It was the 1700s, and Emer Morrisey was on the brink of escaping her pirate life with Seanie, her first and true love. But before she could, her archenemy cursed her to live the lives of 100 dogs before being reborn again as a human. It was now the 21st century, and Emer is finally reborn as Saffron. Born with her memories intact, she is the genius of the family and is their hope for the future. However, she has other plans in mind: to turn 18 and sail off to Jamaica to retrieve the treasure she has left behind.

This book is very witty indeed. It successfully blends the historical and the contemporary, and presents a main character who is lovable and funny even though she is quite a bit neurotic at times. Saffron/Emer has this habit of trying to dismember, kill, or do other torturous stuff to people whenever she gets cross or annoyed with them. This is so funny that I can't help laughing! A.S. King has managed to capture the teenage female psyche - lost, rebellious, and well, bratty at times. She has also given us a powerful dose of girl power here. From what we know, most notorious pirates were boys but hey, here comes a girl pirate! Awesome.

At the start of the book, you get the impression that Saffron was just a typical girl. But as you read through the pages, you find out [as I did] that she is very misunderstood and what brought her to her current life was a very, very tumultuous past. From a very young age, she has been through a lot and has been forced to grow up and just be the way she is.  I'm sure if anyone of us had that type of experience, we would also be forced to grow up too. Saffron/Emer has a very strong personality that many of us aspire to have.

I loved the historical elements of the book. They were presented in a manner that intrigues and drives you to google. I googled them and yes, they are historically accurate. The chapters dividing the book were also mixed wonderfully where the contemporary is in one chapter, and a historical/flashback aspect the next, without confusing the reader.

This is a must read. I would never have picked up this book if it wasn't recommended to me and I'm more than happy that it was recommended. A friend of mine who I loaned the book to was asking if this was going be the next movie blockbuster. I just hope it will be, as the concept of the book was utterly awesome.


Published: 2009
Publisher: Flux
Available from: Amazon and perhaps your local booksellers
Read it if: You want something new and exciting!! Very, very good book
Book was acquired from: A.S. King [many many thanks for signing the book + for the other books too]. This was part of Lenore's International Book Bloggers Mentoring Program.
fickle fan/overall rating:

The review above is also featured in Cym Lowell's Book Review Wednesdays.

This non-fiction book is all about the first English Olympics that were supposedly played in 1612 in the Cotswolds. These games promoted camaraderie between the people, instead of them being involved in drinking and causing uprisals throughout the kingdom.

The facts were based mostly on a reference book, "the Annalia Dubrensia", a poetry book commissioned by Robert Dover to celebrate his games, we finally get a glimpse of the first English olympics. Seems like these games were known and enjoyed by the masses, and is more common to the modern olympics of today.

So, what do I think of the book? First off, it was written in a typical non-fiction manner -- quite boring. It's laden with facts that have been repeated several times all over the book and I got the distinct feeling that I was reading something for school, even though I'm not. It feels more like an academic paper too, a project that a student did as part of a school requirement. Nevertheless, the book is quite a good background on these English games. I initially picked it up as an introduction to the upcoming 2012 Olympics but it just left me quite disapppointed.

Published: 2004
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Available from: Amazon
Read it if: You want to do some back reading on the history of the Olympic Games in England.
Book was acquired by: myself. Mooched it from bookmooch.
fickle fan rating: [read more about my rating at my new blog fickle fan] 

Wow: A Handbook for Living is a self-help book that teaches you on how to be successful in your daily life. Filled with quotable quotes, cutesy little photos, enumerated steps and space for you to write your thoughts and actions on, the book is designed for you to remember what you have learned from the book and to write down your action points after every step.

Although you have the final say on whether or not you will follow these methodologies as outlined in the book, the authors do insist that you find out your own processes given their guide and master their basic principles to make your life more happy and fulfilled.

Thoughts: I love the presentation of the ideas in the book. I love the photos and all the little notes beside every chapter that summarizes a main thought. Since I have the ARC, I'm not sure if the finished copy would have coloured pages, which would be even better! I would love some colour in these photos! Would I use the book's principles in my life? Well, maybe yes, maybe no. Even before I read the book, I was already using some of the principles outlined in the book. Although not consciously, i think some of these are innate to us, we just don't know how to harness it. This book is just a great reminder to keep doing what I am doing, and for others to also be guided along and recognize those characteristics that are innate to all of us.

Some notable chapters that I love [won't type them all down, it'll be a spoiler then]:

• "Say it with how instead of why"
• When you plan for something, set an exact date and record the outcome
• Where do you see yourself x years from now? 

And so, the summary of my points above:
Published: March 2010 [Paperback]
Publisher: One Peace Books
Available from: everywhere, i think!
Read it if: you need a bit of guidance on how to have a more positive outlook in your life or if going through a tiny bit of a crisis
Book was acquired from: Rebecca from The Cadence Group [Many, many thanks for sending this book over for me to review!]
fickle fan rating: [read more about my fickle fan rating]

This post is also featured at Cym Lowell's Book Review Wednesdays.

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school. Again. Seems like this kid has been going through boarding school after boarding school year after year, causing trouble that he did not mean to do to other students. Every year, strange things have been happening to Percy, not that he takes special attention to it, though. Until one year, he realizes that his best friend is a satyr, his mother was taken hostage in the underworld, his father is one of the Olympians, and he finds out he's a demigod with a quest to fulfill. Everything changes for Percy: from a normal pre-teen boy with dyslexia, he has to step up and try to save the Western civilization from utter chaos by finding the thief who stole Zeus' master bolt.

Thoughts - I loooove to read and plus plus points await those books that will make me want to learn new stuff: to make me spend hours on end on Wikipedia or Google, trying to find out more about a specific topic. This book was definitely a good start: it made me interested in Greek mythology again! Let's see.. the last time I read something about Greek mythology, I was in seventh grade and we need it for school. Now, I want to dive for Bufinch's mythology and re-read it! Good thing my parents bought me a hardcover book -- it literally lasts so much longer!

Anyway, the way Rick Riordan writes about the gods makes me feel as if they are alive, walking around earth and not just names from myths, legends, and lore. He also writes about these characters in such an unconventional way -- I love the fact that he doesn't portray Hades as a bad guy. In fact, Rick Riordan never really portrays any of the gods as bad people, just moody little beings. After all, these gods have every right to. They rule the earth, right? The characters are also smart, witty, funny and three-dimensional [well, except for Smelly Gabe for me. Gosh, I hate him!]

The book is written in a humorous way to make the subject light while keeping the readers interested in the facts that the author is churning on about. Dang, now I wish these books had been written when I was a young adult. It'll make me remember more about these Olympians, quite useful if you have an exam or something! He even provides codes for you to remember the gods names alone - ie the formation of the gods in Olympus and in Camp Half-Blood, as well as numbers for each of the gods. Ingenius.

This novel is very, very excellent. Good start for the rest of the series. It kept me hooked! And yes, I want to read the next novel, but will probably get a copy when I find one on sale. The cheapskate in me strikes again [then again, I have a bazillion interests to fund too].

So, is this the next Harry Potter series? Maybe. Maybe not, but Riordan certainly provided a breath of fresh air to an otherwise aging lore!  This is very much worth your time and effort so do read it. The book isn't like the movie, don't be fooled!

And so, on to the rating & information:
Published: 2005  
Publisher:  Disney Hyperion
Available from: your local bookstore everywhere, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, maybe even your local used bookstore!
Read it if: You want a light YA read and something that tackles the greek gods.
Book was acquired by: myself. Bought it in a bookstore while my friend and I were browsing around and she said I had to read it before the movie comes out. And I did!
fickle fan rating:  [read more about my rating at my new blog fickle fan.

Nowadays, traveling is an essential part of life. It is a chance to explore new places, learn more about yourself and the culture of the place you are going to and is an adventure, in itself. A chance to know that you are just one tiny being in the huge world we are moving in.

Very few people do get a chance to travel, and very few people get an opportunity to take a few years off and just discover what's out there. In this book, Trent Newcomer decides to leave his corporate job and the safety of his routine life back at home and just backpack to different countries. He traveled for over a year and a half, and this book is his memoir, so to speak, of those travels: the places he visited, and the people he met along the way. With every new place, he did not have a set itinerary, only a goal: to continuously strive to expand the  boundaries of his comfort zone.

This book is biographical so I cannot comment much on characters, settings, and the like, so this review is also non-traditional in a sense. I admire Trent for having the guts to do this. I know it isn't easy to leave the comfort of your life back home, with a steady-paying job, your friends, and just go off on your own over yonder. I admire him for not having a steady itinerary and not jumping in to some of the tourist traps that the countries he had went to offered. As you read through the book, you'll have a feeling of wanting to go to the places he went as well. He described his adventures so vividly and provided information on the places he stayed in and areas that few travelers would ever think of going, which are hidden gems of the area, so to speak.  His feelings are clear in the book: there are no holds barred, like his fears of entering a mountain bike race when he is physically unprepared, and how customs officials may single you out for not exactly having the best appearance whilst on the border.

The book is an enjoyable read, it is informative for future travelers like me who intend to follow in the example that Trent has led. He and so many others have proven to the world, that yes, it can be done, and you just need to take the first step to reach the goals that you want. And well, yes, lots of planning beforehand [the places, how much it would cost, and maybe contact long-lost friends along the way]. However, I feel as if the chapters and the narratives on the countries he visited were a bit too short. I feel it left me hanging and gives me the thought "that's it??" Perhaps Trent should have presented the book by continent, to provide more information on what he did in a particular country, but that's just me. I know it must have been hard for him to trim down his memoirs from his 4000++ page journal into the 300+ page book that he has presented now. Fellow readers, please also keep an open mind as you read the book. Not all the situations Trent has found himself on his travels may happen to you, after all, it has been 15 years since he has embarked on this trip and things may have changed since then. And within those 15 years, we have been blessed with budget airlines, fast trains, mobile internet, GPS-enabled phones, so we have it easier right now compared to what he has encountered before.

This book is a light read, and will definitely inspire you to see more of the world and just step out of your comfort zone, however hard it may prove to be. All you need is to take that first step and you are on your way!

And so, on to the rating & information:
Published: 2009
Publisher:  iUniverse
Available from: Barnes & Noble and the iUniverse bookstore.
Final Rating:  4/5 [I liked it, it is very inspiring, as I have said again and again in my post above]
Read it if: You want to discover new places to go to and want to be inspired in people's travel stories.

**Many, many thanks to Trent Newcomer for sending this book over. **

Last Sunday, November 29th, I had a chance to watch "Treasure Island" by Theatre Down South at the Insular Life Theatre here in Alabang.

Tickets were at P450 a pop, and was free seating.

I normally try to watch as many plays/musicals as I can whenever I'm free or have extra funds, and this play is much more special because a very, very good buddy of mine is playing a part!

It's actually my first time to ever watch a musical with my friend in a supporting role. Granted, I had a few sniggers here and there because my friend is not himself [ie in character], but it's part of the whole threatre persona!

The show was good -- it remained true to the original tale, based on a book by Robert Louis Stevenson. And I have to admit, when I was watching the play, I couldn't help but compare bits and bobs of the story from the Muppets version of Treasure Island. I can't help it! I loved that movie when I was younger! And who could top those cute little muppet characters?

The props were excellent! It showed the jungle scene very nicely as well as the bar and ship scenes!
There were lots of funny parts in the tale, the music is okay as well, but there were parts of the dialogue I wasn't able to listen [probably because I'm sniggering or whispering around with my friends lol]

At the front of the auditorium, there were numerous props that you could have photos in! Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera and my mobile phone was low on battery so I wasn't able to take photos! Dang! Before and after the show, cast members also go around meeting the show watchers! Now that's effort!

Too bad the last run of the show was on the 29th of November, however, I'll watch more musicals by this group [well, mainly because my friend was in it] once the time and fund permits!

29-year old Emily Albright is a manager in an independent bookstore in New York City. After one disastrous date after another, her best friend decides to book her on an 18-30 tour in Mexico in order to meet new guys. But Emily, determined to escape that Mexico tour, booked herself a Jane Austen book tour in England.

However, the book tour is not what it seems: it's filled with pensioners, except for one journalist named Spike, who goes about interviewing people about why they think Mr. Darcy is the ideal man.

Until one day, during the tour, Emily meets the real Mr. Darcy.

Thoughts:
Hmm... Initially, I thought "Okay. This seems like an interesting book to read." It is a chick lit that deals with a Pride and Prejudice character -- Mr Darcy. I got it from BookMooch and read it as part of our October Book Club, where we have to read Pride & Prejudice and an offshoot book.

Anyway, lets now go on to my thoughts. First off, I really got confused with the story. Seriously. I had a few moments where I would scratch my head and go "What happened?" and "How did that happen?" Especially in parts where Mr. Darcy would magically appear out of nowhere.

Granted, there were dragging parts every now and again, but some parts were just sooo boring and full of useless details [at least for me], that I had to force myself to go read the next few pages of the book.

Character-wise, Emiy is portrayed as a romantic, idealistic girl, who had no fashion sense whatsoever. But the way the author described how she packed her things as she was leaving New York for London seemed unreal. I mean, packing a lot of books instead of clothes? Come on! That is so unreal. Bookworms usually pack around 3-5 books per trip and if they need to read some more during the trip, they head off to the airport bookstore or any other bookstore they could get their hands on, not pack everything that they have in the closet.
As for Spike, well, he was inconsistently described in the book. He's blonde and a bit dishevelled, but you don't have to go bashing him about saying he's got a potbelly or something.

There's also some characters that don't need to play a supporting role but is wildly described in the story. I don't need that much information, right?

Location-wise, I think it was well-researched, as the places described in the book are existing and do tie up to what is in Jane Austen's novels and/or screen adaptations! I know because I googled them myself too. :) Classic example: Sham Castle in Bath! I've been to Bath [well, for only a few hours] but never knew there was a Sham Castle that existed in the first place!! However, one thing that isn't feasible? The coach picking up all the tour participants in the airport. Of all the tours I've known, they normally pick up the people in their respective hotels or at a bus stop! It isn't feasible to be in an airport!

Plot-wise, It lacks originality. There are some parts which were just a modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice, albeit different circumstances, character names, and jobs. It does have some fantasy elements in it though [what with Mr. Darcy popping up every now and again and blank pages of a book] but definitely not enough to capture my attention.

Overall, I'm a bit torn on whether I liked the book or not, so I'll probably give this a rating of 2.25/5.
I'm surprised that for a chick lit book, the heroine was not funny enough for me, and the scenes between the hero and heroine lacked to give me that fluttery feeling in my stomach that I get whenever there were sweet and cute moments happening between them.

Oh, also don't be surprised that some of the spellings are different -- the author is based in the UK.

Read it if you're a Pride & Prejudice fan who wants to read the story told in a modern point of view, who wants to have a feel of how it would be like to have Mr. Darcy pop up in the modern view, and well, just want to read a chick lit book.

Book Details:
Published: 2007
Source: Bookmooch.
Final Rating: 2.25/5

Book One of Seven in the Harry Potter Series.

Harry Potter was an orphan, living in a cupboard under the stairs with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and cousin Dudley. His life is pretty much boring, with not much privileges. Until one day, on his 11th birthday, a letter arrived at #4 Privet Drive, an invitation to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Then harry realizes he is not an ordinary boy. He is quite known in the wizarding world as the boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named [Voldemort], and also became the youngest seeker for Griffindor in a century.

On his first year at Hogwarts, Harry is exposed to the Sorcerer's Stone - a stone that produces an elixr that can bring eternal life, and also has the capability to create gold. With new friends Ron and Hermione, Harry is thrust in a new adventure on their quest to find out who wanted to steal and usethe Sorcerer's Stone.

I have to stop my makeshift summary there as I don't really want to give away any spoilers.

I first read this book way back in 1999, when I was still a sophomore in high school. When I tweeted that I was reading this book, many of my friends asked why I was reading this book again when this is the third [or fourth? I've lost count]. Well, I wanted to read it as part of the Harry Potter Reading Challenge as hosted by GalleySmith. In the challenge, we're asked to read all 7 Harry Potter books and this is the first step!

Anyway, my review of the book.

I've always liked Harry Potter. The way JK Rowling wrote the story was so believable, you'd want to be transported to Hogwarts! The plotline was so cleverly constructed, and as I was first reading Sorcerer's Stone, I totally believed that Snape was the one after the Stone [although he was the Red Herring.... I was ignorant back then :P]

Do read the series if you haven't -- the movie is loyal to the book, although the book has far more details, which could explain some underlying questions that you might encounter in the movie.

Back when I was in London, I did a really quick Harry Potter tour by going to "Diagon Alley" [Leadenhall Market] and Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross. I will probably post that adventure up in one of my travel-related blogs. Haha. The experience of pretending to "push" the cart through the wall in Platform 9 3/4: Priceless.

Also got to Oxford where the Great Hall scenes were shot. I could just imagine being part of Slytherin or Ravenclaw or Griffindor or Hufflepuff and being excited of waving my wand and learning new tricks!

Overall, I'd give this book 4.5/5! :) It sure was a good fantasy book, and I can't wait to re-read the rest of the series.

My copy: A paperback, bought at National Bookstore way back in 1999 for P189.50 [around $4.50 in the current conversion]. The spines are creased, the pages are brown, but still something to keep in the personal library.

One of the classic books from Jane Austen. The last time I actually read this book was in high school, for a book report from school.

And so I took out my old book from the shelf at the basement, and decided to re-read it for the October book discussion of my book club [well, the book discussion was postponed until November until further notice]

The basic plot of the book is simple: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl rejects boy because she thinks him to be a pompous man, girl then thinks that rejecting boy was stupid, boy does everything to make it right for girl, girl realizes she loves boy, boy and girl meet again, confess their true feelings and live happily ever after.

Such is the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth is the second of five children, all girls, whom their mother has no real dreams but to have all five of them entered in suitable marriages with husbands that are rich, or have enough money on them. Mr. Darcy is born in high society, Elizabeth was just a simple girl who believes in falling in love before getting married. See the prejudice in the two different circles where Elizabeth and Darcy belong to.



It is such a quintessential fairy tale but is one of the most romantic love stories of all time. It's book has been in circulation for nearly two centuries already, could you believe it? In my book it says that its first printing was in 1813! My gosh. And it still continues to delight readers until today.

But honestly, it was one of the most boring books I've ever read. Ugh. Maybe it has got something to do with the "Old" English writing. The author tends to overexplain everything and was written in such a minute detail that it was enough to bore me to sleep not just once, twice, but many times as well. Oftentimes, I find myself being sleepy or drowsy just after reading 5 pages of it. It was such a painful book to read. *sigh*

But nevertheless the book has its ups as well, there were moments that were so sweet you couldn't help but ooooh and aaaahhh and imagine what is happening between Mr Darcy and Elizabeth at the time. I especially loved the scene at Pemberley! *sigh* Those are page-turners on my book!

This book has been translated in the book screen a few times already, but the only one I've seen was one where Elizabeth was played by Keira Knightley. If you found the book too painful to read as well, might as well watch the movie as it stayed true to the book and at least there, the visuals could help you imagine what's it like back in 1800s England, where there were no mobile phones, no airplanes, and each "love" would almost necessarily lead in a proposal.

Some of the characters are very, very irritating. I especially hated the character of Mrs. Darcy and Lydia. Ugh. Could anyone be more whorish? I couldn't believe that their mother would also go so far as to yak her way in influencing her children and who they should marry. Ugh. Such pretenses.

And yes, Mr. Darcy is the quintessential guy that every girl would like to be with forevermore. No wonder there are so many spinoff books that are coming out with Mr. Darcy's character in it [oh, which reminds me, the next book I have to read [aside from the review ones] should be a spinoff book]. My next read would be Me & Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter. Watch out for my review here once I've finished the book. I looooove Colin Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy in Bridget Jones' Diary! [I have to read that book as well].

Overall, I'll rate this book 3/5.
I would have rated it a 4/5 but the "Old" English really irked me off! There are some words I just don't understand [then again maybe my vocabulary isn't that vast?]

Read this book if:
1. You're curious about 1800s England and would want to know how people amuse themselves back then and how people courted each other then.
2. You're a masochist who wants to read novels in "Old" English [like me!]
3. You want to relive your grade school or high school days where you were forced to read classical novels in your English class and have to review them or answer guide questions to pass.
4. You're in for a good love story and want to dream of your own Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth Bennet
5. You have to read it for a book club
6. You're interested in where the spinoff books or movies got their inspiration from.


On other notes, you can win a book from me here: http://rubylovesadventure.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-giveaway-kissing-games-of-world.html
US addresses only, sorry!

RandomHouse has been kind enough to provide 3 copies of Kissing Games of the World by Sandi Kahn Shelton. This book will be released on your bookstores by November 11th, 2009! [of course, that's the US release date.] Please read on below for the book summary and the giveaway information! So excited to read this book!

Book Summary:

If there’s one point that Jamie McClintock and Nate Goddard can agree upon, it’s that love is overrated. Jamie doesn’t have time for it. Nate doesn’t need it. And they certainly don’t want it from each other.

Jamie, a struggling free-spirited artist, is a devoted single mother who hasn’t been in a serious relationship since her boyfriend abandoned her after their son was born. Nate, a charismatic jet-setting salesman, is widowed and estranged from his father and five-year-old son, Christopher. Jamie would rather glue glitter to pinecones than go out on a date. Nate spends most of his nights wooing his clients. Then one afternoon Nate’s father drops dead of a heart attack. In that moment, their highly guarded worlds collide.

When Nate shows up at his childhood home to settle the estate and reclaim his son, he discovers that Jamie has been living in the Connecticut farmhouse as his father’s roommate. Mistrustful of each other’s motives, Nate and Jamie bicker about everything from children’s nicknames to Jamie’s fashion choices to Nate’s home renovation methods. It doesn’t help that Christopher prefers Jamie to his absentee father.

But after the funeral, Nate and Jamie begin to see each other in a more forgiving light. Nate, traveling to sales conferences all over the country with a sullen Christopher in tow, learns he can’t breeze his way through single parenthood. Jamie, who has moved back in with her sister, wonders at the wisdom of her unconventional choices as a woman with a child to support. And both begin to realize they don’t know as much about love as they thought. Still wounded by past heartbreak and sorrow, can they learn to trust each other and open their hearts?

Giveaway Info:

Sorry guys, but this is open only for US addresses only. For those overseas, you may enter if you have a friend or a relative with a US address who can send the book for you.

Giveway will end on November 10th, 2009, 11pm Manila time, [11AM EST] where I'll draw the entry and post the three winners in this blog! Fair chances of winning, right? Good luck everyone :D

To enter:

- For 1 entry, please comment below with your email address so I can contact you.

- For an additional entry, become a follower of my blog. If you're a previous follower, please let me know in the comments and you'll get the point

- For another additional entry, post this giveaway on your twitter, blog, forum, or as a sidebar. Please also let me know the site where you've posted the entry to :)

Three entries per person! What are you waiting for? :)

It's a stormy Saturday here in Manila as I type this. I was supposed to go to a book club meeting for this book but the weather is absolutely horrible and my house is slowly flooding because of the storm, I might as well just post my insights on the book as I join in an online discussion instead of a real-life one. *sigh*

Anyway, Perfume is a novel that was originally written in Germany by author Patrick Suskind. It is set in France, in the 18th century. A young boy was born with an extraordinary sense of scent. His mother, a young woman selling fish at the market, had tried to kill him, being her fifth child [none of her other children had managed to make it], by abandoning her in the fish guts after she gave birth to her.

Unfortunately, Grenouille cried, making the buyers wonder where the crying was coming from, saw that Grenouille's mother tried to kill him, and thus ended up being hanged to death by trying to abandon her baby.

Grenouille as an orphan was then sent to different nurse-maids, all of which tried to get rid of him because he was drinking more milk than the usual baby, and for some reason, Grenouille had a power to make people uneasy around him. He eventually ended up at an orphanage, and when he was old enough, was sent to a tannery.

Whilst in the orphanage, he realized of his extraordinary gift, and one day, as he was working in the tannery, he began to smell new things in the streets of France. Until a chance encounter with a virgin ended up with him trying to preserve scents, as the virgin's scent was powerful.

Grenouille learned that he had no scent of his own, so he wanted to create the most perfect scent, and decided he should become a perfumer's apprentice to learn the secrets of the trade. From a perfumer, he had learned that the ultimate perfume should have 25 notes [13 notes in the movie version], killing virgin women and eventually concocting a scent that could move the world.

Naturally Grenouille got caught. But he used his ultimate perfume to sway the minds of the people who judged him to think that he was innocent, freeing him. Eventually he went back to his native Paris, where he was eaten alive when he poured all the perfume in him. Errr. Eww.

Thoughts
I've seen the movie and it remained loyal to the book, it did have very slight differences but nevertheless it was true to form.

The book was quite graphic and gruesome. The movie was quite subdued & interesting [then again I saw the movie at a cable channel so they must have cut out all of the gruesome parts]. The guy playing Grenouille is quite cute!

As part of a question in the book club if Grenouille had a hump --> from what I know, Grenouille did not really have a hump, he always stooped and has a bad limp so it may have the impression that he has a hump?

Good book. I loved the historical aspect of it [me being very partial to historical fiction], and the very detailed descriptions of the surroundings in 18th century France.

I'd give it a 4/5 rating!

My copy was bought during the Fully Booked Sale. Quite a pricey book but then again its historical fiction as well, so worth an investment?

Book # 2 of the Twilight Saga. Bella is a human, while her boyfriend is a vampire.
In the first book, their relationship survived without Bella getting killed, but during her birthday party, Edward's brother, Jasper, tries to attack Bella when she gets a paper cut [she is such a klutz]. Edward was mortified, and decided that in order to protect Bella and not hurt her, his family decides to leave Forks, Washington, to move someplace else, leaving Bella and their relationship behind.

While Edward was gone, Bella finds herself attached to Jacob, a Quilleute boy who was living in the reservation. At first, Jacob was just a normal boy, until he transforms into a werewolf. Isn't Bella such a magnet for paranormal creatures?

She was getting to grips with choosing Jacob over Edward, until one day, Alice Cullen finds herself back in Forks, asking for Bella's help to get Edward back from Italy.

So who would Bella choose? Jacob or Edward? [As if it isn't obvious already]

Thoughts: [may contain spoilers]
- This book is so much better than Twilight. I loved that Jacob's character was well-defined and has a backstory on how he became a werewolf. I also loved the way Bella and Jacob's friendship was defined, and how he helped Bella move on to a life without Edward [and her stopping to be so whiny and pathetic about not being with Edward]. Jacob and Bella's little "romance" was soooo cute, it made me smile just imagining how they would look like on the big screen this November [not to mention Taylor Lautner is definitely hot].

My most favourite part of the book was about the Volturi -- a clan of ancient vampires living in Italy. They are said to be the "royal family" of campires. They are an interesting group of people, how their very strong and not to mention, unique powers made them the feared vampires as they were and how they punish the other vamps who go astray and not follow the basic vampire rules.

One thing that I didn't like was Bella "casting" Jacob off when Edward came back to Forks. Seems like Jacob was just the rebound guy. Oh, poor Jacob! [And yes, I am team Jacob, can't you see?]

I would definitely read the next book in the series, Eclipse, once I've got the time. I also cannot wait to see New Moon in the big screen in November! I'd love to see Jacob in the book screen and see how the movie compares with the book.

Overall, I'd give this book a 4/5 rating.

Book #7 for the year!

I finally got to finish reading this after a looong time. Technically, it's the first time I read this [or rather, have someone read the book to me] via audiobook.
There's only a few words to tell the summary of this tale: Human girl falls in love with a vampire. Ugh. That's about it.
It didn't help that the writing was not that great, so I had to make do with an audiobook, with someone reading the book to me because I was so tempted to skip out some parts.
The only part that interested me was the back stories about the Cullens, and how they live & act in particular.
Other than that, nothing really special.

Overall rating: 2/5. I've read better books. But I'm still going to finish reading the series though.

Book#6 for the year is "Beware, Princess Elizabeth" by Carolyn Meyer. It is a historical fiction novel aimed for young adults that chronicles the life of Elizabeth Tudor from her father's death to her eventual crowning as Queen.

It was the 16th century, England, and surrounded by controversy and much religious inquisitions & beheadings, Elizabeth found herself in the midst of controversy ever since her father, Henry VIII's death. Her brother, Edward, was being run by his uncle, and only beckons to see her during Yuletide, her half-sister Mary, does not speak to her, and Elizabeth believes that Mary hates her. Her childhood friend, Robin Dudley, suddenly gets bethrothed to Amy, as a political and monetary move by both families.

Her only companion was Kat Ashley, her governess, and together, they weave through controversies, imprisonment, fearing for her death, whilst playing a very political game as she waits for her eventual turn to be the Queen of England.

Very interesting novel for me. I have always been intrigued by historical fiction, and totally adore the Kings and Queens and deep history of England. I have never been quite so entertained.
The novel was told in the first person point of view, which makes you believe that you are in the 16th century, imagining that you are one of the people in the court and what it must have looked like and felt like, living in that day & age.

I personally have been to some of the sites that were noted in the book -- The Tower of London & Westminster Abbey, and the size of those buildings are absolutely amazing. Besides, I got to see Elizabeth I and Mary's tomb in Westminster Abbey. Such a shame I only got to research more about these incredible people after I've been to their tombs, I appreciated them after I've seen them. Oh well.

Great book for those who love everything about England and historical fiction. Definitely a must-read.

Bought this copy from booksale for P70. Money well spent :)

Personal updates:

Currently reading:
For One More Day by Mitch Albom [page 33]
My Take - Gary Barlow [page 2]
The Cat in The Hat - Dr Seuss

Currently watching:
True blood season 2
The Tudors season 3
Dawson's Creek season 1

Book # 5 for the year is "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. It's only around 180 pages long, which is a very light read if ever you're a voracious and fast reader [which is not like me]

It's a story about a boy named Santiago, a Spaniard who tends sheep for a living. He knew he wanted to see the world, and he chose to become a shepherd because he has the freedom to go wherever he wanted to go to whilst he was tending his sheep and selling the wool to other cities.

One day, he dreamt that he had to go over to the Pyramids in Egypt, and there, he will find his treasure. Puzzled, he came across an old man, who turned out to be a king, who helped to guide him in trying to realize his personal legend.

What follows was an adventure to the deserts of Africa, self-discovery, and understanding the language and soul of the world.

It is quite an inspirational tale with many quotable quotes.
"Making a decision is only the beginning of things. When you make a decision, it carries you to places you never dreamed of when you first made the decision"

"It's the possibility of making a dream come true that makes life interesting"

My favourite was "When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you get it"

It is a very good book, albeit short, but it definitely opened my eyes to something -- that we are here to enjoy our lives, try to live out our own personal legends, and well, live & appreciate other creatures: big or small, living or animate.

2010 reviews:


2009 reviews:

 

1. Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
2. Cirque Du Freak (The Saga of Darren Shan Book 1)
3. A Study in Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle
4. Beware, Princess Elizabeth - Carolyn Meyer
5. Me & Mr Darcy - Alexandra Potter
6. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
7. Shopaholic Abroad - Sophie Kinsella [re-read]
8. Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella [re-read]
9. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
10. For One More Day - Mitch Albom [Done!]
11. The Cat In The Hat - Movie Storybook [Done!]
12. The Cat In The Hat [Done!]
13. Madeline [Done!]
14. Remember Me - Sophie Kinsella
15. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer.
16. The Broker - John Grisham [Finished!]
17. Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen
18. Perfume - Patrick Suskind
19. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
20. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling

 

Other book-related posts:
1. Dan Brown's pattern
2. October 2009 24Hour Readathon Day 1
3. October 2009 24Hour Readathon Day 2
4. October 2009 24Hour Readathon Wrap-Up Post
5. Cleopatra's Daughter - Virtual Tour I

In My Mailbox Posts