The War of Art

Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

Author: Steven Pressfield

Hi Everyone

Some would categorise this book as a self-help book. Others will categorise it as an inspiration.

I call it a book full of quotes.

I highlighted numerous pages in this small book. I will use them to look back over for inspiration and encouragement. There will be times that I will look at them and get a kick back in the right direction. 

There is one simple thing that I will do with this book, and that is to open it again from time to time. I am certain that I will continue to find new gems within the pages as I re-read during different stages of my life.

Description:

Think of The War of Art as tough love.... for yourself

Since 2002, The War of Art has inspired people around the world to defeat 'Resistance"; to recognize and knock down dream-blocking barriers and to silence the naysayers within us. Resistance kicks everyone's but, and the desire to defeat it is equally as universal. The War of Art identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer the internal foe, and then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. 

Available from: Amazon.com

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Children of the Rush

 Author: James Russell

ISBN: 9781991166807

Hi Everyone

Upon visiting Central Otago in New Zealand, you will discover a wealth of gold mining history that remains intact. There are old stone houses (many partly collapsed); hills that during winter get covered in snow; and towns like Clyde that maintain a historical street frontage. If you wish to travel to Gabriel's Valley, you will also find that much of the gold mining history is still able to be seen.

Gabriel's Valley is where this story is based. I have been to both Dunedin and Gabriel's Valley, so reading this, I was able to envision the townships and the children. It was quite an adventure reading through these pages. 

As for the story itself, I enjoyed how the author has interwoven both the history and the depth of hardship that adults and families endured during this time in history, along with a story of friendship and loyalty. The story is rich with history, yet still has an element of imagination (or maybe truth). 

It was refreshing to read a historical children's novel. I would like to see many more like this written. Living books. Ones that we can read time and again, while still finding new snippets of information to ignite our wonder of the history that has been left for our children to discover.

Description:

It's 1861, and gold fever is sweeping New Zealand.

Otherwise sensible adults have gone mad and will do anything to get their hands on the precious metal But two children have been caught up in the rush. Michael and Atarangi couldn't be more different, but they share one thing: each has a remarkable and magical talent. 

Circumstances conspire to bring the children together in remote and inhospitable goldfields, and they're thrust into a world where lawlessness, greed, and cruelty reign.

When the children find out that a cut-throat gang stalks the goldfields, preying upon the innocent, they have a choice to make: turn a blind eye, or fight back?

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Nevermoor - The Trials of Morigan Crow

 Author: Jessica Townsend

ISBN: 978-0-7344-1807-4

Hi Everyone

My favorite series of all time, 'Inkspell', has almost been knocked off its perch. Nevermoor has taken up the battle for first place on my favorites list. With adventure and imagination, intertwined in a plot that grabed my attention from the first page, I am hooked. If the rest of the series continues to live up to the same standard, then I have two series that I would recommend to readers of all ages.

'Morrigan Crow is cursed'..... that is how we are introduced to Morrigan.  How wrong and stupid can people be? She is not even present at most of the events, yet she was born on the wrong day, which makes her a 'cursed child'. I found this concept fascinating, mainly because everyone believed it and the self-fulfilling prophecy effect took hold of Morrigan.  

We see this all around us, beyond the book. How often do we tell children the same thing often enough (sometimes once) only to see them take it on as part of their identity. I studied this in my education studies, we all know it, yet children constantly get told they can't do things right, or at all. I hear it quite regularly from some of my students, 'I'm just not good at ...', 'I have (whatever label they have been given).....". The list of limiting beliefs is long. No! Young people have the ability to learn if we would just stop giving them belief systems that tell them otherwise. Okay, I agree some things are hard, even almost impossible, but give them a chance and some extra time, and you will be amazed at what can be achieved.

Jupiter North knew there was more to Morrigan and whisked her away to a secret magical city called Nevermore. I really like Jupiter. His answers to Morrigan's questions are limited, wise, and confusing all at the same time. And then there is Fenestra - the cat, if you can imagine a huge cat. Typical of a cat, Fen is grumpy, competitive, and knows everything. And Jack, he is annoying, but an important part of the story, so don't leave him off the list; his character gave a little extra something to the book.

Then there is information that takes form near the end of the book, or is it just the start of the story for the rest of the series?

Right now, I could go on for hours about Nevermoor. I have the next three books in the series. I will review them as I get through each one. They better not let me down. I have big expectations now.

Description:

Morrigan Crow is Cursed.

Born on an unlucky day, she is blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks - and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on Eventide.

But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away to a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to pass four difficult and dangerous trials - or she'll have to leave the city and confront her deadly fate.

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A Life of Her Own

 Author: Ellen Feldman

Read by Rosanna Pilcher

ISBN: 9781038628336

Hi Everyone

What do I say about this one?

I'm left feeling quite neutral about it.

The storyline was good. The characters were well developed. 

I have it! I know what my problem with this book was 😀 There were too many themes crammed into the plot.  It was a story written over a season of time in Fanny's life, but it moved from idea to idea quickly.  There were a few times that I had to go back and re-listen to make sure I hadn't missed something. I found myself talking to friends about how the plot jumped in sections of the book.  So, I leave the audiobook returned to the library, feeling pleased to have listened to it but not excited.

Would I recommend it? Yes, of course. We are all different, and what I took away from this novel was a simple, enjoyable read.  What will you get? Read or listen to it and let me know.  

Description:

When life doesn't give you a happily ever after ... 

New York City, 1945. The war is over, the men are coming home and life can go back to normal for young Fanny Fabricant. But when she loses her rosy future in a single instant, she is forced to reinvent her life and raise her daughter alone on sheer will and courage. 

Brought up to be a 'nice girl', to never step out of bounds, and educated for a career as a wife and mother, Fanny quickly learns that the real world isn't so straightforward. 

When Fanny gets a job working for the queen of radio dramas, she finally has a sense of control over her life - until two very different men enter, giving Fanny an impossible choice. Will Fanny play it safe, or do what she knows is right? Ellen Feldman, the international bestselling author of Paris Never Leaves You, presents a gripping tale of ethics, love and self-determination in a vivid historical setting - a story of heart, history and impossible choices.

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A Thousand Splendid Suns

 Author: Khaled Hosseini

ISBN: 9780747593775

Hi Everyone

There is so much going on in our world today. We hear snippets of news from sources of media that tell us points of view applicable to our countries. We often see only the point of view that we choose to observe.  It isn't always being ignorant of what is happening - sometimes we just don't know.

I know that this book is about two women who come together through marriage to Rasheed. But this book, somehow, took me beyond the story and into a world quite different from my own. Most of my life I have been watching the dynamics between Afghanistan and America. It is not very often that we are taken into the world of the women living through it all. So many times I had to put the book down, as I grieved for the characters who quickly became women living resilient lives beyond what I see in the media. 

There are so many things that this book left me thinking. I can't put it all into words here. I can only recommend that you pick this book up and see what you take from reading the lives of these women, living in a totally different continent from mine, and maybe yours. I have since been told to read the other books by this author, which are apparently just as good.  I will be doing so in the future because these kinds of books are what one would call "living books".

Description:

Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry Rasheed. Nearly two decades later, a friendship grows between Mariam and a local teenager, Laila, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter. When the Taliban take over, life becomes a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear. Yet love can move a person to act in unexpected ways, and lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Hot Mess

Author: Jeff Kinney

ISN: 9780143778479

Hi Everyone

Who can resist a new edition of Diary of a Wimpy Kid being added to their collection every year?

I have been buying a new one of these books every year for my son, for as long as I can remember. This year, I didn't give him one, so my daughter went and purchased one for him.  It has become quite a tradition.  

Now, I also have my students picking them up from their school library to read. This past Christmas, the edition was - 'Hot Mess'.  It still has the best illustrations, fun characters, twists and turns, and pure joy sprinkled through every page. A few of my students have read this one here during their sessions, and this is what a couple thought of it:

“I thought the book was good. There were funny parts about the grandma’s meatballs and the vacation holiday  on Ruttyneck Island.”  

"I liked the part when grandma lied to the family about her secret recipe. I like the drama and the pictures  in the book, and when  Greg  freaked out when he was sitting down with the easter bunny."

So, no matter what age you are, young or old, there is some pleasure to be had from reading these books.  

Description: 

The pressure is building for Greg Heffley, who discovers that when you mix heaps of family, a tiny beach house, and sweltering heat, it is a recipe for disaster. Speaking of recipes, the secret ingredients behind Gramma's famous meatballs have been closely guarded for years. Can Greg unpack all his family's mysteries before their vacation is over? Or will he just stir the pot?

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A Global History - The Greeks

 Author: Roderick Beaton

ISBN: 978-0-571-35357-6

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This book has been a huge endeavor to maneuver my way through.  At times, it was like chewing the actual brick! But for the most part, I have enjoyed taking the time to read and understand these parts of history. 

The easiest way to show you what gems of information this book holds is to give you the list of contents:

1. Of Legers and legends (1500 BCE - 118 BCE)
2. Homers World. Not Ours (1180 BCE - 720 BCE)
3. Inventing Politics, Discovering Cosmos (720 BCE - 494 BCE)
4. The First World Wars and the Classical Age (494 BCE - 404 BCE)
5. Cultural Capital (404  - 322 BCE)
6. Becoming Greek (322BCE - 27 BCE)
7. Rome's Greek Empire (27 BCE - 337 CE)
8. Rome's Christian (337 - 630)
9. The Eyes of the Universe (630 - 1018)
10. City of the World's Desire (1018 - 1204)
11. Hopeful Monsters (1204 - 1453)
12. Between Two Worlds (1453 - 1669)
13. Greek Revival (1669 - 1833)
14. European State, Global Nation (1833 - 1974)
15. New Ledgers, New Legends (1974 - 2021)
    
    

The maps and photos brought life to the story and a little sense of reality to my reading journey, as I got a vision of the area in which people walked and lived.  Over the course of 466 pages (excluding the additional notes and reading recommendations), a world of people who lived before me came alive again. 

I purchased this book while on a holiday with my daughter over a year ago.  It was her fault! She insisted I go back to this wonderful little bookshop that was packed with every kind of book.... I went back to our motel with most of my spending money spent. We were two very happy girls as we sat the rest of the afternoon looking at our books 😁 I have to admit, it was worth going back, this book has been extremely interesting and I still have a bundle of books left to read yet.

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The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison

 Author: Meredith Jaffe

Read by: Simone Gescheit

ISBN: 9781867535430

Hi Everyone

Unique.

Who would have thought that a group of men, in prison, making a dress, could catch my attention? I guess it is because I like to do my own needlework and the thought of a hand-embroidered dress interested me.  I enjoyed envisioning the dress as it took shape, and what the outcome would be.  Would Debbie wear it, or would her mother stand in the way? Would it be show cased? Or, would it be discarded?

Debbie and her mother were 'next level' annoying! Well, I suppose you could really say the mother was beyond annoying. Just read it!

This is an easy read - or in my case, 'listen to'. The plot is pretty standard, with the odd bit of chaos added in. But you won't be disappointed.  Just let your mind envision the dress and the emotions of every character as the process becomes their story.

Description:

Derek's daughter Debbie is getting married. He's desperate to be there, but he's banged up in Yarrandarrah Correctional Centre for embezzling funds from the golf club, and, thanks to his ex-wife, Lorraine, he hasn't spoken to Debbie in years. He wants to make a grand gesture - to show her how much he loves her. But what?

Inspiration strikes while he's embroidering a cushion at his weekly prison sewing circle - he'll make her a wedding dress.  His fellow stitchers rally around and soon this motley gang of crims is immersed in a joyous whirl of silks, satins and covered bottons.

But as time runs out and tensions rise both inside and outside the prison, the wedding dress project takes on greater significance. With lives at stake, Derek feels his chance to reconcile with Debbie is slipping through his fingers... 

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Lost Apothecary

 Author: Sarah Penner

ISBN: 978-1-78955-8-975

Hi everyone

I don't know what I expected when I purchased this on my Kindle. I know it was a while ago, so when I opened it, a book of mystery awaited me. 

Nella is mysterious, yes definitely a mysterious character this one. But with all the secrets that she held secure, why did she entrust a 12-year-old into her business? How did this child do the things asked of her?  I have finished this book, and I have many more questions than these!

Then there is Caroline. Oh Caroline...

Her story is pretty normal. Based on the present, we read a story that everyone can follow as we connect with Caroline.  That part of the plot is kind of predictable but so intertwined with the past that it connects well with the plot.  I think Caroline is needed to bring the story together, but it was the past that kept me reading, wondering, and questioning. 

Now, I am not a person who normally wishes a book doesn't finish, but I could have read more. I was left pondering a few additional questions about each character. A perfect way to leave a book.... thinking about additional possibilities.  Even Caroline, I would have liked to know where her future journey took her. 

Description:

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary's fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary's in a stunning twist of fate-and not everyone will survive.

Available from:   https://www.amazon.com

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Pride and Prejudice

 Author: Jane Austen

Illustrations: Bil Donovan

ISBN: 9781454947547

Hi Everyone

I have to recommend this edition of Pride and Prejudice, even if it is only for display on your coffee table or bookcase. It sat on my coffee table as a display book for several months before I got to reading it, and it will return there for others to pick up and admire. It is simply the most beautiful edition I have come across. I thank my daughter for finding this copy and gifting it to me.

When I first started reading Pride and Prejudice I wondered if it would be worth continuing. But, I have read many classics now and believe they are worth being given the extra chance. Hence, I continued to grapple with the content and learn the ins and outs of the characters. In doing so I became a part of their community. Of course, being a part of any community you gain friends and tend to keep others as acquaintances, keeping them at arms reach for reasons of your own. 

So who did I become friends with along the way:

Elizabeth Bennet, she was a thinker. Sometimes an over-thinker. I like this about her. Elizabeth watched those around her and found her own opinions about them, based on what she was experiencing. Sometimes she was right and sometimes she was wrong. I admired that when she was wrong, she admitted so. This became apparent with Fitzwilliam Darcy. Elizabeth also kept a lookout for her family and friends, speaking her truth where required, listening, and understanding other people's points of view. I gained respect for Elizabeth as her story unfolded.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, now there is a gentleman. First impressions make him out to be a snobby, judgemental young man, with a lot of growing up to do. He comes across as being of a superior class to those around him, and I (like Elizabeth) had my prejudices built against him in the first chapters. As Elizabeth and I got to know Fitzwilliam Darcy we quickly peeled off the hard layers to find a kind gentleman hidden beneath the layers.  Trust me there is more to Fitzwilliam than first impressions give us.

Jane Bennet is such a sweet character. What you see is what you get. She is simple and the kind of friend every girl should have somewhere in her life.

Lydia Bennet, now there is a work of art! If you want the opposite of Jane and Elizabeth then Lydia is your friend. She was too high maintenance for my liking and I don't know why so much time was taken to keep her happy other than the social outcomes that arose from her shenanigans.

Mr and Mrs Bennet go together like chalk and cheese. Mr Bennet has my vote whereas Mrs Bennet needs some timeout!

George Wickham is off my friend's list, he is pure spoilt.

Mr Collins is too pompous for me and what's with him seeking Lady Catherine de Bourgh's approval so much. If I was engaged to Mr Collins, I would have had more say in the matter unlike Charlotte Lucas (his betrothed) who had little input in anything. He drove me nuts! He needed to keep his pompous nose out of everyone's business.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner, they were divine and a special couple that could join me for dinner anytime.  They were very caring and looked out for their family at every turn. Every book needs a couple like this.

And, Georgiana Darcy, of course, I would be her friend.  Simple and quiet, but ever watchful towards the people entering her brother's life. What a brother and sister should be. I believe taking Gorgiana on as a friend would give you the friend that would show up when messaged, with no strings attached.

As you can clearly see, the characters in Pride and Prejudice form a community not that different from today's world. We live in different eras and the dynamics are different. But have people really changed that much? I'm not looking at the social dynamics of today versus 1813 when this was first published, but rather the characteristics that make us all individuals. The personalities that bring us all together in different ways and those whom we gravitate towards or away from due to such personalities. What personalities do you connect with? And, which personalities drive you crazy?  That is what I found myself thinking most of as I closed the book and placed it back on my coffee table for others to enjoy.

Description:

Pride and Prejudice and its account of the fraught romantic pas de deux between the proud Elizabeth Bennet and the haughty Fitzwilliam Darcy have been a cornerstone of literary letters for more than two centuries. This deluxe edition of Jane Austen's masterpiece future the full-clour art of Bil Donovan, the first appointed artist-in-residence for Christina Dior.

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The Nine Lives of Kitty K

Author: Margaret Mills

ISBN: 9780473689230

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I don't know how many times I went into a Paperplus bookstore and picked up this book before I finally gave in and purchased it.  From my first sighting to the moment I closed the final page, I was captivated by Kitty's story. 

The first life of Kitty was an interesting concept because it was before she was born. The life of her mother and the reasoning behind Kitty being born in New Zealand was a necessity and I am pleased it was included. It helped me to understand her mother and her points of view, along with Kitty's, in comparison to the other characters who originated from New Zealand. Kitty's mother was tough on her but also the foundation of Kitty's strength of character.  

The rest of the book follows the other eight lives of Kitty K.  Each life being a new season of Kitty's. It really is worth reading as you make the journey through every link in her story. The makings of the woman that we see through to the final days of her story.  I was left several times shocked by outcomes that shaped several of her lives. 

In addition to Kitty's story, the history of New Zealand's gold mining and the foundations of areas like Queenstown were extremely well presented within the storyline. It was cleanly intertwined within each life without taking over from Kitty's story.  A beautifully written piece of historical literature.

Overall, I enjoyed following Kitty through the pages of her life - or nine lives.

Description:

Set in a turbulent period of goldfields’ history, The Nine Lives of Kitty K. paints a vivid picture of pioneer life as told by the sons and daughters of those who lived it and survived the terrible Depression of the 1890s. Kitty Kirk (1855–1930), arguably the toughest woman in Otago history, endured those times, supporting herself as a woman alone. Happiness was followed by tragedy, fame by infamy, and the circle was repeated more than once. Some locals called her a heroine, others called her a harlot. Whichever she was, she became a legend in her own lifetime for her daring deeds that are still remembered and talked about ninety years after her death.

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The Boy from Gorge River

 From New Zealand's Remotest Family to the World Beyond

Author: Chris Long

Hi Everyone

So I took a while to read this but enjoyed the diversity of it. Let's discuss the things I found interesting:

I picked it up to see what Chris Long thought of his life growing up so far away from any towns. I could say, 'far from civilization", but as you read you will quickly find that they were not isolated from people.  I think it is easy to look at these ideas and think of their lives as being isolated just because their housing was. Not the case! There were trampers, hunters, and planes going in and out quite regularly.  Yes, Chris lived a different lifestyle than most other children but I don't think it was as isolated from people as one would think. Chris and his family made many lifelong friendships. In fact, I would go as far to say that maybe they made more lifelong friends than many of us in our frantic quick paced, media-orientated lives.

I was intrigued by the things Chris made. Whitebait stands, fishing rods, things that even some of us adults would struggle to make, out of resources from the land. As for 'Health and Safety', it came down to common sense and learning the hard way. By reading this you soon find that Chris had more mishaps after leaving Gorge River than during his time experimenting as a child.

Another thing that interested me was how Chris interacted once leaving Gorge River and entering school, followed by the big wide world.  This is all covered in Part 2, extremely well.  Chris has gone on to do far more than most of us.  He has been from one corner of the world to the other. He has attempted things that many of us wouldn't think of possible. It is quite an impressive life he has traveled to date.

Want to know more? Then take the time to read Chris Long's side of the story and his adventures at Gorge River - living remotely, homeschooling, and being connected with nature; and the life that he grabbed hold of once he ventured into the quick-paced world beyond.

Description:

The story of how an extraordinary childhood shaped an extraordinary life.

On the West Coast of the South Island, past deep fiords and snow-capped mountains, Chris Long grew up two days' kike from the nearest road. He was born into the country's most isolated family, his parents committed to freedom from capitalist society and connection to the natural world.

In this inspiring memoir, Chris describes a childhood with nature on his doorstep - helping his father catch crayfish and his mother grow vegetables, playing with toys crafted from driftwood and jade, and learning to live in the wild - until, in his teenage years, he began to wonder: could he survive in the wider world?

By the son of the authors of  'A Life on Gorge River' and 'A Wife on Gorge River', 'The Boy from Gorge River' is an enthralling account of chasing adventure while forever staying true to where you come from. 

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Queen of the Tearling

 Author: Erika Johansen

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Hi Everyone

What can I say about this audiobook other than I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!

The main character could have risked being a young adult generically presented heroine, but she wasn't. She was strong-willed, yes, but she was still a woman who had her own background and was thrust into a different season of life without questioning. She took on her position so well! 

There were so many parts of this book that grabbed my attention and took me deeper into the plot. These ranged from character building to world building - all fantastically written into each page. As for the narration... it was, in all honesty, the narrator that gave the story life for me. Her voice matched that of the one in my mind. The dramatization worked perfectly in every scene. The narrator - Katherine Kellgren - owned these characters. She gave them life! 

I will listen to, or read the rest of the series. I want to know what becomes of Kelsea. I want to follow her into the unknown world in between the pages of this trilogy. Yes, it is official, I will have to add these to my library.

Description:

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret after her mother - a monarch as vain as she was foolish - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...
And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, win the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

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Anne of Green Gables

 

Hi Everyone

No one is ever too grown up to read Anne of Green Gables. Anne is just adorable! She talks more than me :)

The story is a classic, and I see why. Every page has something special. The language is witty, clever, elegant, and rich. I have read plenty of children's and young reader's books, but this one tops them all. I see history intertwined amongst the literacy, which will enable many talking points if read aloud to young people.  

Overall, I think anyone's reading list is not complete unless this is either added or already read. It is one of the best classic series on the market.  Now that is giving Anne of Green Gables some major credits because I like reading the classics and I have many of them on my favourites list.  I still think this one needs to be one of the top children's literature titles. 

When you find a copy and a spare moment, take the time to journey with Anne of Green Gables. Then we can all have a talk about Anne, literacy, and a bit of history.  I have the whole series to read so I will keep you updated.

Description: 

People are surprised when Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, both very set in their ways, decide to adopt an orphan boy. But no-one is more astonished than Marilla and Matthew themselves when the boy they are expecting turns out to be a very talkative, very imaginative, very read-headed, very female girl. Anne has arrived at Green Gables. Her adventures, dreams, sorrows and joys are set down here in one of the most popular books ever written.

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The Atlas Six

 Author: Olivie Blake

ISBN: 9781529095241

Hi Everyone

Okay. I had big expectations for this novel and I didn't get what I wanted. The concept was good but it went on way more than it needed to.  I felt like I was reading forever, continually finding out a little snippet about the characters. It didn't nearly as far into the plot as it could have. This plot could have really grabbed my attention had it had more action and suspense. I'm giving my honest review here.

Again this was based on my expectations. I did enjoy the book.  I just wanted more than it gave me. I have read so many good books but this one isn't in my top 10. 

Maybe you could read it and then let me know whether I should try reading it again, from a different perspective, at another time of my journey through literature :)

Description: 

Six young magicians are chosen for greatness. But as they study to become the best among rivals, the stakes are higher than they know.

Paperplus.co.nz

The Library of Alexandria has never perished, it has kept the darkest secrets of mankind hidden for thousands of years. Every ten years, the most talented magicians of their generation are given the opportunity to study the ancient knowledge: those who survive the initiation await tremendous wealth, power, and wisdom. But of the six chosen, only five will survive.

This time they are joined by Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, two gifted physiomagicians from the New York University of Magical Arts who can't stand each other. The telepath Parisa Kamali and the empath Callum Nova, both masters of manipulation. Tristan Caine, the cynical son of a London gangster who can see through any illusion, and Reina Mori, a mysterious nature magician from Japan.

A game of life and death begins between the powerful adepts.

Audible.com.au

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