century living in the twenty-first, and making no secret of the fact, either. Did she pay a price? She certainly did. But she would have paid a still higher price if she had repressed her natural exuberance. She would have been bitter, frustrated, always concerned about 'what other people might think,' always saying, 'I'll just sort these things out, then I'll devote myself to my dream,' always complaining 'that the conditions are never quite right.'"Deidre O'Neill, known as Edda

Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.

This is the third book of Paulo Coelho that I have read ... And I have to say that The Alchemist is still my firm favourite ... I loved the cover of this novel ... And the concept to the story is very interesting as it is told from people who knew the main character of Athena ...

It is basically Athena's journey through life told from her friends and family ... Let me start by telling you the good things about the book ... It is littered with loads of stories and quotes which are as ever makes you stop and think ... Some of my favourites are

"What is a teacher? I'll tell you: it isn't someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give of her best in order to discover what she already knows" Pg 88

"Look at a skilled blacksmith working steel. To the untrained eye, he's merely repeating the same hammer blows, but anyone trained in the art of calligraphy knows that each time the blacksmith lifts the hammer and rings it down, the intensity of the blow is different. The hand repeats the same gesture, but as it approaches the metal it understands that it must touch it with more or less force. It's the same things with repetition: it many seem the same, but it's always different. The moment will come when you no longer need to think about what you're doing" Pg 91

"Money brings happiness. Fine. In that case, everyone who earns enough to have a high standard of living would be able to stop work. But then they're more troubled than ever, as if they were afraid of losing everything. Money attracts money, that's true. Poverty might bring unhappiness, but money won't necessarily bring happiness" Pg 144

Ok they were among my favourite quotes ... But I have to say that I did struggle to finish this book and it took me alot longer than I thought .... I do know that the book is centred around Athena but I found her quite selfish ... I know that it is her journey but it seems that was all she cared about and she really didn't care about how it effected the people around her ... I do appreciate that you can lose yourself in dance and mediation but I think I would have found her abit weird if every second you see her that she just danced around the place ...

I know alot of people love Coelho's novels and The Alchemist still remains one of my favourites but I have struggled with his other novels ...

I rate this book 2**

Paulo Coelho talking about his novel



Here's a link to his blog ::: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/

The Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly (10/81)

THE END OF THE WORLD IS HERE

The secret of the Seven Ancient Wonders was only the beginning... After their thrilling exploits in Matthew Reilly's rampaging New York Times bestseller, 7 Deadly Wonders, supersoldier Jack West Jr. and his loyal team of adventurers are back, and now they face an all-but-impossible challenge. A mysterious ceremony in an unknown location has unraveled their work and triggered a catastrophic countdown that will climax in no less than the end of all life on Earth. But there is one last hope.

If Jack and his team can find and rebuild a legendary ancient device known only as the "Machine," they might be able to ward off the coming armageddon. The only clues to locating this Machine, however, are held within the fabled Six Sacred Stones, long lost in the fog of history. And so the hunt begins for the Six Sacred Stones and the all-important knowledge they possess, but in the course of this wild adventure Jack and his team will discover that they are not the only ones seeking the Stones and that there might just be other players out there who don't want to see the world saved at all.

From Stonehenge in England to the deserts of Egypt to the spectacular Three Gorges region of China, The 6 Sacred Stones will take you on a nonstop roller-coaster ride through ancient history, modern military hardware, and some of the fastest and most mind-blowing action you will ever read.

Well this was a real roller coaster of a book and I loved it !!!

This is this months book club novel and I cannot wait now until the next installment comes out to find out what happens !!!

If you love adventure then this book is for you !! It is a real page turner and you cannot help but visualize Jack and his team battling their way out of impossible predicaments !!! It is so like Indiana Jones that you just see Jack as a true hero out to save the world !!!

Although some people will say that this is a boys book because it does go into detail of guns, tanks, planes etc but I loved it ( may be because at the moment with playing Call of duty on X-Box I actually know which guns he is talking about ... lol ..... ) But as a girl reading this book I loved it ...... Maybe it is the action Hero which every girl looks to ........ not to mention that he has cool gadgets like 007 ........

This is the second book in the series and I will definitely be rushing out to purchase the 1st one !!! YOU can read this book without reading the first one and thoroughly enjoy it and understand the plot ...... BUT you will prob be like me and be dying to read how Jack's adventure started !!! ......... The only sucky thing is that we where left with a cliff hanger at the end and have to wait for the next installment .........

If you haven't read any Matthew Reilly books yet ................. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GO OUT AND GET ONE !!!

I rate this book 41/2 ****

Here's the man himself talking and showing us where he writes !!

Possession by A S Byatt (5/81)

Roland Michell and Maud Bailey, two rather unfulfilled young literary scholars, unexpectedly become figures of romance as they discover a surprising link between the two poets on whom they are authorities. Byatt deftly plays with literary genres--Romantic quest, campus satire, detective story, myth, fairy tale--as Maud and Roland become deeply involved in the unfolding story of a secret relationship between the Victorian poets Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. The young people's quest inevitably attracts the jealous attention of the competitive academic world, and all too soon the quest becomes a chase. Byatt's staggering technical ambition and her powerful romantic vision are tributes to the great Victorian age, which the novel brings to life. "For the Victorians, everything was part of one thing: science, religion, philosophy, economics, politics, women, fiction, poetry," Byatt says. "They didn't compartmentalize--they thought BIG"

''The book,'' Ms. Byatt writes, ''was thick and black and covered with dust. Its boards were bowed and creaking; it had been maltreated in its own time. Its spine was missing, or, rather, protruded from amongst the leaves like a bulky marker. It was bandaged about and about with dirty white tape, tied in a neat bow.''

I have to say I have been dying to dive into this book for a while and although it did take me a little bit to get into it I really enjoyed it .... I have to say that it is not for the faint hearted as the language sometimes is difficult but if you take your time with the novel it is really well written ...

The Title of the novel is POSSESSION and it is really adeptly named ... As throughout the book you can see how people wish to Possess either other people or possessions as their own .... And feel that they have a rightful claim .........

If you are a lover of Poetry then you will adorn this book as it is littered with short and long verses ... And it is very cleverly written with the poems of the so called Victorian Poets Ash and LaMotte ......

It does beg the question of the things we write down and record mainly journals and letters can give a get insight into the person ... And the novel is like one big jigsaw puzzle which Roland and Maud both scholars in their own right race to piece it all together ...

It is a romance story and how because of a two unfinished letters written by Ash suddenly open up a whole new world ...... And because of these letters your assumption of Ash changes and you then view his poetry with a different eye !!! It is a love story between two Poets who for a brief moment find each other but can never let that secret become public knowledge ...

I have a few favourite quotes ...

"I have called you my Muse, and so you are, or might be, a messenger from some urgent place of the spirit where essential poetry sings and sings. I could call you, with even greater truth - my Love - there, it is said - for I most certainly love you and in all ways possible to man and most fiercely. It is a love for which there is no place in this world - a love my diminished reason tells me can and will do neither of us any good, a love I tried to hide cunningly from, to protect you from, with all the ingenuity at my command" Pg 193

"
I must tell you - ever since that first meeting, I have known you were my fate, however from time to time I may have disguised that knowledge from myself" Pg 192

"All creation rushed round us out there - earth, air, fire, water, and there we were, I beg you to remember, warm and human and safe, in the circle of the trees, in each other's arms, under the arch of the sky."

"They say that woman change: 'tis so: but you

Are ever-constant in your changefulness.

Like that still thread of falling river, one

From source to last embrace in the still pool

Ever-renewing and ever-moving on

From First to last a myriad water-drops

And you - I love you for it - are the force

That moves and holds the form.

R H Ash, Ask to Embla, XIII "

I feel that this is a book to be enjoyed slowly and to be discussed but I did enjoy it ...

I rate this book 3 1/2 Stars

Here's the movie trailer to the book ... As with Hollywood they have spiced it up .... In the book it eludes to their relationship but doesn't need to go into details left to your imagination .....