Feature and Follow #7

The Feature & Follow is hosted @  Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read. 

What is your favorite tv series that you can watch over and over again on Netflix?

I can't believe that I missed this off my Top Ten Tuesday favourite TV show list because I adore this show so much, like gah! so, so much and I really miss it. I really miss the characters and the freaky going ons and trying to spot the observers in the background and Walter never getting Astrid's name right and.... But yeah, I can watch this show over and over again and never get bored.

I also appreciate GFC, Google +,  Twitter and Goodreads follows.

Review: The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains

Title: The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains

Author: Neil Gaiman

Published by: Headline on 17th June 2014

Genre: Graphic Novel Fantasy

Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via BookBridgr for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.* (But the fact that it is by Neil Gaiman, in every way, affects my opinion of the book. Just Saying)

Goodreads Synopsis: You ask me if I can forgive myself?
I can forgive myself . . .

And so begins The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains, a haunting story of family, the otherworld, and a search for hidden treasure. This gorgeous full-color illustrated book version was born of a unique collaboration between New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman and renowned artist Eddie Campbell, who brought to vivid life the characters and landscape of Gaiman's award-winning story. In this volume, the talents and vision of two great creative geniuses come together in a glorious explosion of color and shadow, memory and regret, vengeance and, ultimately, love.

. . . for many things. For where I left him.
For what I did.

My Thoughts: First off, the cover does not do this book justice at all, if it wasn't by Neil Gaiman I wouldn't even look twice at it. But it is Neil Gaiman and, of course, it is wonderful.

It is not strictly a graphic novel but more of a short story that greatly relies on illustration to achieve its full dark and moody effect. The illustrations themselves are beautiful despite being quite roughly drawn and dark, they truly do add to the story itself.

The story seems simple at first glance, a man and his guide journeying to a cave that supposedly holds treasure. As it is written in the folk-tale fashion, there are deeper meanings relating to loss, revenge and forgiveness. I went into this story knowing nothing about it and I think that is best with such a short tale. The story managed to surprise me and even had a shocking twist towards the end. The writing is typical Neil Gaiman, so exquisite and lyrical that it makes me want to cry it is so good.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a beautifully written and illustrated short story with hidden depth, that can be read time and again, and finding new meaning each time.

Weekly Wrap-Up (20/07/14)

The Sunday Post hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 

It's Monday! hosted @ Book Journey

THIS WEEK ON MY BLOG:

Review: Darkness

Top Ten Favourite TV Shows

Waiting on Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Review: A Man Called Ove

Feature and Follow #6

Non-Fiction Review: Born Reading

WHAT I READ THIS WEEK:

I very much enjoyed this and I hope my library hurries up and gets the next book, Rebel Spring.

WHAT I AM READING NOW:

ADDITIONS TO MY TBR:
Stacking the Shevles hosted @ Tynga's Reviews





FOR REVIEW:

Funnily enough, I got approved for Afterworlds the day I posted it as my Waiting on Wednesday ;-)

FROM THE LIBRARY:

The third and final book in the fabulous Monument 14 trilogy

NEXT WEEK ON MY BLOG:

Review: The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains

Feature and Follow #7

Review: A Discovery of Witches

Weekly Wrap-Up

WHAT I PLAN TO READ NEXT:

IN REAL LIFE:

I have not been up to much this week, just more packing, running errands etc. 

Other than that I have been trying to teach myself how to play the piano, even though I don't have a piano ;) I signed up for a free course on coursera.com "Fundamentals of Music Theory" and already I am confused. Learning to read music is hard, but I will persevere.

Next week is a sad week, as it is the last that I will spend in this house. My family moved into this house back in the summer of 1989, when I was nine years old, so it is sad to have to move.

How has your week been?

Non-Fiction Review: Born Reading

Title: Born Reading

Author: Jason Boog

Published by: Touchstone on July 15th 2014

Genre: Non-Fiction Parenting
Format: eARC

Source: Netgalley

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: A program for parents and professionals on how to raise kids who love to read, featuring interviews with childhood development experts, advice from librarians, tips from authors and children’s book publishers, and reading recommendations for kids from birth up to age five.

Every parent wants to give his or her child a competitive advantage. InBorn Reading, publishing insider (and new dad) Jason Boog explains how that can be as simple as opening a book. Studies have shown that interactive reading—a method that creates dialogue as you read together—can raise a child’s IQ by more than six points. In fact, interactive reading can have just as much of a determining factor on a child’s IQ as vitamins and a healthy diet. But there’s no book that takes the cutting-edge research on interactive reading and shows parents, teachers, and librarians how to apply it to their day-to-day lives with kids, until now. 

Born Reading provides step-by-step instructions on interactive reading and advice for developing your child’s interest in books from the time they are born. Boog has done the research, talked with the leading experts in child development, and worked with them to compile the “Born Reading Essential Books” lists, offering specific titles tailored to the interests and passions of kids from birth to age five. But reading can take many forms—print books as well as ebooks and apps—and Born Reading also includes tips on how to use technology the right way to help (not hinder) your child’s intellectual development. Parents will find advice on which educational apps best supplement their child’s development, when to start introducing digital reading to their child, and how to use tech to help create the readers of tomorrow.

Born Reading will show anyone who loves kids how to make sure the children they care about are building a powerful foundation in literacy from the beginning of life.

My Thoughts: I may not be a parent yet, but when I do have kids, I want them to have a passion for books and reading that rivals my own. This books presents all the advice needed to help ensure that that will happen.

Born Reading is an easy and accessible read and Boog writes in a very formal manner, like you are sitting down to coffee together and are talking about the best ways to raise smart, voracious readers. He doesn't just advise you on how to get your kids to love story books but also non-fiction subjects like math, science and music and how to incorporate what you read about into your daily life and vice-versa. The book also covers the use of digital devices and digital media, discusses how much screen time is recommended and how you can use apps etc. to enhance the print reading experience.

Raising a reader starts before birth, so get and read this book as soon as you can and start reading with your child as soon as you can.

Feature and Follow #6

The Feature & Follow is hosted @  Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read. 

POST A FUNNY YOUTUBE VIDEO

There are so many funny videos to choose from, so I am going to go with one that I have not long discovered. It is a Jimmy Kimmel skit that, so far, has not failed to crack me up.

I am looking forward to everyone else's funny videos.

I also appreciate GFC, Google +,  Twitter and Goodreads follows.

Review: A Man Called Ove

Title: A Man Called Ove

Author: Frederick Backman

Published by: Atria Books on July 15th 2014

Genre: Contemporary

Format: eARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: In this bestselling and delightfully quirky debut novel from Sweden, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon; the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell. But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents association to their very foundations.

A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Fredrik Backman's novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others.

My Thoughts: This book was such a joy to read and is populated with a wonderful and diverse cast of characters that made me laugh and cry in equal measure.

Ove is a grumpy old man who thinks that everyone is a complete twit and I spent the first few chapters of the book annoyed by his judgmental closemindedness but as the story progressed and I got to see what made him the way he is, I fell in love with him and you will too.

Since Ove's wife died, life has not been the same for Ove and not worth living, so he has decided that it is time to be reunited with his her. Luckily (or not) for poor old Ove, each time he tries to leave this world, he is interuppeted by his neighbours, who need his help with one thing or another. The relationships that develop between Ove and his neighbours are so wonderful, touching and funny, I couldn't stop smiling whenever I thought about them. Love and friendship bloom between the most unlikeliest of people and that is what makes this story so heartwarming and feel-good.

I loved every character in this book from 'the pregnant one' to 'the cat annoyance', and even though these characters were wonderful, I felt that they were a touch unrealistic at times, such as the cat acting a little too human. But I think that these unrealist touches add to the charm factor and likeabilty of the characters.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good heartwarming story and to those who just may need their faith in the good of humankind restored.

Waiting on Afterworlds

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

WHAT I AM EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfield
Expected Release Date: September 25th 2014

From Goodreads: Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… 

Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.

WHY I AM EAGERLY ANTICIPATING IT:

Two stories in one - how can I resist?

Top Ten Favourite TV Shows

Weekly event hosted @ The Broke and the Bookish

SOME OF MY FAVOURITE TV SHOWS

TEN

NINE

EIGHT

SEVEN

SIX

FIVE

FOUR

THREE

TWO

ONE 

(A TIE)

There are so many shows that I love and it was actually quite hard to pick just ten. The first three were easy to place as I absolutely adore each of them and being asked to pick between Firefly and Farscape is like being asked to pick between my children or something equally as hard, so I didn't ;-)

Review: Darkness

Title: Darkness
Series: Darkness #1

Author: Erin Eveland

Published by: Selladore Press on July 1st 2014

Genre: Paranormal mystery suspense

Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: One Girl. One Boy. And the Masters of Darkness. See the Shadow Creatures. They are everywhere. But you can't run from the shadows or the Masters who control them.

Catherine has been born with a supernatural power called Darkness. The Masters of Darkness have found her and it's just a matter of time before someone claims her.

An Interactive NovelA QR Code starts the beginning of each chapter connecting the reader to specific art or music that ties into the mood and setting of the novel. Using the quick response code in print and eBook formatting, Darkness incorporates visual and sound to heighten the reading experience.

My Thoughts: This book kept me reading to the end, but I don't really know why.

I really liked the idea of QR codes that take the reader to artwork and music that add a little something more to the story. As I read this on a Kindle paperwhite I didn't get to experience these extras as well as I could have on another device or even in print and with a code reading app on my phone.

The book started off better than it ended - the beginning of the story really drew me in. At the start of the novel the female protaganist, Catherine is a strange child being raised by her grandmother. When her grandmother suddenly dies Catherine has to go live with her abusive, alcoholic mother. The story jumps forward ten years and we get to see life is hell for sixteen year old Catherine, who has to practically dumpster dive just to eat. The only good thing in her live is Nathan, her friend who she wishes was more, but she thinks he is not interested in her that way because he doesn't spend as much time with her as he used to. The reason Nathan isn't spending all his spare time with Catherine, is because he is spending it with Artros, a master of darkness. This master of darkness is teaching Nathan how to control colour and the darkness, he has also been pursuing Catherine since she was a child and is just using Nathan as another way to control her.

Once we have gotten to know all this, plus the reason why Artros wants Catherine so badly, the story starts to drag. While the writing is beautiful throughout - there is just too much of it. I found myself skimming a lot of it just to get to some action, action that never happened. I felt bad for Catherine but I never really connected with her and I felt that I didn't get to know Nathan well enough to feel anything. As for the masters of Darkness, well, I am not entirley sure what they are really meant to be, are they like demons or something? It is the first in a series, so I am sure (I hope) things become clear in the next books.

I was expecting it to be a creepy horror novel but it is more of a mystery/suspense and I am not really into those types of books. So, if you enjoy mystery and suspense novels then you just may like it a whole lot more that I did.

Weekly Wrap-Up (13/07/14)

The Sunday Post hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 

It's Monday! hosted @ Book Journey

WHAT I READ THIS PAST WEEK:

WHAT I AM READING NOW:

ADDITIONS TO MY TBR:
Stacking the Shevles hosted @ Tynga's Reviews
Showcase Sunday hosted @ Books, Biscuits and Tea




FOR REVIEW:

From Netgalley and Edelweiss:-

From Bookbridgr:-

NEXT WEEK ON MY BLOG:

Review: Darkness

Top Ten Fave TV shows

Waiting on The Relic Guild

Review: A Man Called Ove

Feature and Follow #6

Non-Fiction Review: Born Reading

Weekly Wrap-Up

WHAT I PLAN TO READ NEXT:

I hope to get to some of these books and hopefully a few eARCs as well, but I will see where my mood takes me.

IN REAL LIFE:

I've been busy with getting the house and garden ready for the move - packing, filling holes and painting etc. All the years of accumulated trash took five trips to the tip to get rid off. The date for the move has been changed to the 28th of July, but I am ready to move now. Luckily, it looks like the weather is going to be nice for the next couple of weeks, so I can at least enjoy my garden and the lovely view before I move to a house with a tiny garden and a view of other buildings. 

A snippet of the current view
 (ignore the trash in my garden, this was the day before the tip run)

I have been really lazy where blogging is concerned the last couple of weeks. After being busy with the house and garden, I simply could not be bothered to write. I have been reading a lot though, so there is that.

How has your week been?

Did you recieve/read some lovely books?