tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64292844914850268242024-02-18T22:15:46.038-06:00Need to Read, Got to WatchA collection of book reviews.Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-72952488631618699452014-09-14T08:28:00.000-05:002014-09-14T10:25:22.921-05:00Twenty Questions (Round 3)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Well, I enjoyed doing round one and two of this so much that I decided to do the third round. If you want to see the first twenty, you can find it </span></span><a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/twenty-questions.html" style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 23px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">. And you can find the second twenty <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/twenty-questions-round-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium; line-height: 23px;">Just like the last rounds, these questions came from 101 Books. You can find the original questions <a href="http://101books.net/2013/02/15/20-questions-round-3/" style="color: #674ea7; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s the worst non-fiction book you’ve ever read? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I like to read a lot of useless trivia books. I can't recall the name of this particular one, but it clearly hadn't don't its research, because practically every "fact" was wrong.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Least favorite genre of fiction? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Costume dramas" (think Downton Abbey, etc), Paranormal Romance, Adult Horror</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s your favorite punctuation? " "</li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What character from fiction do you most identify with? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh that's a really hard one. Matilda from "Matilda" and Shizuku from "Whisper of the Heart".</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More attractive: Yoda or Gollum?<em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Gonna have to go with the green dude.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Excited about the new <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Star Wars</em> films…yes or no? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No. I have a terrible feeling they're gonna end up like the fourth Indiana Jones. </em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Is it okay to use a coupon on a first date? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Clipping fingernails/toenails in public places…poor etiquette? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Very much yes. Why would you even do that?</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Your dream job? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No idea. Whatever makes me happy. </em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s the fewest amount of pages you’ve read before quitting a book? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I've never not finished a book. I always push through even if I don't like it or find it boring. I just can't not finish.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fastest you’ve ever driven a car? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Not entirely sure.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">What is your hobbit name (find it here at the </span></span><a href="http://www.chriswetherell.com/hobbit/index.php" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f2d61; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">hobbit name generator</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">)? <i>Belladonna Bulge of Hobbiton. I suppose it has a certain classy flair.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Food/drink you dislike that most people like? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Onions. </em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Most amount of physical pain you’ve ever experienced? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My gallbladder attacked me. That was pretty bad.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Who inspired you to become a reader? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I think I answered this question in my last twenty.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s the last movie you watched in a theatre? <i>Honestly it's been so long I don't remember. It might have been Pain and Gain.</i></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More terrible way to die? Cruise ship wreck or plane crash? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Depends on the impact. Cruise ship wreck would most likely result in drowning- which would be pretty bad, but a plane crash could leave you deserted somewhere with (most likely) some pretty serious injuries. Have you ever read Alive? That true story about survivors of a plane crash who were left stranded in the Andes. One guy hiked all the way down to find help. Some cannibalism happened. Yeah, that would be pretty bad.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">French fries or chocolate? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Depends on my mood.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you a morning person or a night owl? <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Night owl. Let's put it this way. I'm usually just shutting off as the morning people start up.</em></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How did you find 101 Books? Google. I was looking for interesting content ideas, and came across the twenty questions.</li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Well, there we go. The third and final instalment to the twenty questions series (is it really a series?). I hope you all enjoyed them, and had a fun time answering the questions yourselves. Until next time!</span></span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-25955868597404391362014-09-07T18:23:00.001-05:002014-09-07T18:23:41.991-05:00#StudentProblems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">First paragraph: <i>"I would like to call forth Ms. Winters. Please state your full name and occupation."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064OGN0C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0064OGN0C&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-20&linkId=4N2NQLQZ5J3C5TZN" target="_blank">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0064OGN0C" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
/ <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0064OGN0C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B0064OGN0C&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Amazon.co.uk</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B0064OGN0C" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Halls of Ivy by Roland Nunez is the first book in the series of the same name.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>PLOT</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cheyenne Winters is a Student Affairs professional. Her job is to aid university students during their time at college. In order to achieve her PhD, she has come to Sun Valley University in Florida to carry out an ethnographic study on its students. For four months she will watch, listen and discover everything about her assigned students- those in Dr. Garcia's class. Twenty-one students, one big secret.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Because Sun Valley has had a rash of suicides. Lynn Sawyer is the detective in charge of the case, but it isn't going well. Cheyenne is hoping to do better. The day she arrives is the day of the third suicide. As she gets to know the campus and its students better, she discovers darker aspects. There are rumours that the victims were forced into suicide. Rumours of a cult. The university claims they were a result of depression. But in a school full of thousands of students, gossip is everywhere. The longer Cheyenne stays, the more obsessed she becomes with helping the students she has become close to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The story begins in January, when Cheyenne arrives, and is told through a series of flashbacks to the start of the school year in August, continuing to the end of the year in May. The writing is interspersed with biographies of the twenty-one students Cheyenne is studying, and told from many different points of view. With so many different peoples voices, it can dissolve into mindless chatter sometimes, and gets quite confused. Especially as a lot of the characters are irrelevant to the plot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The story starts off as a jumbled mass of events, with no clear direction. There is a thin thread of plot we have to go on- the mystery of the suicides- but it's not really addressed much. Instead the book focuses on random events, occasionally recounting those surrounding the suicides. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now and then, the story will mention problems that a lot of students encounter when going to university for the first time. Money, workload, peer pressure, problems assimilating, identity, depression, but each topic is only glanced over, so can seem quite superficial. Depression, in particular, is a large part of this book, but it's never really addressed. Not the symptoms (bar a couple), not the dangers and not 'treatments'. It's depression without the depression. It's more like depression from somebody else's point of view. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This book is an enormous jigsaw puzzle. I almost felt the need to create mind maps to process all the information we are bombarded with. A lot of this turns out to be irrelevant, but as this is supposedly a mystery, you never know what could be integral. Turns out practically. It was like doing a 3000 piece puzzle without the box. I just had to try to make connections, find pieces that fit together, and hope that everything would become clear by the end. Continuing the puzzle metaphor, the big picture in this case is rather like an endless sky of blue (all the exact same blue) with one piece devoted to a red balloon. All the other 2999 pieces that you tried to fit into place are just background noise. Static that has no relevance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The story is stretched thin, and the book drags because of it. Most of the time it felt like absolutely nothing was happening. One of the main reasons for this is that the book is too focused on aspects of university life. I appreciate an author setting the scene, but I don't need all the details about the administration, etc that goes into this fictional university. It adds nothing, and bogs down the story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There is no real conclusion to this story. In fact, there's not much of an ending at all. The 'culprit' is found, but the story trails off. It feels like the writer wrote the entire series as one big story, then chopped it up into individual books of the desired length. That is not how good writing works. The ending was safe and unexciting. 300 pages of 'clues' led to about five for the 'big reveal'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I expected an increase in pace at some point during this story, I expected payoff, I expected more that I got. I trudged through it. There is so much information thrown at you that it becomes a chore to try and process. When you get to the end and find you didn't need the majority of it, it's like a slap to the face. Why should I put this much effort into reading a book, if the book isn't going to put effort into itself. If this is supposed to be a thriller it does not achieve that. There is no pace, and everything is bogged down by inconsequential details. A thriller, by definition, should thrill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Some students are mentioned and never heard from again. For one student in particular, I felt this was a huge oversight. Whether or not their fate will be revisited in the next book is irrelevant. If you want your readers to care about the characters, don't ignore their stories. Don't leave an ambiguous comment that reveals nothing about their ending. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I can see what this book was trying to accomplish, but (in my opinion) it failed. If it was trying to describe university life it went overboard. Yes, university has its problems, as do the students- anybody could tell you that, but the story puts heavy focus on depression and corruption without ever really focusing on the good aspects of university life. I'm sure there are universities that have corruption within them, but that is not the majority. Not to mention that for a book that focuses on depression, it doesn't really go into it. Some students are depressed. Here's a couple symptoms. Now I can just say 'depressed' and that's enough, right? No. If you are going to touch on hard issues like depression, suicide and rape you need to do them right. It has to be more than a glancing comment. You need to invest time into them. All of them. Don't just say that 'rape is bad and it hurts people', actually go deeper. You cannot include topics like that on a superficial level and expect it to work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For a book whose main character cares so strongly for the students, this book tells us surprisingly little about them. Yes I know there is a second book, but what's my incentive to read that if I don't care about the characters? 'Oh, so and so has a problem. Isn't that bad? Shouldn't we do something? We should do something.' And that's it. It's never revisited. We have no idea what happens to the student. Whether or not they got the help they needed is as ambiguous as everything else in this book. This book does exactly what it claims the 'corrupt officials' of its story does- not care about its students. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The characters weren't so bad, but they are nothing special, and certainly nothing that could save this book for me. I got nothing out of this story. I wish I could say that I did. I diligently followed what little plot there was, connected the dots- all that jazz- and I got nothing out of it but a weak, slapdash ending that was supposed to shock me into a realization that i just didn't care about. The best bit about this book was when it finished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps this just wasn't my story, but the whole thing had me apathetic till the end. There may be redeeming features, but they're overpowered by everything else. Everyone is different, and I'm sure someone will enjoy this book, but it's not me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Disclaimer: I received this book in a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.</i></span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-15366084676749676092014-08-31T17:44:00.000-05:002014-08-31T17:51:35.101-05:00Friday I'm In Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1goteufwMKkG18S8k8QerPzNcthTglf61FfaT4naUkx4MngL4qkIimk8M5rZTItJLRkiUU_FCCzGgsntGcdEzcPRTPAtCRpQeTegNtjAaIZQLuAC5cWTBr03PTFqLdMyD6pWWcBv3avwp/s1600/forever-friday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1goteufwMKkG18S8k8QerPzNcthTglf61FfaT4naUkx4MngL4qkIimk8M5rZTItJLRkiUU_FCCzGgsntGcdEzcPRTPAtCRpQeTegNtjAaIZQLuAC5cWTBr03PTFqLdMyD6pWWcBv3avwp/s1600/forever-friday.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First paragraph:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Some great romances worth the telling are never told, their lovers slipping silently between life's timeworn cracks only to be pitched with yesterday's trash. As owner of a small estate-sale business, I'd witnessed evidence over the years of various couples' love lives. So I'd learned to sift through piles of forgotten memories. Learned to appreciate a second look...and perhaps ease my pain."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307732215/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307732215&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-20&linkId=C5MZBN3J7OYUFGZL" target="_blank">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307732215" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Forever Friday: A Novel" by Timothy Lewis is a love story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>PLOT</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the summer of 2006, Adam Colby is supervising one of his estate sales in Houston, Texas. The old house belonged to the Alexanders- a couple who have both passed away. Whilst perusing the contents during his day, he flicks through an old photograph album, and finds six decades worth of postcards- each with a poem written by Gabe Alexander to his wife, Huck. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As Adam reads each one, he finds himself enchanted by their seemingly 'perfect love'. Unhappily divorced two years ago, he wonders how the Alexander's kept the spark in their marriage when his went so disastrously. The more he reads the more he wants to know, and sets off contacting people from the Alexander's past in order to discover more about them. His main interest is Yevette- the daughter of the Alexander's housekeeper. If he can find out the formula for the 'perfect marriage', perhaps he has a second chance at love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, in 1926, Gabe and Huck Alexander meet for the first time. The rest is history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Switching between point of views, we see the story told from Adam, Yevette, Gabe and Huck's perspective. The story is told through a series of flashbacks to Huck and Gabe's first meeting in 1926, and beyond, following their love story and that of the postcards- sent every Friday for sixty years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>REVIEW</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This story was inspired by the lives of the author's great-uncle and aunt, and shares many similarities. At their estate sale, he discovered sixty years of postcards poems from his great-uncle to his great-aunt, and it was that which sparked the concept for this book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In this story, each poem connects to an event in Gabe and Huck's life at the time. We don't get to see all of them, but almost every chapter starts with one of the poems- relating it to events in the chapter as they would have related to events in the Alexander's lives. They span from 1926 to the mid-80s when Gabe died. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You have two stories here- Adam's and the Alexander's. The latter is the focus of the book, and most of it is spent in the past with them. We also get flashbacks to 2004, when Huck is in a nursing home with dementia, and still believes that Gabe is sending her postcards. He promises her one final postcard, and there is a small mystery about what is says- revealed at the end. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">From the very start you know the framework of the ending. You have the story of two lovers who lived full lives and are both deceased. But as the years fly by, the inevitability of it, mixed with the uncertainty of the 'how' creates a sense of dread and sadness. A bitterness that must seep through the sweet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Alexander's love starts off as a heady, rosy-tinted whirlwind romance. As the honeymoon faze fades, a more realistic relationship does develop. They quarrel, they bicker and they fight, but they never allow themselves to lose their love. Huck is definitely the less mature of the two, occasionally throwing tantrums if she doesn't get her way, but there is absolutely nothing superficial about their relationship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Obviously, Huck and Gabe's story is the focus, and it shines through. Adam's story, however, I found quite predictable, and I didn't really get anything much out of it. However, as I said, this if the story of Gabe and Huck, and that's it. The story of two people who meet and fall in love. The simplicity of the concept creates a kind of magic to the words. It is a very moving story. We may know the basics of how the story ends, but as the old proverb goes- it is the journey that matters, not the destination, and that is the mantra of this story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There are some possible supernatural elements. Perhaps an angel, or maybe just a drifter whose words inspired a young girl's heart. It doesn't matter who he was, what matters is what he meant to Huck, and what she believed he was. It was the hope he sparked in her that emanated throughout this book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The characters are, well Gabe and Huck are the two who stand out, as they should. Their absolute adoration for each other shines through the pages, and make this story. The other characters are almost superfluous. With one exception. A character by the name of Mister Jack, who I will say no more on lest I spoil it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Overall, I really enjoyed this book- far more that I thought I would. This is more than the usual love story. It is a story of hope. Of two people who consciously choose to never let their love slide, and that love is undeniable. While the situations may be romanticised (and therefore not entirely realistic) there is no doubt of the characters devotion to one another. It radiates. It is the lifeblood of this book. Yes, it can be a little sappy at times, and very cheesy, but oh well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I believe this book is sometimes labelled "Christian fiction". Personally, I don't really like that as a label, because it tells you nothing about the book other than some form of God may be in it. Fiction is a diverse genre, and is not a clear enough description of a books genre. To me, describing a book as "Christian fiction" is like describing a book as "Chick Lit". Yes, we all know what that mostly means, but it is not a label that I think works. Anyway, I am not a religious person myself, so what did I think of the religious factors in this story. Well, they're not preachy- which is always my biggest worry. Rather, some of the characters are religious, and their actions and words will represent that. There may also be an 'angel', but it's left ambiguous. So, for me it wasn't really a big deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is a feel-good book (for the most part), but was more profound than I expected it to be. I flew through the pages, as the years flew by the Alexander's. A great love story with a deeper meaning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Blogging for Books. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.</i></span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-15805425973473133402014-08-24T15:52:00.000-05:002014-08-24T15:58:48.125-05:00Twenty Questions (Round 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 23px;">Well, I enjoyed doing round one of this so much that I decided to do a second round. If you want to see the first twenty, you can find it <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/twenty-questions.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 23px;">Just like the last round, these questions came from 101 Books. You can find the original questions <a href="http://101books.net/2012/10/12/20-questions-round-2/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Will Dicaprio’s performance as Gatsby be better than Redford’s? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">He's Leonardo DiCaprio. Of course it will be.</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; line-height: 1.8em;">Narnia or Middle Earth? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Oh, this is a hard one. I think I'd have to go with Middle Earth though. Narnia seems like it would get bland pretty quickly.</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Hemingway or Joyce?</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hemingway</em></span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Favorite font? </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.8em;">Well that really depends on what I'm using it for. For example, this blog is written with </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Georgia</span><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">, </span><i><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">but </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">here</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">'s another font I like: IM Fell DW Pica- </span></i></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'IM FELL DW Pica', serif;">Look
at this fancy font. Bubbles. Cheese on toast. Onomatopoeia. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">What’s your ideal book length for reading? </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">200-<em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">250 pages (But I'm not picky).</em></span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">You have to go a year without a book (all forms) or a week without food. Which one do you choose and why? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I'd go a week without food. Difficult, but manageable. It's only a week. I can't do a whole YEAR without reading! That's just crazy talk.</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Best concert you’ve ever been to? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Hmmm, I'm not a huge concert fan. I'm pretty short, so I tend to get the short end of the stick (no pun intended) in a crowd. </span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Star Wars or Star Trek? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Star Wars. </span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Best compliment you ever received from a teacher/professor? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Are you thinking about going into writing?"</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">What’s your one piece of writing advice? (don’t be shy!) </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Find your style. Don't try to write like someone else, because that's going to get you nowhere. Find your groove, and rock it.</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Mountain reading or beach reading? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Well, beach reading is more likely to happen in my life. But then you have the sun in your eyes, sand everywhere, the book can get wet, etc. Reading inside next to a fire, while snow falls outside your window and you have a hot drink next to you just sounds fantastic, doesn't it?</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">What’s one novel you think is awesome that everyone else thinks is bad? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Oh no. I could give you an example of books I didn't like that everyone else did, but the other way around? This is a hard one because it's so subjective. Okay, so I looked up so many books for this question, trying to find one that was not only hated, by poorly rated as well. And this is my answer: Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. Apparently that didn't do too hot. </span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Conversely, what’s one novel you think is bad that everyone else thinks is awesome? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">The Loop by Nicholas Evans. One of the most boring books I've ever read. It has 4 stars on Goodreads. Four!</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Amazon: Good or bad? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Mostly good. (This is 101 Books answer, but I have nothing to add).</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Most famous author you’ve ever met? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I've met Eoin Colfer. And yes I have his autograph. It was pretty awesome.</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">What percentage of books on your bookshelf have you actually read (estimate)? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">A pitiful amount. 50% or less maybe? The problem is for every book I read, I buy at least five more. Curse you charity shops and your affordable literature!</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Favorite reading beverage?</span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">Don't really have one. If the book mentions a particular drink in nice detail, I might crave it, but otherwise just whatever I'm already drinking. </span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">A hypothetical: Print and digital books are no more and audio books are the only form of literature remaining. One catch: All the audio books are read by Gilbert Gottfried (who has indeed </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K1RcKJVbHA" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f2d61; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">recorded an audio version of <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">50 Shades of Grey</em></a><span style="color: #333333;">). Are you done with literature? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Sorry Gilbert, but probably yes. Maybe every so often I would forget how terrible it sounds and try another, only to be unpleasantly reminded. For me, narrators of audiobooks are a big part of whether or not I'll enjoy it. I'm extraordinarily picky when it comes to narrators, which is generally why I prefer to just read the book myself.</span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">One novel every teenager must read? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Alice in Wonderland. You're never too old to imagine.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></em></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333;">Who inspired you to become an avid reader? </span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I'm not sure. I think I was just in an environment with lots of readers. I have a large family, and many of them are avid readers. Probably my parents though. They bought my sister and me the Biff and Chip books (The Magic Key series, that's what they were) and it was through those that I learnt to read. I suppose the passion for reading would've come from me.</span></em></span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 23px;">And there you have it. Another 20 questions delving into my psyche, or something. I hope you enjoyed this quick-ish post. Next week should be a review, now that another assessment is out of the way. See you all then, cheerio!</span></span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-67326438019460029382014-08-15T21:16:00.000-05:002014-08-15T21:16:04.794-05:00Prudence and the Crow (August 2014)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well it's that time of the month again, and a lovely brown package awaited me as I descended the stairs.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaoZuPRP6x1OYCYKAswb-bJBie_afTlA6-Qbs96Gq2BCmVHI2SmkMiHIqXCkY4Z4fhk7NqbJkorI-iSuAy8Tj5gl5Sz4PdHcxDsDdrvhQyk3fPZWx0zJt9ZftwCaV3zoIsYc4lSthFeFx/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-19+at+03.47.30.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaoZuPRP6x1OYCYKAswb-bJBie_afTlA6-Qbs96Gq2BCmVHI2SmkMiHIqXCkY4Z4fhk7NqbJkorI-iSuAy8Tj5gl5Sz4PdHcxDsDdrvhQyk3fPZWx0zJt9ZftwCaV3zoIsYc4lSthFeFx/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-19+at+03.47.30.png" height="182" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you'd like a little more information about Prudence and the Crow, you can check out my <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/prudence-and-crow-july-2014.html" target="_blank">first review</a> (where I go into a little more detail) or their <a href="http://www.prudenceandthecrow.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. You can find out more details, such as prices, etc, from either of those sources, but for now, let's get into Prudence and the Crow, mark August 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I won't be showing all the packaging details anymore, and if you want to see photos of how the box comes packaged, etc, you can look up my previous review via the link above. I'll be starting this review after opening my box.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well, mostly. But I have to stop and share the amazing stamps that were on the outside of my box. I believe the bottom two are (on the right) Alice in Wonderland, and (on the left) The Wizard of Oz. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZAR_MWZeOd45gUfUy3VuvaPmG2kq_BY_v6RbSBUswUAZjO1jGjG98lqsUvi8BuHsQqmRw5wYnev3FqjZsQ2E3wviD7rnoG_lZ9ATEQDylDt5rOdkdRhTB_Oe0k2fHrqc928nXHJtl5g6/s1600/Clown+Stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZAR_MWZeOd45gUfUy3VuvaPmG2kq_BY_v6RbSBUswUAZjO1jGjG98lqsUvi8BuHsQqmRw5wYnev3FqjZsQ2E3wviD7rnoG_lZ9ATEQDylDt5rOdkdRhTB_Oe0k2fHrqc928nXHJtl5g6/s1600/Clown+Stamp.jpg" height="320" width="272" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9uqgD6VkXkAT_YDJ8RBvozwwOqUNjSQCGbe2AhnioLZcGi_Z-7rbk1ASs5NSaTb44znVWG-TOzusfZq-VJ-U2Cipx_jd1zV43d7SZilwIhnNwYHXx8fksvRqlmHjqry_cHaYl6-WPpfU/s1600/Lion+Stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9uqgD6VkXkAT_YDJ8RBvozwwOqUNjSQCGbe2AhnioLZcGi_Z-7rbk1ASs5NSaTb44znVWG-TOzusfZq-VJ-U2Cipx_jd1zV43d7SZilwIhnNwYHXx8fksvRqlmHjqry_cHaYl6-WPpfU/s1600/Lion+Stamp.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmlLLAfcMJLZR06r3WqRJyzijyPmLhD-DRpUeqNtZ_vL2UmbkX7ZAh6O_n-xGlnA0XQWuGfbYNzwDtMKZQc8yWvbYQi1NyQTXfNdTK-0khpwT5CO7cUzWPzXHLLXjALLj4C5Y7dEWY3gI/s1600/Flower+Stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmlLLAfcMJLZR06r3WqRJyzijyPmLhD-DRpUeqNtZ_vL2UmbkX7ZAh6O_n-xGlnA0XQWuGfbYNzwDtMKZQc8yWvbYQi1NyQTXfNdTK-0khpwT5CO7cUzWPzXHLLXjALLj4C5Y7dEWY3gI/s1600/Flower+Stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmlLLAfcMJLZR06r3WqRJyzijyPmLhD-DRpUeqNtZ_vL2UmbkX7ZAh6O_n-xGlnA0XQWuGfbYNzwDtMKZQc8yWvbYQi1NyQTXfNdTK-0khpwT5CO7cUzWPzXHLLXjALLj4C5Y7dEWY3gI/s1600/Flower+Stamp.jpg" height="320" width="178" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I came down the stairs on Thursday (the 14th) I did not expect to find my box awaiting an audience with me. The boxes only ship out on the 13th, so my postman must have seriously put on his skates!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3dAugpiR_gcP4cD6zFaDkUCJ_dtjHVhbznjbU3kuX517oMQmyTth9V9pMDPv9n7JKoeguOrF5NoipR9vsAWyL6zvI5L6m0cep457_8cLuYAqGCXdgZJLlCjNil8QNZW4oLwPks-RBVgj/s1600/Unopened+Box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3dAugpiR_gcP4cD6zFaDkUCJ_dtjHVhbznjbU3kuX517oMQmyTth9V9pMDPv9n7JKoeguOrF5NoipR9vsAWyL6zvI5L6m0cep457_8cLuYAqGCXdgZJLlCjNil8QNZW4oLwPks-RBVgj/s1600/Unopened+Box.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This was what I saw upon opening my box. Let's just go through it one thing at a time, eh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">First up: let's go through the sundries.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT6-5b7cFQUp7VXwvWf6fEd622I2LA1t7ZahgK6MzOgzGfNqzxLB7KNAlgCdFn3s-ID-0euOHiwH_HLb1xfcX7SjQi0fiSlzJCwIjQnqHj3H0PzkqQQnC7dreDDUyTrhf_PrrOJRmuzOU/s1600/Tickets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT6-5b7cFQUp7VXwvWf6fEd622I2LA1t7ZahgK6MzOgzGfNqzxLB7KNAlgCdFn3s-ID-0euOHiwH_HLb1xfcX7SjQi0fiSlzJCwIjQnqHj3H0PzkqQQnC7dreDDUyTrhf_PrrOJRmuzOU/s1600/Tickets.jpg" height="117" width="200" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kq-_rlujjT8YwY3bGkD2kn9qzMCiEG53tysBDzoPVGOg82Z6ua599vcghofsI2pHfUlWI2GFFWFt70I2pXA-06Qtm-WCJ-CXrgvYpRRgMUBXcUu1pXhyphenhyphenlJHfGC5QuoA726FdlUj_fADG/s1600/Library+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kq-_rlujjT8YwY3bGkD2kn9qzMCiEG53tysBDzoPVGOg82Z6ua599vcghofsI2pHfUlWI2GFFWFt70I2pXA-06Qtm-WCJ-CXrgvYpRRgMUBXcUu1pXhyphenhyphenlJHfGC5QuoA726FdlUj_fADG/s1600/Library+Card.jpg" height="124" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xzzXSdHdTF87rMD1SQn9QYHQE5cu6nA39vk4L4nKTzZzFqJVGRhU37wkRkUMw7rorfiEEqAxwXuzWmZMwpjTB4vIhDyTuY8c4vtwNfil3GKGFmEC0yq_aBINxGAjAWn3Wdj7KMrgVkEk/s1600/Treats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xzzXSdHdTF87rMD1SQn9QYHQE5cu6nA39vk4L4nKTzZzFqJVGRhU37wkRkUMw7rorfiEEqAxwXuzWmZMwpjTB4vIhDyTuY8c4vtwNfil3GKGFmEC0yq_aBINxGAjAWn3Wdj7KMrgVkEk/s1600/Treats.jpg" height="190" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Top left we have the personalised library card that comes with every box. Top right some Prudence and the Crow movie tickets that come with many boxes, and on the bottom we have the tasty treats I got this month. Again treats come with every box, but exactly what you get changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Next up, something new and amazing- a Summer Mix Tape with 16 songs covering a wide variety of genres.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My favourite songs from the bunch were these:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Is This Love" by Aiden Grimshaw</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" by Buddy Holly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;">and "Teignmouth" by Patrick Wolf</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thanks Prudence and Crow for introducing me to some awesome new music. Anyway, on with the show. Time for the piece de resistance- the book itself. This month it came with a lovely "picnic feeling" cover.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN-iQ9BgkTSrPMPeCvtFqCqYqo_fp4ihEGAeJBVohUpek73Wq4kVG3I39SMOKAeLWtWRcIX_2-W98nfS5usvYLbynpLa8utnvahBRobrDuC2vxnsGkXGnXU39t-AnRiQ3m9IDt-uH8PJw/s1600/Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN-iQ9BgkTSrPMPeCvtFqCqYqo_fp4ihEGAeJBVohUpek73Wq4kVG3I39SMOKAeLWtWRcIX_2-W98nfS5usvYLbynpLa8utnvahBRobrDuC2vxnsGkXGnXU39t-AnRiQ3m9IDt-uH8PJw/s1600/Book+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9MjbIIFDy_aWaRgD2jqajNSv96zFE9HGoeWa_Vboen4FB1zCZggovnpqiAH0KN3cV0e2h8WQF5hwH9sG4LCtzGpA9jNSZakSavVsJ3jZf21y1YyZpYoJvFqAbUdqtGsTteretEhMlJ5z/s1600/Book+Cover+Close-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9MjbIIFDy_aWaRgD2jqajNSv96zFE9HGoeWa_Vboen4FB1zCZggovnpqiAH0KN3cV0e2h8WQF5hwH9sG4LCtzGpA9jNSZakSavVsJ3jZf21y1YyZpYoJvFqAbUdqtGsTteretEhMlJ5z/s1600/Book+Cover+Close-up.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The material is fantastic. Soft and smooth, and so very fitting for the book itself:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;">Well, I'm very excited to read about some fabulous jaunts along the Thames, a la "Wind in the Willows" ambience. The perfect accompaniment to the British Summer. I'll have to find a lovely willow tree to sit beneath as I read this. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So that's the lot. I'm very happy with my box (as always) and can't wait for the next. I love the mystery. Never knowing what I'm going to get. Is it September yet?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'll leave you all with this quote from my box (courtesy of The Wizard of Oz):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Words to live by, I think. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Just to let you all know that I'm making some changes to the design of my blog. If you notice new things here and there (or more likely things looking off) that's why. I'm trying to make them as quickly as possible, but I'm sort of learning the code as I go and mistakes are inevitable. Thank you for bearing with me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Have a great day!</span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-25247069476123293242014-08-10T14:38:00.000-05:002014-08-10T14:38:27.142-05:00Patch Up Your Heart With Some Sweet, Home Comfort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>First Paragraph:</b> '"We need to update out mission statement." Lara was sitting with her legs crossed and scribbling on her notepad.'</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">'Betrayal' is the first book in 'The Broken Heart Refuge' series by Martina Munzittu. Like <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/arent-we-odd-couple.html" target="_blank">the last book I reviewed</a> I had the pleasure of working behind the scenes with the creation of this book too. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process, and would love to do it again sometime. Anyway, onto the review.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In a house in Hampstead lives Nonna Pina. 'A caring, gentle and warm Italian granny' who is always cooking, and who opens her home to those in need of healing. This is the Broken Heart Refuge. A place where people can come to relieve some of the pain in their hearts, and hopefully a place where they can recover.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This year marks the 10th anniversary, and things are still going strong. The focus of this book is on three people- Nonna Pina (who is the main character, but acts like a background character. Reacting rather than doing); Mary (a recent widow who thinks her late husband was hiding a secret); and Lisa (a 20-something who is in love with her best friend's boyfriend). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The writing style of this book reads much like that of a cozy mystery, minus the murder. Almost slice-of-life mixed with home comfort. In fact, comfort food is a big part of this book- with all the baking and cooking that goes on. I don't think I can recall a single scene with Nonna Pina in it where she is NOT cooking something. This story is a big helping of home comfort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lisa is the character given the most focus. It's unclear whether this is her first time in 'love', but I questioned whether she really was in love with him, or whether she thought she was because he noticed her. She is the shy, wallflower common in many stories, and she is struggling to gain confidence, figure out her feelings and to not hurt her friend. Perhaps it evolves into love (maybe?), but it certainly seems like a school-girl crush at the beginning. Especially considering she's never really spent much time with the man she's supposedly in love with. Either way it's largely irrelevant. What matters is that she's hurting, and this is what draws her to the Broken Heart Refuge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Almost every character in this book is a broken heart. Essentially, a community of close-knit people has been built out of the foundation founded by Nonna Pina, and they are more of a family than mere acquaintances. I mention this because it's important to any new characters, and to introducing the Refuge to the reader. Its focus is on comfort and support. On creating an atmosphere where any newcomer can feel welcome and safe, and through the community it achieves that. Considering that the Refuge is the epicentre of the book, and the conglomeration of many characters this is a key necessity, and the writing achieves this well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Each character's story is based on one theme- betrayal. Sometimes the betrayals are childish and superficial, other times mature and cutting deep. I'm guessing each book will have its own theme, so I'm interested to see the range of stories, individual situations and characters that could come from that. Despite the large array of characters in this story, each individual's arc is coherent and the book blends them all together well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There is a subtle questioning of what betrayal actually means, and whether anyone is free from guilt or any responsibility. Betrayal is often a multi-pronged affair, and rarely done without reasons. People view the same action from different angles. Can something be a betrayal if you, in turn, betrayed them too? Well, yes, but it becomes a much more complicated matter, but this book does skim the surface of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">However, every story can be quite dramatic. The reactions of certain characters can be a little over the top at times, which occasionally renders serious scenes funny for all the wrong reasons. Some of the dialogue is corny, and at times reads like a costume drama. For some that may be a pro, but certain exchanges come across a little (dare I say?) 'fanfictiony', but this is only in specific small segments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Clearly the author has an interest in London, as we get lovely 'picture postcards' descriptions here and there of certain parts of it. This adds to the slice-of-life feeling, and to the home comfort the book focuses on, with its descriptions of lazy afternoon picnics and watching time pass.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Essentially this is a feel-good story. Happy endings all round, and a brief set-up for the next book. It's a book you don't have to put much effort into. Some of the dialogue may be corny, but the book deals with some pretty depressing situations- albeit in a pretty light manner. You recognise the wounds, but they have long since stopped bleeding. The aim is closure. Healing and moving on. It focuses on the impact complete strangers can have in aiding that, and the desire for personal connections everyone craves. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Perfect for fans of light romance, cozy stories and anyone with a love of pasta.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.</span></i></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-51361710940398334162014-08-02T12:17:00.000-05:002014-08-02T13:06:37.493-05:00Aren't We An Odd Couple?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXxNbrzVLrJIT7lE-Sz7yM1D74nuN225SPSFFZpZYdMCjBv-hhvH3scpla2j5OQoqV9oUQX5CWyRJbJyqIQbFlcbQlWEafwA2pRzHWIUhR1EMhx5NNlfu-8z8F-AqT7D1yGx6kkQkdCuY/s1600/81YDLY80uPL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXxNbrzVLrJIT7lE-Sz7yM1D74nuN225SPSFFZpZYdMCjBv-hhvH3scpla2j5OQoqV9oUQX5CWyRJbJyqIQbFlcbQlWEafwA2pRzHWIUhR1EMhx5NNlfu-8z8F-AqT7D1yGx6kkQkdCuY/s1600/81YDLY80uPL._SL1500_.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>First Paragraph:</b> <i>"Toasted bacon sandwich, orange juice and a strong cup of coffee. That's what I call a good breakfast. I love the smell of friend bacon lingering in the kitchen, and the aroma of my coffee, still hot in my cup. I'm holding the latest Vogue magazine, but out of the corner of my eye I notice the weekly post piled up on the side of our table. It's got my name on it: Lucy, Ms L.J. Evans, Lucy Evans. However you address it, it's still mine. Nothing exciting as usual, mostly bills."</i></span><br />
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<i><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1491031778/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1491031778&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-20&linkId=ALJ43OS3ZQQIQRQV" target="_blank">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1491031778" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
/ <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1491031778/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1491031778&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Amazon.co.uk</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1491031778" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Incompatible Twins" by Martina Munzittu is a tale of two sisters. I'm excited about this review because I was a part of the creative process. Nothing major, but back last year when the author approached me to be a beta reader for her new story, I was over the moon! I may not have really done anything, but my name is officially in print! I meant to review this months ago, but as you all know I took a bit of a sabbatical. Better late than never, right? (I'm a terrible person). Anyway, into the review.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">PLOT</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lucy and Poppy Evans may be twins, but they couldn't be more different. Lucy is a successful real-estate agent, and a 'material girl', while Poppy is an artistic hippie who's just come home after travelling the world for 18 months. Now this odd couple are forced to share Lucy's flat and tensions run high. The cover tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the characters and story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">REVIEW</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Both sisters believe they are looking after the other, and we all know what they say about a road paved with good intentions. I don't have much to say about the characters, but I do want to linger on Poppy for a second. It may be because she's been travelling for so long, or because she's never really been part of the 'daily grind', but she is incredibly disconnected from reality. Her actions and thoughts are almost apathetic and unrealistically naive. For instance, she tries to hand-write her CV because she thinks it shows she cares. She acts a lot longer than her 24/25 years, and doesn't understand why her actions upset people sometimes, causing her to victimise herself. For instance, (without any spoilers) she upsets the balance within Lucy's flat and believes herself to be, without a doubt, in the right. One particular scene I found particularly annoying was in the introduction of a new character. He introduces himself as _____ (no spoilers), and Poppy keeps shortening it. This might not seem like an irritating thing, but when he repeatedly corrects her, it starts to chafe. There is, in fact, a scene where she wonders why he keeps correcting her, believing that what she calls him doesn't matter. A name is an incredibly personal thing. It is a form of identification and not to accept someone's choice is disrespectful and rude. The fact that he keeps correcting her shows that he's not happy with how she is identifying him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Poppy comes off as rather arrogant and annoying, but she is the only character I have any issues with. This is not a criticism of the writing, but of the character- unless she wasn't supposed to come off in that light, in which case the writing would be at fault.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In terms of plot, there isn't really one. The two sisters live together and things happen. That's it. Slice of life, which I personally enjoy. This is a short book with a feel-good, light read factor. If you're looking for a story you don't really have to think about, this is perfect. No serious consequences; happy endings all around; and a quick read. Everything gets tied up in a nice, little bow - or so you assume as the book suggests an ending- rather than actually giving the reader anything concrete. It's one of those, if things keep on like this this could happen, or this. For all we know, nothing turns out like that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because this book is so light, there isn't really much character development (not strictly a factor. Length does not necessarily equal better characters). The characters stay constant and unchanged throughout the story. There's no growth or revelations. Essentially, this is a story about two sisters living their daily (slightly fantasised) lives. Nothing profound or soul-searching, but a pleasant read that could liven up your daily commute.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.</i></span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-86949195649081037912014-07-27T17:07:00.001-05:002014-07-27T17:07:36.977-05:00Twenty Questions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, I know there hasn't been a book review for a while, but I'm unfortunately swamped with an assessment this week, so have this instead. Before I start, these questions were taken from 101 Books (specifically <a href="http://101books.net/2012/08/24/20-questions-volume-1/" target="_blank">this</a> post). Essentially I answer the 20 questions from that post. This is an interactive 'game', so feel free to post your answers below, or on the original site. All credit for the idea and questions goes to 101 Books. Here we go:</span><br />
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Who’s whinier: Holden Caulifield or Scarlett O Hara? </span><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">Bella Swan. No, I don't care </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">that</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> she wasn't an option.</span></span></span></i></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Do you think it will ever be possible to make digital books emit a book fragrance—kind of like traditional paper? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">E-books are too hipster for that. "Fun" fact: that book smell- mould. It's actually quite dangerous, and people who have to work around old books all </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">the</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> time often develop problems because of it.</span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">If you could have a beer, or a glass of wine, or an orange juice, with one author, whom would it be? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Douglas Adams or Ben Elton. You'd be entertained at the very least.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">Does anyone write in cursive anymore? Do they even teach that in schools? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>All the time. I personally think it's quicker than writing without.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Why are so many <strike>of these</strike> novels depressing? By “so many,” I mean 99% of them. </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">(Yeah, the original question is based off the premise of the blog- </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">i.e.</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> reading the top 100 books according to Time Magazine. I'm just going to branch out the question to all books). Because it sells. As cynical as that sounds, it's true. You just have to look at the "</span><span style="line-height: 23px;">The</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> Fault in our Stars"'s or "A </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">Game</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> of Thrones" (seriously) or anything by Jodi Picoult to realise all the public wants is a good bit of depression. Some are well-written, others not so much. Let's be honest, people aren't buying the writing, they're </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">buying the story. </span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> </span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">You can read one style of writing the rest of your life…either Woolf or Hemingway. Which one do you choose? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Hemingway. </i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">If you could punch one literary character, who would it be? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">Oooh, the </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">agony</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> of choice. I'm sure there's many more than I can immediately think of, but the first character who came to my mind was Creon from Seamus Heaney's "The Burial at Thebes". Or "Antigone" as the original play by Sophocles is known. If there was ever anybody in need of an intervention, it's Creon. That man does not like advice.</span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">The worst ever movie adaptation of a successful novel? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">Many, but "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult is pretty high up there. </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">They</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> completely missed out on the ending. Sigh.</span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">If The Judge from <a href="http://101books.net/2011/01/27/book-7-blood-meridian/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f2d61; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Book #7: Blood Meridian"><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Blood Meridian</em></a> approached me on a street, how long before I <strike>pee my pants</strike> pass out? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Instantaneous. </i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Napoleon from <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://101books.net/2011/11/09/book-30-animal-farm/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f2d61; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Book #30: Animal Farm">Animal Farm</a></em>—tastier as bacon, ham, or maybe a barbecue sandwich? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">Wow, somebody needs more hugs. If I must, how about Hoisin pork? You're going </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">to</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> be delicious, Napoleon.</span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">If the moon was made of spare ribs, would you eat it? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">If it </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">didn't result in the apocalypse, then yes, without a doubt. I wonder if rocket fuel makes a good sauce?</span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">What is the fascination with Ayn Rand? Someone? Anyone? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">She was a woman interested in Philosophy. If nothing else </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">that</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> makes her a trail-blazer of her time. </span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">Beer pong: Who you got: Hemingway or Malcolm Lowry? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Neither. Considering both of them had pretty severe drinking problems, I would suggest a lovely glass of water instead. </i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">How bad would it suck to be David Foster Wallace’s editor? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Eh, you take what you can get.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">On a related note, how cool would it be to be David Foster Wallace’s editor? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Well he left quite a legacy, so pretty awesome.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">You can only speak one word, one time, the rest of your life…what would it be? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Crap. That's how all the conversations would end anyway.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">Stupider protagonist: Bigger Thomas (<a href="http://101books.net/2012/02/27/book-37-native-son/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f2d61; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Book #37: Native Son"><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Native Son</em></a>) or Clyde Griffiths (<a href="http://101books.net/2012/07/11/book-44-an-american-tragedy/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #1f2d61; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Book #44: An American Tragedy"><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An American Tragedy</em></a>)? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Gonna have to go with Clyde there.</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">What’s the most frequently spilled liquid on your books? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Water. BLOODY RAIN!</i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">Who do you think is the most overrated author (now or in the past)? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">Ohhohohoho. My cynical side says there's probably quite a few, especially these days. Here's something I think we can all agree on: Freaking E.L. James. More </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">famously</span><span style="line-height: 1.8em;"> known as the author who wrote "50 Shades of Grey". Do I really need to explain? Just terrible. </span></span></i></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.8em;">What are you currently reading? </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.8em;">A couple things. 1: A World of Difference: An Anthology of Short Stories from Five Continents". 2: "Incompatible Twins" (review upcoming). 3: Not strictly books, but I've been hooked to JET related blogs for a while now. Yes, I am living vicariously through them, what of it? and 4: "Kaichou wa Maid-sama". Not even sorry. I have many different interests and </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">manga is one of them. Problems? Take 'em and leave. There is no such thing as a right or wrong kind of book. Everybody needs a little brainless fluff once in a while. </span></span></i></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Well there you have it. Twenty questions courtesy of 101 Books. Please do check out that blog. It's a proverbial goldmine for any bibliophile out there, and an interesting read. I actually had a lot of fun answering these questions, and I look forward to more in the future.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nobile, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Well, I'm off to finish my assessment work. Sigh. C'est la vie. </span></span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-42716096233428383082014-07-19T07:16:00.000-05:002014-07-19T07:18:17.664-05:00Prudence and the Crow (July 2014)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I have for you guys a review of a monthly subscription service. I came across Prudence and the Crow a few months ago, and decided to try it out. Now three months in, I figure I can do a review of my experience with it so far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">First a little background info. Prudence and the Crow is a monthly subscription service that specialises in vintage paperbacks. It is also a bespoke subscription. In other words, each box is tailored specifically for you. Each month they the lovely ladies who work there browse their local, vintage book emporiums, and pick out a book they that think suits you perfectly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So how does this work? Well, when you sign up you pick from five different genres. These are: youth fiction; science fiction; classic thriller; children's or random. You then choose what kind of subscription you would like: one off, 3 months; 6 months; 12 months or continuous. You can see the various prices and package perks below:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xt4xRcgvFRon-_NKdHILfMqDXlbFQaM1Mnkoee63nM0yioCCPVsQNNj0v_c56XFNsiVFjIY-ScfR9JnMw6jNmkMZ2Ika72aUpiWsSB0s46_0oEr-l5S3fyhl1eWLcWzh0W7HFglosi64/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-19+at+03.44.52.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xt4xRcgvFRon-_NKdHILfMqDXlbFQaM1Mnkoee63nM0yioCCPVsQNNj0v_c56XFNsiVFjIY-ScfR9JnMw6jNmkMZ2Ika72aUpiWsSB0s46_0oEr-l5S3fyhl1eWLcWzh0W7HFglosi64/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-19+at+03.44.52.png" height="308" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They're based in London, but they do ship internationally. Do keep in mind that it will cost you an extra £4 for that option though. They ship out on the 13th of every month, and obviously the time it takes to get to your destination will depend on how far away you are from theirs. For me, it's usually 3-4 days (living in the UK). So what's in this box of wonders you ask. Well why don't I show you what awaited me this month. A little quick info first: I chose random, because I like a little bit of everything. When you subscribe you receive a confirmation email with a questionnaire attached. Now this questionnaire is important regardless of which genre you pick, but it is vital if you choose random. Why? Because this is where you put all the details you desire (it can literally be anything, but it'd be a good idea to have a least a few notes on the kind of books you're into) about yourself. The more the merrier. (Plus the more accurate their choice will be). Anyway, here we are.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79LvHaQ1bsd7OALi5GPcq-5Elp3sj0XNf9xJoKWae1ijiQsq9aBwiLIcF-vjwIpuCTMbbvd_GRN8PQVZXKD45SQQbHEIkFzup_MN7NoEiNDIZRNVr6ivawHLtwN7yrR0lFFs0huvQnOK4/s1600/Unopened.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79LvHaQ1bsd7OALi5GPcq-5Elp3sj0XNf9xJoKWae1ijiQsq9aBwiLIcF-vjwIpuCTMbbvd_GRN8PQVZXKD45SQQbHEIkFzup_MN7NoEiNDIZRNVr6ivawHLtwN7yrR0lFFs0huvQnOK4/s1600/Unopened.jpg" height="293" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">Well the first thing you see is this wonderful brown paper package come through your door. This is the first sign of the lovely things to come. (Come now. Be objective). But seriously, this is just a beautifully wrapped box. And it is specially designed to fit through your post box- so there's no need to worry about undelivered packages.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7kw4a9pGdGVPDKAIvgW6GPwMenwpGdo7l9ORaAljrAagsGVzA8mX3MZsfORSnBDTL07JTtFUtvHh3o5DOsoDtRtRo0posRlYyb6ri4LffVqEUJIXsYdw0O9z6KTnkqcWDT2o-99HGvyG/s1600/Prudence+and+Crow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7kw4a9pGdGVPDKAIvgW6GPwMenwpGdo7l9ORaAljrAagsGVzA8mX3MZsfORSnBDTL07JTtFUtvHh3o5DOsoDtRtRo0posRlYyb6ri4LffVqEUJIXsYdw0O9z6KTnkqcWDT2o-99HGvyG/s1600/Prudence+and+Crow.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_EmyIUjXYfG8YwnbLP1xWNZm-QanBog59c5vSuQwQyumyFfytjVU_Chj6ccLLIC0NdVqq5WK3eNP7t5I5TXDF0U_v6-_rlgDG-B_4ioS01VApxL9AlvqQb7P9-5ComP4y7CoKDEz2oI1/s1600/Box+Unpoened.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_EmyIUjXYfG8YwnbLP1xWNZm-QanBog59c5vSuQwQyumyFfytjVU_Chj6ccLLIC0NdVqq5WK3eNP7t5I5TXDF0U_v6-_rlgDG-B_4ioS01VApxL9AlvqQb7P9-5ComP4y7CoKDEz2oI1/s1600/Box+Unpoened.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">Once the paper is off, you are greeted by this (well that. To the left). A lovely brown box. That strip down the right side has your name written on it, but obviously I've taken that off. A nice touch is the black strip on one of the corners with your box number and the month it came written across it. As you can see this is my third box and the month is July. Interesting stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkuZ_wRcJMmUO1rraAMhRTBcdm5x8GFZhF2P6845QpgPx38x2laqEiPZM5Nx1qO8UU6Fln8KGxg7nFHkb9iWot90CKqITY68mLskOz3LIieNuHEpwJUl8T1TB8V6-UfFv23IZZesTgPkM/s1600/Box+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkuZ_wRcJMmUO1rraAMhRTBcdm5x8GFZhF2P6845QpgPx38x2laqEiPZM5Nx1qO8UU6Fln8KGxg7nFHkb9iWot90CKqITY68mLskOz3LIieNuHEpwJUl8T1TB8V6-UfFv23IZZesTgPkM/s1600/Box+Detail.jpg" height="224" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you ready to see what's inside? Good. Because here it comes. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnON1xVy79yHbmGI0oS9Q2rtuK0cn1TIz9QI_kzE4_xIyWAOOzzFbHBYw4iSe6VoqgnhDYGf1IwAnUMy36vNBpgCA2lQI_2GgrrncQ3xbYdWMHN-Lo__fv69oAZNHGS2Ct3svTHOM7X46/s1600/Box+Opening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnON1xVy79yHbmGI0oS9Q2rtuK0cn1TIz9QI_kzE4_xIyWAOOzzFbHBYw4iSe6VoqgnhDYGf1IwAnUMy36vNBpgCA2lQI_2GgrrncQ3xbYdWMHN-Lo__fv69oAZNHGS2Ct3svTHOM7X46/s1600/Box+Opening.jpg" height="400" width="288" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DajAz_a59IR8cxkXehKuebubBbo7ws05rsWShW8wna80_0XRzC7YR8QZjylyfohWrj8ahHvYpfNOK2MUXSnupKh_xR0Oi3C3JECu7S5bu2sfJm1XR-Tv_AWAC9dp0AiNTmlpAT6cuLzu/s1600/Library+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DajAz_a59IR8cxkXehKuebubBbo7ws05rsWShW8wna80_0XRzC7YR8QZjylyfohWrj8ahHvYpfNOK2MUXSnupKh_xR0Oi3C3JECu7S5bu2sfJm1XR-Tv_AWAC9dp0AiNTmlpAT6cuLzu/s1600/Library+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DajAz_a59IR8cxkXehKuebubBbo7ws05rsWShW8wna80_0XRzC7YR8QZjylyfohWrj8ahHvYpfNOK2MUXSnupKh_xR0Oi3C3JECu7S5bu2sfJm1XR-Tv_AWAC9dp0AiNTmlpAT6cuLzu/s1600/Library+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DajAz_a59IR8cxkXehKuebubBbo7ws05rsWShW8wna80_0XRzC7YR8QZjylyfohWrj8ahHvYpfNOK2MUXSnupKh_xR0Oi3C3JECu7S5bu2sfJm1XR-Tv_AWAC9dp0AiNTmlpAT6cuLzu/s1600/Library+Card.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">Upon opening the box, this is what I see. Let's just start from top to bottom shall we? The first thing I come across is this: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is a library card like thing that comes with every single box, and is designed for the book you received that month. It has the date on it, the box number and spaces for you to put in the title of the book, as well as the author and some additional notes. A nice little touch I think. Next:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Zhb8jCjwo0e2wix6IImby9AXkvK_OSmXzerlbSxdn8KC37t1cAdtKUSVW4RiR7QgQc865SOnFCeCyFL20SLb7tglQJ_6Oonnb8x61BUaauyigmbC1MjUOiTz6fPE4pe1YNCg1leWK1-k/s1600/Penguin+Necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Zhb8jCjwo0e2wix6IImby9AXkvK_OSmXzerlbSxdn8KC37t1cAdtKUSVW4RiR7QgQc865SOnFCeCyFL20SLb7tglQJ_6Oonnb8x61BUaauyigmbC1MjUOiTz6fPE4pe1YNCg1leWK1-k/s1600/Penguin+Necklace.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">In a small, brown packet I find this. It's the Penguin logo. Did you get that? Haha. Now this is not in every month's box, and I was both very surprised and pleased to see it in this one. Those lovely ladies like to keep you guessing. And that's one thing I will touch upon quickly. Every month you get a little something different. Now I hear you say, "Well yeah, shouldn't you?" And to that I reply, " Yes. Of course you should." But, while I expect the book to be different every month, I don't expect things like this. Every single month all the little extras change. For instance in the past I have gotten book plates; a disk that shows an image when it spins; various teas; pencils; and many other things. I mention those things in particular, because none of those were in this month's box. Instead I got the things you'll see below. This is one of the things I really like about this subscription. After all if the little goodies were the same every month, not only would they not be a surprise anymore, but I'd also be in excess of them. Oh, and everyone gets something different. Sometimes certain objects will be present in many boxes (like tea, etc), but each person receives a box of things entirely unique to them. Anyway, time to continue. Here are the extras for this month's box:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJbNGrqjJ-GO3TkNvEEvlcv66xwhgRF-WxHdVqXNVc3AbiCLkI32g5k1Y1x8C1UfJTXL9URY7do-XmgUDuZ3rmnSag6uFFcr2MSFcMdi-VUqgcwlkaTInmisqbAVyo91SlfAJzVJQJ4OI/s1600/Bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJbNGrqjJ-GO3TkNvEEvlcv66xwhgRF-WxHdVqXNVc3AbiCLkI32g5k1Y1x8C1UfJTXL9URY7do-XmgUDuZ3rmnSag6uFFcr2MSFcMdi-VUqgcwlkaTInmisqbAVyo91SlfAJzVJQJ4OI/s1600/Bag.jpg" height="320" width="243" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A wonderful packet with very Rococco-ish designs.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some stickers. The ones on the left are holographic.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Does it even need words?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A mountain of delicious provisions. FYI, provisions<br />are always included.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lovely little washi papers.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> So you can see there's really a lot more to this box than meets the eye. But I know what you're all really here for, so without further ado let's get into the book I received this month.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPz_UR0o__J-SI8b2sDghSrExQ2ZKEEt9cgHZTXqfLalz3OI_AoAWHAI7obgUngpVD95FrL247JSv47mMb5Ull22Xhww0ujUMy_q8ppmgpzBJw8hY9O9Vj6tS1mMpDqYe8kl_c8jz9iymp/s1600/Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPz_UR0o__J-SI8b2sDghSrExQ2ZKEEt9cgHZTXqfLalz3OI_AoAWHAI7obgUngpVD95FrL247JSv47mMb5Ull22Xhww0ujUMy_q8ppmgpzBJw8hY9O9Vj6tS1mMpDqYe8kl_c8jz9iymp/s1600/Book+Cover.jpg" height="142" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">First things first. Each book comes in its own handmade book cover. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Like this one. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The design will change every month. Inside is the entire reason for the subscription. A really delightful 'quirk' is the handwritten note behind the cover page, telling you where they found the book and why they thought it fit you.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAn-_aCL56QuSeTrAkQoh1JsaRhASxUYAvQL6z-s6ulhjUEK_s3hO4Kd3J54vAMC6FlHhmWxNeij5x8qe35IxCx4lLxdZ5wZyF0kL9rLz84HtltVEh8ugN2quRiXq40DRB7-9BJMKuwTV/s1600/Note.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAn-_aCL56QuSeTrAkQoh1JsaRhASxUYAvQL6z-s6ulhjUEK_s3hO4Kd3J54vAMC6FlHhmWxNeij5x8qe35IxCx4lLxdZ5wZyF0kL9rLz84HtltVEh8ugN2quRiXq40DRB7-9BJMKuwTV/s1600/Note.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhokX0fjVs5ZJjDcd1gIKicsQYX4T9wRnJWstdbMADDvhAfizXtbwtDCE1DRV_yS4oMB7Yg4dXjASci9aolQoaSVDT21ThfmhwoXCyp43unxAdaxXwMyOQdMOmVLj-BfpXuwVukTjv4w-/s1600/Book.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhokX0fjVs5ZJjDcd1gIKicsQYX4T9wRnJWstdbMADDvhAfizXtbwtDCE1DRV_yS4oMB7Yg4dXjASci9aolQoaSVDT21ThfmhwoXCyp43unxAdaxXwMyOQdMOmVLj-BfpXuwVukTjv4w-/s1600/Book.png" height="400" width="300" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As you can see, my book this month was Alan Garner's "The Owl Service". (Chosen, I think, because I said I was a night owl. Haha. Ladies you're killing me.) Believe it or not I've actually never read this, so I look forward to delving into the adventure. Also the cover is gorgeous. Now a brief note. You can see here that my book is in pretty good condition. There's only minor wear, but as this is a vintage subscription, your books will come in various conditions. This isn't something that bothers me, but just don't expect a brand new book is all I'm saying. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So what do I think? I'm pretty sure it's fairly obvious how I feel about this subscription already. I love it. I reserved judgement until this third box and I think the Prudence/ Crow crew really stepped it up a notch this month. Not to say the others were bad, but I did feel they lacked something this box has, and I wasn't sure it was worth my £10/month. That may have been because my questionnaire was pretty bare though. Oh, if you ever want to change your answers, shoot the crew an email and they'll send you another one. It doesn't save your previous answers however, so you'll have to fill it out from scratch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If I wasn't sold already, this month has definitely hooked me. It is rare to find any subscription that has this amount of care and thought put into it. They really do individualise every single box. Oh, and they're also wonderful people who I may now be stalking on Twitter. Shhh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Overall, a great subscription that I truly believe is worth the money. If you're a bibliophile who likes surprises, why not check it out? You can do so here: <a href="http://www.prudenceandthecrow.com/" target="_blank">http://www.prudenceandthecrow.com</a>, and let Prudence and Crow take you on an adventure. Every single month. I wonder if they have something special planned for Christmas? Not that I'm thinking about it this early in the year...maybe. </span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-49466683226972296932014-07-10T12:00:00.000-05:002014-09-07T18:36:24.043-05:00Can You Say 'Mmm'.. A Plethora of Tiramisu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">"A few months ago, one Saturday morning, I was making tiramisu for some friends who were coming to dinner."</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/099288070X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=099288070X&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-20&linkId=TJZAU2QVCBHM5XXF" target="_blank">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-20&l=as2&o=1&a=099288070X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
/ <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/099288070X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=099288070X&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Amazon.co.uk</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=099288070X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, this is something a little different, but hey, let's roll with it. I was asked by an author I've worked with on a couple other occasions to review her new cookbook. I'm a keen cook and baker, and am always looking for new recipes to add to my repertoire, so I had to, naturally, say yes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, you may have guessed from the title that this is a Tiramisu recipe book. And ONLY tiramisu. There is a very large variety of recipes, and they will appeal to tastes of all kinds, but their common factor is that they are all tiramisus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's a brief description of the book itself. It starts off with an introduction as to why this book was created, and where the recipes came from. In this case, the author is Italian (now living in the UK), and created this book using an amalgamation of her own recipes, as well as those of friends and family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, a quick side note, as the author herself states, the photos for each tiramisu were taken by their respective chef, so "you will probably find that the taste of these recipes will surpass their artistic (the photos) merit." So, don't expect professional quality photos. However, the photos still display their desserts proudly and tantalisingly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are 25 different recipes, all tried and tested. This includes "alcoholic and fruity versions; tiramisu cakes, cheesecake and cupcakes; classic tiramisu; egg-free and gluten-free desserts; low-fat and low-sugar tiramisu; children's tiramisus; ice cream and pancakes, and many more". So if you were worried about a lack of variety, worry no more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before we get into the fun stuff, there are a couple more things to go through first. The book contains some pages containing a brief history of tiramisu; some very nicely laid out pages that include how to prepare the ingredients before use; and an FAQ section that includes basic queries, such as how long a tiramisu lasts, or what to do if your mousse is the wrong consistency, as well as the basic equipment you will need. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM4pw2rlUnJufCKWqPsL4BPfVro00tvTfuk7GC_ObLEhyphenhyphen3B3h4lIFE0dHZdt4zu6Inq2JhYOTpHamCj2PHDB4ewzq4UVHD2qorDzrlOk7BNDhbnh2SsP8wXtdskRzxGMglmug3E9HUfLo/s1600/Tiramisu+Book1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpM4pw2rlUnJufCKWqPsL4BPfVro00tvTfuk7GC_ObLEhyphenhyphen3B3h4lIFE0dHZdt4zu6Inq2JhYOTpHamCj2PHDB4ewzq4UVHD2qorDzrlOk7BNDhbnh2SsP8wXtdskRzxGMglmug3E9HUfLo/s1600/Tiramisu+Book1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A page showing basic ingredients.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then it's simply a matter of choosing your perfect recipes. I picked six variations, but made seven tiramisus (we'll come back to that later). Very quickly, here is a list of all the recipes you can find in this book:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Giulia's Traditional Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Anna's Limoncello Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Claudia's Tiramisu Light</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Monica's Coconut Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Cristina's Fun Tiramisu Cakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Dalia's Tiramisu Cups</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Dalia's Tiramisu Cupcakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Dalia's Tiramisu Cheesecake</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">9. Laura's Banana Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. Rita's Pineapple Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">11. Rita's Orange Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">12. Manuela's Tiramisu Brownie</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">13. Ferruccio's Tiramisu Cake</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">14. Mariangela's Strawberry Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">15. Rita's Tiramisu Pancakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">16. Martina's Chocolate Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">17. Martina's Lemon Curd Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">18. Maria Grazia's Baileys Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">19. Martina's Tiramisu Ice Cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">20. Maria Antonietta's Gluten-Free Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">21. Tiziana's Peach Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">22. Sofia's Rainbow Tiramisu </span>(made by the author's four-year-old daughter!)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">23. Mamma's Panettone Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">24. Brunella's Tiramisu Coffee</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">25. Cristina's Vegan Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You may have noticed that each recipe is named for its creator. There is also a mini bio of every chef on their relevant page- with quirky little facts, including a nice, little statement about their favourite dessert. Ice cream seems to be very popular, but I'm assuming it's gelato, as opposed to actual ice cream. While the two are technically the same product, they have very different qualities. If you have never had gelato, my goodness you need to find a way to remedy that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each recipe is set up using the same general formula. One page contains the recipe, ingredients (serving size included) and the bio, all laid out opposite a photo of the completed dessert. A nice little touch is small photos next to each recipe name, showing a major ingredient used in that recipe, e.g. coffee beans for traditional tiramisu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After the recipes, there is a section labelled 'Tiramisu Disasters' because 'it is important to remind ourselves that the path to success is dotted with occasional failures." This section includes a few 'issues' experienced during the making of this recipe book. It includes a brief description and photos, and serves as a useful resource for what NOT to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next is an entire section on hosting a "Tiramisu Party" and a fun little quiz. You can find all the answers to said quiz in this book (and there is a cheat sheet to check your answers). I scored a rather adequate 9 out of 10. Just call me the Tiramisu Master.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Without further ado, here are the six recipes I tried. I picked out a good range of different recipes, trying to cover all areas. Excuse the photos, but I am not a professional food photographer, and clearly my tiramisu serving skills need work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before I get into the results, I'd like to mention that, like Marie Antonietta, I am a coeliac. So, I made my own ladyfingers using <a href="http://sweetnsavage.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/mondays-gluten-free-ladyfingers/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe. I think it worked pretty well, and the ladyfingers were certainly delicious on their own. However, I did find them a little hard for tiramisu, but overall they did a good job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Giulia's Traditional Tiramisu</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5gZOD2JE6Z0nC9WeYkgMd0_vJBopKgGhLKt_bKNytjAvZOWBJfyzs5XkndUhmXdw2pMptw84Zm1PgYcPQSB1sQij-kPB8OTDpRXEU-SDold_ZQBxi_hgk3VBEWI6ql1lMgtLet4PvSF0/s1600/Tiramisu-+Traditional.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5gZOD2JE6Z0nC9WeYkgMd0_vJBopKgGhLKt_bKNytjAvZOWBJfyzs5XkndUhmXdw2pMptw84Zm1PgYcPQSB1sQij-kPB8OTDpRXEU-SDold_ZQBxi_hgk3VBEWI6ql1lMgtLet4PvSF0/s1600/Tiramisu-+Traditional.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Hands down my favourite recipe of the lot. It was quick (once the ladyfingers were made), it was easy and it was delicious. Perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Dalia's Tiramisu Cupcakes</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFc4sEwNpLpk-vvygioY4OISJSbm9_nXtwyaw5xC-ohSKLcYmreL72MDYcvxI7zBPRk3YwV_tib23qWcqr5UHbLxAlzwxdf-0b3Zsh1n6W-vWKPt_EescLCJcY4QBRWSewk9ygdSHmkyA/s1600/Tiramisu-+Cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFc4sEwNpLpk-vvygioY4OISJSbm9_nXtwyaw5xC-ohSKLcYmreL72MDYcvxI7zBPRk3YwV_tib23qWcqr5UHbLxAlzwxdf-0b3Zsh1n6W-vWKPt_EescLCJcY4QBRWSewk9ygdSHmkyA/s1600/Tiramisu-+Cupcakes.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFc4sEwNpLpk-vvygioY4OISJSbm9_nXtwyaw5xC-ohSKLcYmreL72MDYcvxI7zBPRk3YwV_tib23qWcqr5UHbLxAlzwxdf-0b3Zsh1n6W-vWKPt_EescLCJcY4QBRWSewk9ygdSHmkyA/s1600/Tiramisu-+Cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">I can't comment on the cakes themselves- as my version will have different qualities due to the gluten-free flour- but these cupcakes were light and delicious. The mascarpone comes out quite airy, so you're not overwhelmed by overly rich flavours, and it perfectly compliments the coffee (as all tiramisus should).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Dalia's Tiramisu Cheesecake</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MwJ6VOQMTt0pNjfCrGnar0m2bvaocjxmHwvQZTdJsLADMvY9YPDEtWjB9v7MN63YyDNhHDAvQSDOIO6t4ESnIc3CcjAiqcYFcQz3K5uzSxtMWxXBRWGfbIj0k182OUGbpbTqxArCGY0o/s1600/Tiramisu-+Cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MwJ6VOQMTt0pNjfCrGnar0m2bvaocjxmHwvQZTdJsLADMvY9YPDEtWjB9v7MN63YyDNhHDAvQSDOIO6t4ESnIc3CcjAiqcYFcQz3K5uzSxtMWxXBRWGfbIj0k182OUGbpbTqxArCGY0o/s1600/Tiramisu-+Cheesecake.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This was the clear winner for my family. It's not as thick as traditional cheesecake; has a whipped and creamy texture and is absolutely delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Mariangela's Strawberry Tiramisu</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqa8YE73x0lr3A5oh0RoUeC4xIArH6WrYW6KhBTvJpWScKT6E2XyFvzYgm0mGh8vBm9jVk6ma4tDvJ9rO5iLGRvq1md73g3ymvlVbmlvSo7F8JmnKOrURJcWLrueZwWUeXmMpAXN-ztXlY/s1600/Tiramisu-+Strawberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqa8YE73x0lr3A5oh0RoUeC4xIArH6WrYW6KhBTvJpWScKT6E2XyFvzYgm0mGh8vBm9jVk6ma4tDvJ9rO5iLGRvq1md73g3ymvlVbmlvSo7F8JmnKOrURJcWLrueZwWUeXmMpAXN-ztXlY/s1600/Tiramisu-+Strawberry.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This was the only recipe I tried that I was a little unsure of. It was probably the recipe I was most excited to try (being a strawberry fan), but something in it just didn't work for me. I'd say it was a little like a trifle without the custard, but I found the mascarpone layer far too runny once served. See this is the thing: the mascarpone was not runny when I made it, but when added to all the ingredients it dissolved. Perhaps the acidity of the strawberries was too much? I'm also not sure about dipping the ladyfingers into orange juice. Maybe tropical juice (which is the other suggestion in the recipe) would've been better, because orange juice produces a slightly jarring flavour. Possibly something with a strawberry base would've fared better, or another berry juice? Something to compliment the strawberries and cream. <i>(UPDATE: Orange juice has been removed from the final version.) </i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Martina's Chocolate Tiramisu</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklfFtuIqgwzp8N2w4M0W-vYy3Z6zzorifaEioNinl54lntvKs3hWUw-p6XjLIVys_tDBqfbJMUr7CB9B50DTOT8eU1G0IJZl3ezL1xQb0W-YRqIozCFNSTSIHvfhnmGl9h9168CPhymlg/s1600/Tiramisu-+Chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklfFtuIqgwzp8N2w4M0W-vYy3Z6zzorifaEioNinl54lntvKs3hWUw-p6XjLIVys_tDBqfbJMUr7CB9B50DTOT8eU1G0IJZl3ezL1xQb0W-YRqIozCFNSTSIHvfhnmGl9h9168CPhymlg/s1600/Tiramisu-+Chocolate.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Another very delicious tiramisu. This one uses more 'mousse-y' layers of mascarpone, as well as a chocolate mousse layer. I'm not a huge fan of alcohol and, as the recipe called for Martini, I decided to switch it for chocolate milk and it worked perfectly well. The ladyfingers towards the bottom were a little dry (as the image shows), but that was an error on my side. FYI, ladyfingers dipped in chocolate milk are divine. No, I am not seven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Marie Antonietta's Gluten-Free Tiramisu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now here's where we get some variation. I made two versions of this tiramisu. One following the recipe to a T, and the second using the method I use when making a recipe gluten-free. I ixnayed on the ladyfingers from before, using the sponge recipe here. There is only one difference between these two versions- potato flour. One recipe uses it, the other doesn't. Simple, no?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are the results:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The photo show the result with potato flour. My thoughts? The sponge is delicious. Without the potato flour it is lighter, but doesn't taste as good, and has a strange baking soda taste- despite the fact there is none in the recipe. The potato flour adds a 'chewiness' to the texture, and works fantastically for tiramisu. (They're not chewy in the tiramisu). Without the potato flour, the sponge becomes crumbly and falls apart. Don't even think about dipping it into coffee (unless you want to see a magic trick) because that sucker will dissolve before your eyes. So, potato flour is the clear winner (meaning Marie Antonietta's recipe over mine) and I will be using it for all my baking needs from now on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The tiramisu was tasty too, but that was not the aim of the exercise. Remember, any of these recipes can be made gluten-free. Use this sponge recipe and then make all the other layers using whatever recipe you desire. Bam. Gluten-free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Overall, a great recipe book if you're fond of tiramisus. With so many variations there's something for everyone. The book itself is laid out in a clean, simple design that makes everything very comprehensible and easy to use. I thoroughly recommend it, and I already have the next recipes I want to try in mind (that brownie is calling my name. Seriously look at it:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrhDzlE5dh0uubFXUPCVn8tyhmGTxC8IgxRrdLzDur750ZDQmsG7Ak205b3CI9v39dKF8lfOcAqfLP086reKDKEpIeOdt1eLDkyUkKn6uv6EXfjoagAp8Pfe7gt0HwUrZLjOmzZ8v4-oq/s1600/Tiramisu+Book1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrhDzlE5dh0uubFXUPCVn8tyhmGTxC8IgxRrdLzDur750ZDQmsG7Ak205b3CI9v39dKF8lfOcAqfLP086reKDKEpIeOdt1eLDkyUkKn6uv6EXfjoagAp8Pfe7gt0HwUrZLjOmzZ8v4-oq/s1600/Tiramisu+Book1+copy.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm not a huge coffee fan, but over the past few days I may have become addicted. These desserts certainly live up to their name, and are the perfect 'pick me up'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My only criticism is actually to do with the design of the front cover, and nothing to do with the book's contents. The big red border is a little unflattering and off putting in my opinion, but that is entirely my own personal taste- which was certainly appeased flavour wise. I may have to pick a print copy of this recipe book up myself (as I was working with an ARC .pdf copy)!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What more can I say? This was a great little recipe book, with a lot of variety. I was a little nervous that a tiramisu specific recipe book would be a little too pigeon-holed to sell well, but the book has such diverse recipes that it may as well be a general dessert book. If you've got a sweet tooth, check it out. It was released today, so why not pick up a copy?</span></div>
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Well done Martina. Your recipes are delicious. Congratulations on the book launch! </div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #0a0909; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 25px;">Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. </i></div>
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Hello everyone. I am so very sorry for how terrible I have been with this blog over the past few months. There are many reasons (I had a serious illness, then surgery; moved continent, then moved twice more; started a degree course), but in the end I am going to try my best to come back.<br />
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I have really missed doing my reviews during this 'sabbatical', and I'm currently trying to schedule it around my work. So there will be changes. Rather than doing two or three reviews a week (like I was before), I'll only be posting one review a week. I simply do not have to time to post any more frequently than that- at least not for the time being. There may also be a week here and there where I don't post anything, and that will most likely be due to an exam or assessment of some kind that I need to devote my full attention to.<br />
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I hope you can all understand my absence and why I've made the changed I have. That being said, there's a review coming your way tomorrow. It's a little different in terms of the books I've reviewed before, but I certainly had a lot of fun reviewing it.<br />
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That's all for now guys. Look forward to more reviews coming soon. Cheerio!</div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-3474858981722701972014-02-07T11:13:00.001-06:002014-02-07T11:13:21.729-06:00Why You Shouldn't Listen to the Voices In Your Head<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"It's Labor Day at Apache Lake when Natalie Merian climbs the ladder of the massive cabin cruiser. The noise level on board is like a concert. Most of the people, by her guess, are college age, a few years older than her at least. She tries not to be intimidated. Her friends, Mayra and Mike, follow close behind, the deck of the white and brown vessel is anchored near the north shore. The sun is shining on a cloudless day, a scorching one hundred degrees- and the alcohol seems endless, with four coolers open, frosted cans and bottles passed around with jovial acclaim."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1490957928/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1490957928&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1490957928" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
/ <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1490957928/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1490957928&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Amazon.co.uk</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1490957928" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Discretion by David Balzarini, is a thriller with supernatural elements.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Colin Wyle was in church the first time he heard her. Not a religious person himself, he was only there with his best friend, Jamal, and Jamal's family. She called herself Christel, and he was the only one who could hear her. From that moment on, she inhabits his mind, giving him advice and hints about the future. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The very first thing she helps him with is winning the heart of the girl of his dreams- Natalie Merian- the good girl all the boys want. Colin is your typical awkward teen when it comes to matters of the heart, and Christel guides him and gives him confidence. Before they know it, the two are dating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Four months later, and we reach the events of the prologue. Colin's father takes the happy couple out for a trip to the lake in his boat. The have fun goofing around, then settle down as the day does. Colin and his father both fall asleep. When they wake up, Natalie is gone. Exactly what happened is a mystery, but they believe she went willingly. If not, the ruckus would've woken them up, plus she left her shoes, but then why not tell them?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hours pass, which turn to days and fingers begin pointing at Colin. His father hires a PI, Jackson, to prove his innocence, and track her down. But that's easier said than done. Until, three days later, when Christel tells Colin to follow Mike onto his boat. Mike is heading out with Mayra, back to the lake, with an arsenal of weapons- intent on bringing back their friend. With Christel's guidance they find a lone boat out on the lake. When the owners spot them, they immediately draw weapons, and Colin is forced to do the unthinkable to save all their skins. When they finally get on board, they find Natalie tied to a chair, still breathing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cut to 15 years later. Colin is now a successful portfolio manager- dealing with stocks all day, engaged to the beautiful Marisa, and living the high-life. Everything is coming up roses, until he gets a call from Jackson. The case with Natalie was never solved- as they always believed there was something more going on. Natalie's mind completely blanked her memories of those days, so the trail went dead. But now the case is being brought to light again, and the past with it- including Colin's. Jackson believes there's a much bigger problem- girls who went missing in the same days as Natalie, have started turning up again- dead, and with a mysterious tattoo on their wrists. The same tattoo one of the kidnappers had. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jackson is the only other person who knows about Christel, and others may not be so easily convinced of her authenticity. It's up to Colin to prove his innocence, and quickly. But why doesn't Christel want him to help Jackson? And is she really the gift he thought she was?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>REVIEW</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Discretion is a book that is hard to pin down. It starts off as a thriller- though a little slow-paced, but quickly spirals into a complicated, tangled plot involving religion- in some ambiguous way. The focus is more on Colin's lack of religion, and his friends' belief that he needs it. There is some plot around Christel, as well as the original plot with Natalie, but those are more in the background. There are a lot of random, irrelevant aspects, that don't add to the plot or story in any way, and just succeed in bogging down an already slow moving book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The story starts off well, but loses itself around the '15 years later' mark. If the author had stuck with the original plot, the story could've been pretty good. Though I will give it this, the book is very good at creating an uneasiness. A tension surrounding Christel, and exactly what her motivations are. You can never be sure how much of the truth she is telling you. But then again, the whole book from that point on is a confused mess, one that makes it very hard to tell what's going on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I would say the book's focus is more on good and bad, and the fine line between them. You can do both, but in the end the scales will tip more one way than the other. It comes down to the nature of temptation and addiction. Because that is what Christel is- Colin's drug. Her true 'form' is almost irrelevant. She has been in Colin's mind for so long, that he needs her, to the point where he is willing to do anything to keep her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like I mentioned earlier, the story becomes a little too bogged down with religion towards the end, and I'm afraid we get that rather irritating 'accepting God makes everything alright' ending- which I think is the ultimate cop-out. As though it solves everything. God and religion are not things that should ever be forced on someone. They are things you choose as an individual, and you should respect that others have the right to refuse them. Something I see often in books with Christian undertones is that the moment you let it in/convert, suddenly everything is miraculously better. That's not how it works. It's not a cure-all. What it is is a safety net-there to catch you if you fall. It's an authority, that allows people to believe that if someone does wrong, they will be held accountable for it. It is an idea- a concept. Nothing more. It changes nothing. Resolution through conversion is not resolution. Yes, it can provide comfort or strength- as many things can- but it doesn't change the reality of the situation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The ending itself just sort of happens, and while it's written as though it's meant to be a satisfying conclusion, it is anything but. It is unbelievable to the point of ridiculousness. This is a mild spoiler, but that the book wants you to accept that one witness can bring down an entire prostitution ring led by a clearly well-established group is absurd. Especially as she is not a reliable witness- considering she was heavily drugged during her entire ordeal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Another not very satisfying conclusion is Christel. Unbelievably underwhelming and anti-climactic. She was the main interest of this story- at least for me- her origin and motives were the main reason I got through this book, and her storyline just fades away. It's left in the background and almost forgotten. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In fact, very few of the questions raised are ever answered. Foe example, we don't even really know what happened with the mystery of Natalie. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Overall, an interesting story, that was unfortunately let down by its ending, and irrelevant tangents. I personally believe that the religious tones could have worked, if they had been a little more ambiguous. Especially for non-Christian/ religious readers. I think even Christian readers would find it a little too shoe-horned in, and nonsensical. The characters start of well, but once you hit that '15 years later' point, become bland and devoid of much personality, not to mention Colin goes through a complete 180 on his- due to Christel's guidance perhaps. A book that had a lot of potential, but unfortunately, dropped the ball.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. </i></span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-77458965639771607632013-12-26T09:58:00.000-06:002013-12-26T09:58:17.099-06:00Prepare For Post-Spamming (UPDATE)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello everyone. I hope you all enjoyed your Christmases, or your Wednesdays, or other. This is just a very quick post to give you all a heads up. During the month of December I created an event called Advent Countdown- where I created a virtual advent calendar with a post for each day on it. I kept these posts hidden for the purposes of the event, but they'll be appearing on this blog starting today. The only way I could keep each post hidden, was to trick it into believing it had already been published at a far earlier date. I'm going back and correcting all the dates, which means they'll show up at the top of my blog posts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That's pretty much it. Now that the event is over, and the holidays are calming down a little (well, there's still New Year's), I'll be getting back into my regular posting schedule for reviews. What with one thing and another, I just literally have not had the time, but I'm happy to say that that won't be true for long. I have a book haul coming your way soon, so look out for that if you're interested. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well that's all I wanted to say. Happy Boxing Day to those who celebrate it. Have a wonderful Thursday to those who don't. See you all soon.</span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-21876992888246127892013-12-24T19:10:00.000-06:002013-12-24T19:10:00.523-06:00Day 25- Merry Whatever!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 25 of Advent Countdown. We did it guys. Wooo, it's been a stressful month, and posting everyday is quite time consuming. Props to those who do. Thank you to everyone who has joined me for Advent Countdown. I hope you enjoyed it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, this is just a quick post to say thanks and Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, have a great Wednesday, or whatever. Everyone have a great day (whatever you're doing). See you all next time.</span><br />
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<i>"We Wish You a Merry Christmas"</i> sung by <b>Weezer</b><br />
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-21889498845802675662013-12-24T11:26:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:14:34.760-06:00Day 24- Twas the....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 24 of Advent Countdown. Today I thought I'd tell you all a little about Christmas Eve traditions in my house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Christmas Eve is a day of getting everything done. Some cooking takes place, some movies are watched, and some emergency shopping is done by some members of the family. Personally, I like to shop early, and get it all done by the beginning of December. I actually start a list of what I want to get people pretty early on. Anything I see during the year that I think might be nice for someone, I add to their individual list. By the end of November, I've done some fine-tuning and decided exactly what I want to get every person on my list. So when December comes around, I actually get it all done. If I'm ordering anything online, I think it's especially important to get it early. Things can go wrong. Shipping problems, sold out issues, life can get in the way, etc, etc. I spend a long time deciding what to get people, and it would be a shame if procrastination got in the way of being able to do that. For my own peace of mind, I always prefer to start early.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I usually spend my Christmas Eve wrapping gifts for everyone, listening to seasonal songs and watching my favourite festive movies, absorbing as much of the good cheer as possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At night, everyone in my family puts out a stocking. And I mean everyone. Our pets get one too. No matter how old I get, this is a tradition that will be carried on through the years. Once you get old enough that your parents are no longer doing it, you find yourself making your significant other's. And someday you'll be doing it for your own kids. I think the stocking may be my favourite Christmas tradition. You wake up, see it at the end of your bed and you just know- Christmas has begun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Other than that, my family doesn't really do much for Christmas Eve. We like to spend it alone, just us and get ready for the insanity and hecticness that is tomorrow. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thank you all for joining me for Day 24 of Advent Countdown. I do have a Day 25 for you all tomorrow, so join me tomorrow for that. </span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-4735900288142870982013-12-23T19:16:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:14:07.528-06:00Day 23- You're a Mean One...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 23 of Advent Countdown. A little late today I know, but hopefully you can understand why when you see what I have in store for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My very own version of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' by Dr. Seuss- though this one is based off the TV special from 1966. For legal reasons I have to say, I do not own anything. I simply re-recorded the audio, then applied images drawn by myself (obviously inspired by screenshots from the short) and turned them into a 'movie'. My goodness, this took a lot of work. And the recording nearly destroyed my voice. Haha, that Grinch voice is certainly hard to do for any period of time. Unfortunately, I also had a bit of a cold during the recording, but I don't think it's overly obvious. I'm afraid some of the quality was also lost in the upload- both in the audio and video too, but I hope you'll get some enjoyment out of it. I used a transcript I found <a href="http://ninjamonkeyspy.livejournal.com/585154.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Please enjoy:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well I hope you did. If you'd like to share this attempt at entertainment, please ask me, and make sure to credit me please. Thank you all for joining me for this delayed day Day 23. See you all tomorrow for Day 24 of Advent Countdown. Are you panicking yet?</span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-54620250623975098192013-12-22T17:19:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:13:36.436-06:00Day 22- He Sees You When You're Sleeping<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello everyone, and welcome to Day 22 of Advent Countdown. Today I'm looking at the big man himself. In my culture that would be Father Christmas/ Santa Claus, depending on whether you prefer the British or American name. But who exactly is he? And how did he come to be? Well let's find out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Frank Sinatra "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A man of many names. Some call him either of the two above, or Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle, or simply Santa for short, but do all these names refer to the same person?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.saintnicholas.org/Files/image/Icons/st_nicholas_myra_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.saintnicholas.org/Files/image/Icons/st_nicholas_myra_500.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Let start with Saint Nicholas. Often said to be the predecessor to the modern Santa, and the original gift-giver. But was he? Saint Nicholas was a Greek Christian bishop of Myra in Anatolia (now Turkey) during the fourth century. He was very religious, even from a young age, and devoted his life to Christianity. Famous for his generous gifts to the poor, including a famous event where he left three bags of gold anonymously on one family's doorstop, so their father could use them as dowries and his daughters wouldn't be forced into prostitution. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So well loved was he, that for centuries people celebrated a day in his namesake- Saint Nicholas Day, on the sixth of December. During the Middles Ages, children were given gifts on the Eve of the fifth in his honour. During the Reformation (and its opposition to the worship of saints in many countries), the date was moved to the 24th and the 25th, and Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/L/Martin-Luther-9389283-1-402.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.biography.com/imported/images/<br />Biography/Images/Profiles/L/Martin-Luther-9389283-1-402.jpg</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The custom of gifts for Christmas began with Martin Luther. He wanted children to focus on Christ, rather than Saint Nicholas or any other saints. It was he who suggested Christkind as the replacement gift-giver (who remains so in many cultures), but Saint Nicholas held his popularity in a majority. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Prior to Christianity, the Germanic peoples (and the English) celebrated a midwinter event called Yule. When Christianity spread through Germanic Europe, many of the Yuletide traditions were brought into modern Christmas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">During Yule, people believed that supernatural occurrences were much more frequent. One such event was the Wild Hunt- a ghostly procession through the sky. Many believe the leader of the hunt was Odin himself (as he has been given the names 'Jolnir' (meaning yule figure) and 'Langbaror' (meaning long-beard). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Odin is thought to have some mark on the formation of the current St. Nick- with his long, white beard, and his custom of bringing gifts to children.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, St. Nicholas is often referred to as 'De Goede Sint' (The Good Saint) or Sinterklaas. He is portrayed as an elderly, serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. He wore a red cape over a traditional white bishop's alb, wore a red mitre, and held a long, gold shepherd's staff with a curled top (a crosier). He would distribute presents to children, checking his book of Saint Nicholas (full of childrens' names) to see if they had been naughty or nice. This is a version of the real Saint Nicholas, who's celebration day is the 6th of December. He would arrive on a steam boat from Spain in mid-November, and begin to distribute gifts to all the houses (during a three week period), riding on a white horse above the rooftops.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit:<a href="http://www.kb.nl/sites/default/files/xkw_2865_voorplat_sinterklaas.jpg" target="_blank"> http://www.kb.nl/sites/default/files/xkw_2865_voorplat_sinterklaas.jpg</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPK3rKR6xikqJrnCQ6L5MTBjnvjXL9xREMVvf3f1Y_ucWlzwEVU-emqaurOvIpR1j6otvfteusy2CNxXth8tkDV-mnP0ZC-746ckRb1Cfar7X-mEDVe5HUblCwj3N4VKXOO_2kSzTn1zqn/s1600/Tomte_by_Jenny_Nystrom.jpg" target="_blank">http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ucmj2UupKT4/TOn40brcxrI<br />/AAAAAAAAA3o/Ua6nXjAX9JE/s1600/Tomte_by_Jenny_Nystrom.jpg</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the 1840's, Nordic folklore celebrated a being known as 'Tomte' or 'Nisse'. In Denmark, he became their gift-bringer, and was normally portrayed as a short, bearded man dressed in grey clothes and a red hat. This was very much a corruption of the folkloric creature, now influenced by the new Santa Claus traditions making their way through Scandinavia. By the end of the nineteenth century, these new traditions had reached Norway and Sweden, replacing the Yule Goat. However, a straw goat is still a common Christmas decoration throughout Scandinavia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Father Christmas had a different origin. In sixteenth century England (during the rule of Henry VIII), Father Christmas was portrayed as a large man dressed in green or red robes lined with fur. He was the embodiment of good cheer at Christmas, and brought peace, joy, good food, wine and revelry. At this point, England no longer celebrated Saint Nicholas Day, so Father Christmas' celebration was put on the 25th to coincide with Christmas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He had many portrayals, and the Victorians brought him to new life. A famous depiction was the image of the Ghost of Christmas Present in Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', where he was illustrated by John Leech as a great, jolly man wearing green robes lined with fur. Around this point in time, Father Christmas and Santa Claus were widely seen as one and the same person. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So Santa Claus himself is a mix of all three above- Saint Nicholas, Sinterklass and Father Christmas. His own name was first used by the American press in 1773. Many of his modern attributes (including flying, his sleigh, the reindeer and going down chimneys) were made canon by Clement Clark Moore's popular 'A Visit From St. Nicholas' (now more commonly known as 'The Night Before Christmas'), which he published anonymously in 1823.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Though his chimney entering ways may also have come from Pre-Christian Norse traditions. Odin would often drop down chimneys to deliver gifts on the Solstice. In Italian Befana tradition, a gift-giving witch is portrayed as constantly covered in soot from her trips down chimneys, and even in tales of Saint Nicholas himself, he would throw coins in through windows of peoples' houses. This evolved to down the chimney, as windows would often be locked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The hearth itself was seen as a sacred source of magic, used by elves and faeries as a portal to our world, that they used to deliver gifts. However, the association of chimneys with Santa Claus was down to Clement Clark Moore's aforementioned poem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">His base in the North Pole is thought to be down to an illustration done by American cartoonist, Thomas Nast. In 1863 he drew an image of the Jolly Old St. Nick, with the caption "Santa Claussville, N.P.".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mrs. Clause may have come from a poem by Katherine Lee Bates in 1889 called, "Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride", but she was popularised and brought into the canon in 1956, when George Melachrino released a song called, 'Mrs. Santa Claus'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Woah, there was a lot to get through there. No doubt this isn't all the lore that brought the modern Santa to life, but I did my best. I hope you all enjoyed learning about one of the most famous men of all time. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thank you for joining me for Day 22 of Advent Countdown. See you all tomorrow for Day 23. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">References:</span><br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus</a></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-34602600940929542632013-12-21T11:03:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:12:42.899-06:00Day 21- Rockin' Around the....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 21 of Advent Countdown. It's close now, isn't it? Anyway, today I have some Christmassy photos. This countdown needed the Christmas tree somewhere in it, and I decided what better way to do it than to show you my very own Chrimble tree? So here it is:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And here we have the micro Christmas tree for my room. It's become a tradition carried through the years from my childhood, that my sister and I get mini trees in our rooms. Now that I'm older, I continue it still. It's nice to always have some pine-scented goodness around you. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I hope you all enjoyed this brief look into my Christmas life. Thank you for joining me for Day 21 of Advent Countdown. See you all tomorrow for Day 22. </span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-63471169880569620622013-12-20T18:02:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:11:26.112-06:00Day 20- Have You Seen Him?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 20 of Advent Countdown. Today I have a little illustration I made for you all (in the style of the great Edward Monkton). I tried to draw and write something at least half decent. I hope you all enjoy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sorry for the copyright awkwardly placed in there, but you know how it is. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this short, Christmassy piece. It took me a ridiculous amount of time to create. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thank you for joining me for Day 20 of Advent Countdown. See you tomorrow for Day 21. </span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-76252579858332808612013-12-19T19:04:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:10:55.165-06:00Day 19- Here We Come a Wassailing <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello everyone, and welcome to Day 19 of Advent Countdown. Today I thought we could take a look at some seasonal songs. Since there are far too many to go through them all, I've decided to turn this into a 'Top 10' list. So without further ado, here are this year's 'Top 10 Christmas Songs' in my opinion. Some of them will be old favourites and some will be new discoveries. FYI, this list won't be in any particular order. This list is also dependent on particular singers for each individual song, so I'll list the versions that I feel make the cut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number one: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Baby, It's Cold Outside </i>sung by <b>Zooey Deshcanel and Will Ferrell</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Taken from one of my favourite Christmas movies of all time (<i style="font-weight: bold;">Elf</i>), I adore this version. I find it a hard song to make work, and I think the dynamic between the two singers has to be done incredibly well. It's also a song with some questionable lyrics, so I like that they're sung by Will Ferrell's innocently clueless character Buddy. I'm just sad they never made a completed version of it. It wasn't released as part of the soundtrack, so you only have the movie version, unfortunately. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number two: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Christmas All Over the World </i>sung by <b>Tim McGraw</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMhlDdJ1L80" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMhlDdJ1L80</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I know, I know, but Christmas is a time for cheesy (sometimes terrible) songs, and this song fits into the mindless happy category that just appeals to me. I don't have much to say about it other than that. It makes me happy and puts me in the Christmas mood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number three: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Mary, Did You Know </i>sung by <b>Clay Aiken</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiL993FK0y4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiL993FK0y4</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I know a lot of people don't like Clay Aiken, but I personally like his voice, and I think it fits this song perfectly. It's smooth and has the range. Mostly, I just love this song for its melody, the lyrics could be about anything and I would still sing along happily. I'm not a religious person, so the lyrics are just something to sing to, to be honest. Like I said- I'm in it for the melody. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number four: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Red Nosed Reindeer Blues </i>sung by <b>Asylum Street Spankers</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIWyp5Nr-Xc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIWyp5Nr-Xc</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I adore this song. It's catchy, it's pretty clever, and it has originality. Not to mention you've got some mean blues chords in there. Listen to it. That's all I have to say.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number five: <i style="font-weight: bold;">What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? </i>sung by <b>The Head and the Heart</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJ1PNC_S1k" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJ1PNC_S1k</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> The Head and the Heart are a band I'm very fond of in general, so when I heard they'd done a seasonal (I don't know if I can really call it Christmas) song, I had to check it out. I'm so very glad I did. They make this song their own, and create wonderful harmonies between their individual voices. Please check it out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number six: <i style="font-weight: bold;">White Wine in the Sun </i>sung by <b>Tim Minchin</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Tim Minchin is an explicitly funny, Australian comedian. And I mean explicit in the censored way (or non-censored). He's a great musician, and incorporates that into his stand-up. Considering that, this song is surprisingly meaningful, and pretty much sums up exactly how I feel about the holidays (minus the sun part). In fact, this could be my favourite song on the list. If you only listen to one song on this list, make it this one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number seven: <i style="font-weight: bold;">See Ya Santa </i>sung by <b>The Irreconcilables </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoG_AphJ2ME" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoG_AphJ2ME</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A bit of a comedic one here, maybe more suited for older listeners. The tune is catchy, the lyrics are catchy, the whole thing is unbelievably catchy. And god I love her voice. I was in love with this song last Christmas, and still love it enough for it to be in my Top 10. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number eight: <i style="font-weight: bold;">This Christmas </i>sung by <b>Me, You & Her</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">(Hint- click the play icon. It's the fourth song).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If No. 6 is my favourite song on the list, this is a close second. These girls most certainly make the song their own, and create absolutely beautiful harmonies with their voices. I could listen to this song on repeat for hours. You can pick this song up for free using the link above (<a href="http://www.noisetrade.com/meyouher/a-lil-more-christmas" target="_blank">i.e. this one</a>) for a limited time. The whole album is lovely Christmas listening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number nine: <i style="font-weight: bold;">Home Made Christmas </i>sung by <b>The John Hancock Band</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have to be honest here. While I do like the singers voice, I love this song purely for its message. This is another song that just screams 'meaning of Christmas' at you. And how I love it. You can pick the song up for free at the link above (</span><a href="http://www.noisetrade.com/thejohnhancockband/home-made-christmas" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">this one</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">) at the moment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Number ten: <i style="font-weight: bold;">It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year </i>sung by <b>Andy Williams</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This song has been consistently in my Top 10 for years. I adore it. It is easily my favourite 'traditional' Christmas tune, and I don't think I'll ever grow tired of it. It absolutely never fails to put me in a festive mood, and has me singing along every time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well there you have it guys, my 'Top 10 Christmas Songs' of 2013. I hope you found some new favourites from this list. I'm a huge fanatic when it comes to Christmas music, and can often be heard singing various jingles around the house at the top of my lungs. The only downside is they're always so freaking catchy- which makes it hard to quit them after the season. Many a time I've found myself singing carols in summer. Oh well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I hope you enjoyed Day 19 of Advent Countdown. See you tomorrow for the final leg and Day 20.</span></div>
Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-58826138921007035502013-12-18T11:42:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:10:04.715-06:00Day 18- Pop Goes the...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 18 of Advent Countdown. Today I'll be looking at the origins of Christmas crackers (and having a little too much fun with the jokes).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So where did the idea come from? Well it's all down to a London bon-bon maker named Tom Smith. On a visit to Paris he discovered bon-bons wrapped in tissue paper (in the traditional way- with a twist at either end), and decided to try sell them himself. This was in 1847.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">However, they didn't sell so well. Desperate to up his sales, he created various promotions. His first was to include messages inside the sweet wrapper. As most of his sweets were bought by men for women, these messages were love poems. </span><br />
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<a href="http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1987879_f260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1987879_f260.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In 1860, he landed on the 'cracker' element while staring into a log fire. He was inspired by the crackling and sparks, and incorporated them into new packaging for his bon-bons. Obviously, the wrapper had to be made much larger to include the 'cracker' mechanism. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Over time the sweet was replaced by trinkets. They were originally called 'Cosaques' (after the Cossacks- who were stereotypically seen as riding on horseback, firing into the air), but replaced by the onomatopoeic 'cracker'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When Tom died his sons took over his business. Walter Smith eventually added the paper hat in the 1900's, and by the 1930's the love messages were replaced by jokes and limericks. They had themed crackers too, such as ones for bachelors, Suffragettes and even the British Royal Family. All of this was designed to differentiate them from the mass of rival companies who'd suddenly sprung up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But back to the jokes. Christmas cracker jokes are infamous for being truly awful, eliciting groans from those who hear them. This is actually a carefully devised plan. It was decided by the powers that be, that all cracker jokes must be abysmal, so that everyone could agree they were. This was intended to prevent any arguments with family members on Christmas. Rather than splitting the family into 'those who loved the joke' and 'those who didn't' (because that is absolutely what would happen), they wanted everyone to agree. Which is why we now have cringe-worthy rubbish like this:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Frostbite</b>"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cue the groans. Despite that (or perhaps because of it), they do have a kind of charm. It's traditional for them to be terrible. You expect it, and it's makes them enjoyable in their own stupid way. Some of them even reach the 'so bad they're good' mark. Here's one:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>"</b>Who delivers presents to baby sharks on Christmas Eve?</span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Santa Jaws"</span></b></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHIdneH8YmtqIn7N0XqpesbHrSywu0rVhjyLwbXYaOXxmGCqPzPsMKGDhhLBkoBiykIO4XJiBTUvc2BS4mpyBL-6B8o6uiUbLyzx5QvmNDM5RGCmU5aaUQyTqpgrRvLg_zLO2hcHeFKua/s640/jaws-1024x815+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Original non-photoshopped photo here: <a href="http://3brothersfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/jaws-1024x815.jpg" target="_blank">http://3brothersfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/jaws-1024x815.jpg</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Enjoy this photo I've photoshopped for you all. I'm truly sorry, but I couldn't get the image out of my head. Some of you may know I'm a huge fan of 'shark movies', so obviously Jaws holds a special place in my heart. Both the book and the movies (that's right movie<b>S, </b>plural. Yes, the sequels are terrible, but my God they're enjoyable (except Jaws 3-D. I just pretend it never existed)).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I thought I'd have a go at my own cringe-inducing Christmas cracker joke. Why not, right? It is Christmas after all. The more the merrier and all that. Here's what I came up with:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Where do Hogwarts students go at Christmas?</span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A winter wand-erland</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Oh come on guys. It wasn't that bad. You know, that was actually kind of fun. Let's try another:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What do robins do in winter?</span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Go on holly-day.</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Okay, I'll stop now. A small disclaimer: If you want to share my Christmas cracker jokes (HA!) anywhere, please credit me. Thank you. I wonder if I'm delusional?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ahem, let's move on shall we? If you have any cracker jokes of your own, or any personal favourites, please share them with me. It wouldn't be Christmas without them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thank you all for joining me for Day 18 of Advent Countdown. See you all tomorrow for Day 19. Are you panicking yet?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Resources:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/crackers.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/crackers.shtml</a></div>
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<a href="http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/xmas/crackers.html" target="_blank">http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/xmas/crackers.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker</a></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-5840638209239835712013-12-17T15:58:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:09:35.740-06:00Day 17- Cold Weather Makes For Dry Skin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello everyone and welcome to Day 17 of Advent Countdown. Today I've got yet another DIY for you. You may remember I had <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.com/2012/09/day-13-scrub-your-cares-away.html" target="_blank">Candy Cane Sugar Scrub</a> and <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/day-11-colours-of-season.html" target="_blank">Candy Cane Soap</a> DIY projects in past Advent days, well this time it's...</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Body Butter/ Lotion</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yes, that's right. I'm going through your bath/ shower regimes. I'm making a list, and checking it twice, gonna find out what makes your skin feel nice. Or something. So, we've had soap, then a scrub, now a lotion. This is another simple project, that really doesn't take much time (unless you count the cooling period, but we'll get to that). So first things first, what do you need? This is to make 1 cup of body butter/ lotion. I used a recipe I found on <a href="http://gi365.info/lifestyle/cooling-aloe-mint-body-lotion/" target="_blank">GI 365</a>. All credit there. FYI, they used peppermint oil for the scent.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ingredients (Again I will post links on the ingredients to where I bought them). </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1/4 cup grated <a href="https://www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk/acatalog/info%2dBWORGW%2ehtml" target="_blank">beeswax</a> (I bought 100g, which made three portions of body butter. And there's no need to grate it).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWcmwG5y1grlroiKGJ6tdSQSvHobXF8GQoQI1WWzAxEnyvznof7WLhcnSTC5Bau7_Yj6FsCkDeKgDFz51rWJ-kt8U4Us23fBCBatch4gibs3zlbwZ_jCR4zAgLdvNWlzywX8Rt601yZN6/s1600/IMG_6730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWcmwG5y1grlroiKGJ6tdSQSvHobXF8GQoQI1WWzAxEnyvznof7WLhcnSTC5Bau7_Yj6FsCkDeKgDFz51rWJ-kt8U4Us23fBCBatch4gibs3zlbwZ_jCR4zAgLdvNWlzywX8Rt601yZN6/s400/IMG_6730.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1/2 cup coconut oil (I bought this from Sainsbury's (a supermarket in the UK), but I'm not sure how good it was. I know that the website where I got the beeswax offers coconut oil, and I'd get it from there if I was to make this recipe again. I don't think it was supposed to be as hard as I found it).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1/2 cup <a href="https://www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk/acatalog/info%5f434%2ehtml" target="_blank">aloe vera gel</a> (I bought 250g, which struggled to make three batches, but would be more than enough for two).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTLH-aU2HhwS6xRuGAn2Dtww3thAP8GNwa4e5Ount6Tm65pmRFrU7XwdrojJMO-WuytusjaNf-dE-6T0zmEd1u6d0hZhFEy6tBFv_Vcbjr132VFYFw7VhO1LF3hDtmiJDe3bFSQCNiKbg/s1600/IMG_6731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTLH-aU2HhwS6xRuGAn2Dtww3thAP8GNwa4e5Ount6Tm65pmRFrU7XwdrojJMO-WuytusjaNf-dE-6T0zmEd1u6d0hZhFEy6tBFv_Vcbjr132VFYFw7VhO1LF3hDtmiJDe3bFSQCNiKbg/s320/IMG_6731.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1/8 teaspoon essential oil of your choice (I chose a <a href="https://www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk/acatalog/info%5f859%2ehtml" target="_blank">ginger, cinnamon and mandarin</a> mix that smells divine. I got 5ml and found that was plenty).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So now it's time for the How To:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSxHqvrdTpZfxfKRpYVYiHwYs0RWkvGn3v5O8SayKpNWd04LMiQeHwbbNbAPy98PpLm5HZiyEXIQda72UreiMA6l4upuuBoYRKN8VsOxjbsgQOl9KaQ2TkDJ9rwaxdTfUC_oY7CD-ec3n/s1600/IMG_6732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSxHqvrdTpZfxfKRpYVYiHwYs0RWkvGn3v5O8SayKpNWd04LMiQeHwbbNbAPy98PpLm5HZiyEXIQda72UreiMA6l4upuuBoYRKN8VsOxjbsgQOl9KaQ2TkDJ9rwaxdTfUC_oY7CD-ec3n/s400/IMG_6732.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1. Place your beeswax and coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">2. Wait until they have melted, then immediately remove from the heat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">3. Whisk in the aloe vera gel and the essential oil, then leave to cool for about an hour.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgUaYeiNStjOZSj39w7nTt92jTuIy4ftmKx488R04oAT-2qH17wBitjpSoYNCbVkVaSZeDIKWTJvtFENkEuQLDQVlG5RCYjnD9bvEArs0qo4Awberx6zwHiCteEc5-TDnK06TAiaPi_SM/s1600/IMG_6740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgUaYeiNStjOZSj39w7nTt92jTuIy4ftmKx488R04oAT-2qH17wBitjpSoYNCbVkVaSZeDIKWTJvtFENkEuQLDQVlG5RCYjnD9bvEArs0qo4Awberx6zwHiCteEc5-TDnK06TAiaPi_SM/s400/IMG_6740.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">4. Once cooled, stir the ingredients to make sure they are all combined, then mix with an electric hand mixer or a blender until light and fluffy. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9IFFbt13SkdN-QMmREEKHAqc4EzN492STZenYTVupcUWqR_AV-CKh0-_z8xtp-NGt2D1nmFcJ37Vk8W6eg9FRQffGZIshWntwLP-nB9ttTWhYYmu-VFSk6iv4xObK6U4VkS0mM6yQOj-/s1600/IMG_6760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9IFFbt13SkdN-QMmREEKHAqc4EzN492STZenYTVupcUWqR_AV-CKh0-_z8xtp-NGt2D1nmFcJ37Vk8W6eg9FRQffGZIshWntwLP-nB9ttTWhYYmu-VFSk6iv4xObK6U4VkS0mM6yQOj-/s400/IMG_6760.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">5. Scoop into a container. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This lotion lasts for between 2-3 weeks. If you want it to last longer, keep it refrigerated (though that will change the texture a little).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And that's it. You have your lotion. This is a very moisturising product, in my opinion. I tripled the recipe to fill one jar, and had a little left over. I tried it out on my hands (which I'm constantly washing, and so are always in danger of drying out) and my elbows, and it worked wonders. I'm not entirely sure whether it's a lotion or a butter, as it's thicker than the former, but thinner than the latter. I'd say it was closer to being a butter though. It's pretty decadent and very luxurious feeling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I really have to mention the essential oil I used too. I was </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LmQLprL-65I_Fg3B-e5ntXjovUYgNLoxeIQWptI0kYKPkyt9YeCidUWIpphGUziyhffD324MX2f9zvb0PkCdFiSdLHBibOCFWnmAR6-g1jbDTQMjXeVGBYBIdzscXaJehAOioLniWaUe/s1600/IMG_6764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LmQLprL-65I_Fg3B-e5ntXjovUYgNLoxeIQWptI0kYKPkyt9YeCidUWIpphGUziyhffD324MX2f9zvb0PkCdFiSdLHBibOCFWnmAR6-g1jbDTQMjXeVGBYBIdzscXaJehAOioLniWaUe/s400/IMG_6764.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">afraid I wouldn't like it (as scents are so personal, and I bought it online), but it's the perfect warm, spicy scent that compliments the season beautifully. It's strong so you only need a little to go a long way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All in all, I'm very happy with how this recipe turned out. Let me know if you give it a shot.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That's been Day 17 of Advent Countdown. See you tomorrow for Day 18 (oh it's coming up on us fast, isn't it?).</span><br />
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-71394357714949622802013-12-16T07:35:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:09:09.170-06:00Day 16- I'm Thinking of a Word<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 16 of Advent Countdown. Today I've got a Christmas crossword for you all. But not just any crossword, it's a crossword I created myself. Yes, all the clues and answers are of my own devising. I did try my hardest to create an interactive crossword, but sadly it was not to be. I did find one program that had the ability to create exactly what I wanted, but it cost $50 before tax, and I couldn't justify the money on something that I would likely never use again. Oh well, c'est la vie. Que sera sera and all that. Now, without further ado, here's my very own Christmas crossword:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04oYV137TaEUTjKluCk0s7gOVCvEGKSHP7VhwpWNkuoc04AlK9zeyrHFl_fY0uS5Ncs6j9tyTsHtjACRa8aA_3vqSf5tFNjqP2IhLpIa2ihwK2BCPMHcxTFBd6EKopIFCzY4UWeXdUA_i/s1600/The+Spirit+of+Christmas+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04oYV137TaEUTjKluCk0s7gOVCvEGKSHP7VhwpWNkuoc04AlK9zeyrHFl_fY0uS5Ncs6j9tyTsHtjACRa8aA_3vqSf5tFNjqP2IhLpIa2ihwK2BCPMHcxTFBd6EKopIFCzY4UWeXdUA_i/s1600/The+Spirit+of+Christmas+resized.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, (as I said earlier) despite my best efforts I could not create it to be interactive. Instead, I can offer you a link to the website I created it with, where you can solve it online or print it off <a href="http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/bin/crossword.cgi?cmd=solve&filefrag=2013.12/1603/16035620.416.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Let me know if it doesn't work for any reason. The answer key is on there too. I debated posting the answer key too, but I know that's just temptation. So, what I will do is post the answers at the bottom of this page. I'll leave a hideously large gap between my last sentence and the image, so you'll have to scroll down to see it. FYI, some of the answers can be found in previous days of Advent Countdown. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well that's it for Day 16 of Advent Countdown. I hope you all enjoy the festive crossword that I created just for all of you. See you tomorrow for Day 17.</span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429284491485026824.post-88147893110377655662013-12-15T16:00:00.000-06:002013-12-26T10:08:32.633-06:00Day 15- When You Wish...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to Day 15 of Advent Countdown. Since we're now only 10 days away from the big day, I thought I'd share a wish list with you. Specifically, these are the books I'm asking for for Christmas. Now I'd like to add a disclaimer here: this is just a general list that people who want to get me something can pick-and-choose from, or to get a rough idea of what I'd like. I'm not expecting people to get me things, and certainly not to get me everything on the list. Now that that's all said and done, let's get into it, shall we?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">FYI, this list is in no particular order. I'll add links to each book on amazon too, in case you want to check them out yourself. Well then first up:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1. <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Inspector Barnaby Series </i>by <b>Caroline Graham</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://images.contentreserve.com/ImageType-100/1531-1/%7BD501F6D2-68D4-4D9D-A9DE-4795A6AB2D6A%7DImg100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.contentreserve.com/ImageType-100/1531-1/%7BD501F6D2-68D4-4D9D-A9DE-4795A6AB2D6A%7DImg100.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is a series of seven books, that inspired one of my all-time favourite shows (Midsomer Murders). I've never read the books themselves, and thought it was jolly well time that changed- considering how much I loved the TV series. For those interested, here are the names of the specific books:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755342151/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0755342151&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">The Killings at Badger's Drift</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0755342151" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</i>(meant to be one of the greatest murder mystery stories of all time)</span></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/075534216X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=075534216X&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Death of a Hollow Man</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=075534216X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755342178/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0755342178&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Death in Disguise</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0755342178" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755342186/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0755342186&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Written in Blood</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0755342186" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755342194/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0755342194&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Faithful unto Death</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0755342194" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755342208/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0755342208&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">A Place of Safety</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0755342208" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0755342216/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0755342216&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">A Ghost in the Machine</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0755342216" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Next on my list are the first two books from another (quite new) series. These are the only two books from said series out at the time of writing this, and it looks to be a very enjoyable cozy mystery series. I've read the first, but not the second. In fact, I own an e-book version of the first book (which I won in a giveaway. It was possibly even the first book I ever reviewed here). I loved it then, and I'm itching for the next instalment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">2. <i style="font-weight: bold;">A Wisteria Tearoom Mystery Series </i>by <b>Patrice </b></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Greenwood </b></div>
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<a href="http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/9f/f8/9ff86e1e2152d3a59747a746567444341587343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/9f/f8/9ff86e1e2152d3a59747a746567444341587343.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Again, here are the individual books:</span></div>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1611381843/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1611381843&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">A Fatal Twist of Lemon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1611381843" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1611382726/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1611382726&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">A Sprig of Blossomed Thorn</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1611382726" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you'd like to check out my review for book one in the series, you can find it <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-fatal-twist-of-lemon.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thirdly, I have another series instalment. Again I own the first book already ((through another giveaway) and have done a review on it, which you can find <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/a-serial-killer-haitian-voodoo-and-new.html" target="_blank">here</a>), but this time I'm only asking for the second. The series is a dark murder mystery (can you tell I love them?) set in New Orleans. I believe this is going to be a trilogy, but only the first two books are available at the moment.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvs9YCwoTyzFpKoZJqQRCayBuiC1bmKtfe3ycloyzNzgVI16IyVWwywj9peR6AlSDdDQqHxEbkAKyEIQCTT32Q9A6sHNwXmAQeeOI_n_50FXkUYX_XPtaFGC1CHe9_KRY0zTsaj5hs4JBB/s320/Cover_Pre-order_Flyer_Temp_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvs9YCwoTyzFpKoZJqQRCayBuiC1bmKtfe3ycloyzNzgVI16IyVWwywj9peR6AlSDdDQqHxEbkAKyEIQCTT32Q9A6sHNwXmAQeeOI_n_50FXkUYX_XPtaFGC1CHe9_KRY0zTsaj5hs4JBB/s400/Cover_Pre-order_Flyer_Temp_large.jpg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">3. <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Sins of the Father Series </i>by <b>Leo King</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Individual books:</span></div>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1938821068/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1938821068&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">The Bourbon Street Ripper</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1938821068" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></i></b></li>
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1938821610/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1938821610&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">A Life Without Fear</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1938821610" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333576749l/12600025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1333576749l/12600025.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Fourth on my list is yet another series (I know, I know), though each book works as a stand-alone. I call it a series because they're both set in the same universe, with the same characters. Opposite to the previous entry, I own both of the books in this series already, but I only own the first book in e-book format (which I applied to review through a program called Blogging for Books), and would like a hard copy of it. I've read both books in the series (will there be more?), and have reviews for each of them. They are lovely books based on characters getting over grief- in some form or other. They do have religious tones (which I normally shy away from as they can be a bit preachy), but done right. The book isn't about God, it's about the characters- some of whom just happen to be Christian. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Individual books:</span></div>
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0307730387/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0307730387&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Wildflowers from Winter</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0307730387" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<li><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0307730409/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0307730409&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">Wishing on Willows</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=0307730409" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you'd like to read my reviews on both these books, you can find my review of the first one <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-harsher-winter-more-wildflowers.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and the second one <a href="http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/to-put-your-grief-behind-you-you-cannot.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The final thing on my list is yet another series (I'm sorry, I'm sorry). Though this one is a little different. It's..</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">4. <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009GE0I3A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B009GE0I3A&linkCode=as2&tag=netoregotowa-21" target="_blank">The Tintin Series</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=netoregotowa-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B009GE0I3A" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</i>by <b>Georges Remi (better known by his pen name - Herge)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Now there are 24 books in this series, so I'm not going to spam you with a list of them all. I grew up on Tintin, and have incredibly fond memories of it. Even now, I enjoy the stories and adore the characters. I have somehow managed to make it through my life without owning even a single one of the 24 books, and hope to remedy this soon. For those who somehow don't know, Tintin is a Belgian reporter. He investigates mysteries around the world, with the help of his odd group of friends. He's kind of an Indiana Jones of reporting. The books are beautifully illustrated comics, and the series is one I think would appeal to people of all ages.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And that's my list everyone. A little insight into my Christmas wishes (or something like that). I hope you all enjoyed Day 15. I'll see you tomorrow for Day 16 of Advent Countdown. </span></div>
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Need to Read, Got to Watchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00304297266109565375noreply@blogger.com0