Venetia by Georgette Heyer Leave a reply

Posted on September 15, 2012 in Books

Venetia by Georgette Heyer

This is one of the most popular Heyer books. I debated between 3 to 4 stars on GoodReads because while I think it is one of the most well written of her works, I found myself not particularly engrossed in parts.

My biggest issue was that there wasn’t enough of the main characters, particularly of the male lead Damerel. The relationship between the two protagonists begin very well. It develops into a lovely friendship and completely believable how they fall in love with another one. Then the lovebirds time gets cut short as obstacles get in there way.

The other issue was that there were many annoying, interfering characters. This aspect and the introspective nature of Venetia made the whole book very Austen-like in both the good and bad way.

There was something about the pacing of this book that was slower than the rest of Heyer’s books. I think it’s a lot like Lady of Quality which was one of Heyer’s books. Like that novel, the female protagonist is very well developed, clever, and independent. Also, like that novel, you only see the man in the denouement.

It is well written from a character stand point. It even hit a bit close to home. I really relate to those Heyer heroines in their mid twenties like Venetia. Like them, I think I have a romantic nature, but at the same time, there is a lot of sense shared between these characters and I. I don’t aspire too much in romance, and there is always and independent sort of zeal from many of her ‘spinister’ leads that I also share.

This novel has an additional twist that I didn’t really see coming. It was melodramatic (on the soap operatic end) which isn’t the usual for Heyer, but it worked. It was more of a minor plot device to move things forward. Still rather a nice little surprise.

All in all, I would say this one of the most well written of Heyer books, but it is not necessarily one of my favourites or the one I would reread first. Recommended if you like her stuff because this is a favourite for many of Heyer’s fans.

Read on my Kindle September 10-14th, 2012.

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Booking Through Thursday – Organization 10 Replies

Posted on September 13, 2012 in Books

On Booking Through Thursday this week:

How do you organize/store your books? Do you go through them often? Or do you pretty much just shelve them and then leave them alone until you need them?

The second. I roughly organize them by genre, anticipated time I will read them. So I have one shelf all fiction/classics and part of one shelf for cookbooks. I also put the knitting books away on my desk or with the cookbooks.

Recently, I ran out of space for my books so I put some of those that I have read in the closet. I think for someone who has read over 800 books, I really don’t own a lot of them. I do buy used books to read, but for the most part, a lot of my books are one I bought because I read them already and wanted to keep them for future rereads.

I will organize them when I get new books and shift them around when I need to, but in general, I don’t really organize them by authors or anything like that.

How about you?

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WIP Wednesday: Stashbusting Lopi 8 Replies

Posted on September 12, 2012 in Knitting & Crafting

Hazel Knits Yarn Club August

Last week, my first ever yarn/sock club purchase came in the mail from Hazel Knits Yarn Club. I have been waiting for this package for almost a month. Actually, if you factor in the fact I bought the early bird, I’ve been waiting for it for two months!

I am not sure why it was delayed. From the USA, things can take as quick as one week, usually less than two weeks. I became increasingly worried about it because it is very nice yarn and was my first club purchase. Even on the day it arrived September 4th, I was preparing to email Wendee the dyer and/or the USPS.

But it came and it is lovely! I am not sure what to do with it at the moment other than to ogle and fondle it. I may use the green for a stranded sweater I had in mind. Not sure. It did come with a stranded sock pattern which is also tempting. Hmm.

In other news, I finished Girasole and it is big, lacey, dry and with rough edges. The FO post up this Friday hopefully.

As usual, I always start a new project right after I finish the previous one. My current project is stashbusting lopi by making Taska, a purse from Istex Lopi book #25. I own this book because I bought two years ago to make my first sweater, Aftur:

aftur

Gosh, I adore lopi. You can’t wear it everyday and it’s difficult to wear indoors because it is so hot, but when for outdoors, it is perfect. I’ve worn it on a hike in the woods in the autumn and skating with a merino turtleneck underneath at -15’C. It feels like iron. I was always proud of this sweater even though it is a bit on the boxy side since I didn’t add any waist shaping. As a first sweater, I think it is pretty good.

When I finished it, I ended up with a lot of leftovers including almost two full balls of the MC and lots of bits from the fair isle. Taska is the companion project and just a way for me to stashbust and knit lopi again. It is unlikely that I will use the purse very much, but it will be cute none the less.

Taska purse

Thanks for reading. Let me know what is on your needles today?

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Sunday Salon: Pre-Autumn 12 Replies

Posted on September 9, 2012 in Books

Sunday Salon

Hello! It rained all of yesterday which was lovely for sleep and relaxing. I spent it catching up to “Celebrity Masterchef” (UK) and watching The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (recommended).

This week, I read Where we belong by Emily Giffin and Arabella by Georgette Heyer. Work was very busy this week so I was too tired to read towards the end of the week.

Today, I want to knit some more because I really want to finish this blanket. I am also rewatching My Neighbour Totoro. As for books, I have a lot still from the library including Venetia by Georgette Heyer, The Song of Achilles, The City of Dreaming Books, and more. Of course, I still need to start Gone with the Wind. At this rate, I may not start it until October.

The weather has gotten cold now, and I think it will stay this way. Now I can slowly take out my tights and fall skirts. What about you? Do you feel the change in the air where you are?

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Arabella by Georgette Heyer Leave a reply

Posted on September 7, 2012 in Books

Arabella by Georgette Heyer

This was delightful. I haven’t read a Heyer novel in a month and maybe I missed her, but this is one of my favourite of her novels.

This classic Heyer: most eligible yet indifferent dandy bachelor gets enthralled with an innocent yet headstrong girl. I noticed that with this novel that sometimes I find the men in Heyer’s romances younger than their years and the girls somewhat older so it equals out. In her books, a lot of the rich men are encouraged to be spoilt boys. But they are still gentleman, otherwise they would be poor romantic leads.

Arabella is a lovely protagonist. While innocent and not the most cosmpolitan, she is a good daughter, sister, and a kind person. Also, she is mischevious just enough without being annoying. The fact that her lie was preposterous, but I liked it. She really makes up for it by being one of the few heroines actually to consider social justice and charity. She is flawed, but not overly. She definitely puts Mr Robert Beaumarais in his place.

There is aspects of Pride and Prejdudice in this work, and careful readers of Austen will notice the allusions. Mr Beaumarais is a bit of a Darcy. All handsome, proud, stylish and hiding his good heart beneath it. There are some really nice scenes with him and his dog Ulysses. The extent in which he draws to draw out Arabella is fun to read.

The only thing annoying about the book was Arabella’s brother Bertram. Often times, Heyer heroines have rather silly and not the most helpful brothers.

This was one of those few Heyer books where I love the hero and heroine equally. Usually, I favour one slightly more (or grossly more in some cases) over the other. The only other time I found this was Sylvester which was even more like P&P. I think the merit is that Heyer is able to balance out the time she spent developing both characters. She focused more on Arabella and her lively family in the first half and shifts the focus to Robert in the second half. Not many authors can really balance such nice character development equally, but when is at her best, she makes it look easy.

I would reread this novel. It was sweet and fun. I even laughed out loud once or twice which is not a common occurence for me. A good, light romantic read.

Read September 3rd-4th 2012.

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Booking Through Thursday – School Books 12 Replies

Posted on September 6, 2012 in Books

This week on Booking Through Thursday:

We all had to read things in school that we didn’t like … but what about something you read for a class that you ended up liking (or loving)? An author you discovered that you might not have found? A genre you hadn’t thought about?

Since I have always loved to read, it’s not surprising that I ended up liking a lot of what I read pre-university in English class. I mean I loved some of the stuff and knew I would: Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird and a couple of others.

I discovered The Princess Bride (actually we watched the movie so I had to read the book) and John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids from the same excellent English teacher.

I also think I would have discovered Thomas Hardy eventually, but I am always glad to have studied Mayor of Casterbridge so I found him earlier.

I also took a religion and philosophy course so that exposed to me to some texts earlier.

In university, I read a lot of stuff as I wouldn’t otherwise read because I ended up as a public and international affairs major so I read a bit of everything in social sciences: political science, law, economics, health, gender studies. Some I liked more than others.

How about you?

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The Classics Club Monthly Meme – September 2012 15 Replies

Posted on September 5, 2012 in Books

This month for the Classics Club Meme:

Pick a classic someone else in the club has read from our big review list. Link to their review and offer a quote from their post describing their reaction to the book. What about their post makes you excited to read that classic in particular?

Truth be told, I don’t usually read a lot of review for books I haven’t read yet. Usually, I read reviews for books I have already read. Of course, you can’t avoid it, but it was hard picking which books I wanted to read reviews for.

Since I am starting Gone with the Wind soon for a readalong, I had to pick it. There have been three reviews of it listed in the club so far. I read all of them.

The first one was by Brooke of The Blog of Litwits:

Is the novel perfect? No. Was the racism rampant and often hard to read? Yes. Are the characters likable? Yes and No. Would I consider this a page turner? Very much so. Did it offend your sensibilities as a Southerner? No. Do I believe the South will rise again? Oh dear. Rhett or Ashley? Melanie. How’s the ending? Perfectly frustrating. Is it a novel worth reading? Without a doubt.

Brooke’s review was very good. For one thing, it was personal which is actually a good thing to do in a review because books are personal. Secondly, she addressed a lot of issues people have with this book. I told my only Southern friend that I was going to read GWtW, and she said she would never because it glorifies the antebellum South. My friend is also Black and both of us are visible minorities so whenever I read such blatantly racist stuff, it’s not comfortable. Reading racist works or books which have derogatory content is unavoidable to be honest, but GWtW is a novel where this is perhaps a bigger theme than some other classics. I have seen the movie which was fine. But the whole issue of the South and KKK reminds me of the time when I watched D. W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation. That film disgusted me so much that I would probably pay money to get the those minutes of my life back.

I digress a bit, but Brooke’s review reminds me that yes, this book is controversial, but seems to be one of those classics that I want to see for myself why so many people love it or hate it. Or a bit of both which could be my case.

Christian of Beltwayliterature said this about Rhett:

At first, I didn’t like Rhett at all. I found him to be an opportunistic scoundrel. But then, I saw him evolve and mature into a person that I could grow to like. He really loved Scarlett and did everything he could to pry Scarlett’s thoughts away from Ashley. I felt completely sorry for him at the end of the book. His character’s evolution showed me that even the most disliked people can change when it’s absolutely necessary.

I’m not sure I’ll like Book Scarlett (I wasn’t crazy about Movie Scarlett), but it’s good to know that Rhett is the character that seems to develop in the novel. I’ll look forward to reading his character development since you really need to be as charismatic as Clark Gable to get away with half the stuff Rhett seems to do in the book.

Finally, Geoff of The Oddness of Moving Things:

Even though I was always frustrated with Scarlett – from her childish innocence and demand for love and affection to the final pages where she realizes who she loves and why she loves them, you can’t help but root for her in the end. She’s survived and she’s pushed through and even though she has comfort and money, she’s lost love and decency.

Hopefully, I will be able to root for Scarlett. I won’t know until I read it, but she does have fans or sympathy. You don’t have to like a reader to find her somewhat rootable so I will go in open minded as possible about the heroine.

This was fun and has hyped me up to read GWtW soon. Perhaps, I’ll start it this weekend!

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Where We Belong by Emily Giffin Leave a reply

Posted on September 4, 2012 in Books

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

I needed to wash my brain of the Fifty Shades series, but I didn’t want anything too arduous or deep either. I have read all of Emily Giffin’s books by now. I know what to expect with her, in that she brings all of her female characters through journeys. Ones that are real, emotional, and full of actual development.

Many of Giffin’s books are the same way. All of them feature thirtysomething women. All of them have been set somewhat in New York City or in that tristate area. All of the women and most of their circle are Caucasian. They are all firmly Upper Middle Class or are by the time of the books. I differ from these protagonists in age, socio-economics, and ethnicity, and yet, I really like Giffin’s brand of chick lit. She forces all of her women to go through emotional upheavals and change themselves. They are usually women who are good, flawed and therefore, human. They actually grow and develop in the books! I love that in characters.

There is a faint formula in all her works, but they all feel really similar in a good way. Still, it would be boring if they were all exactly a like. I think this is definitely one of my favourite of her works.

The book deals with two characters, adoption, and the relationships around that. The first person narratives switches from Marian (token Giffin protagonist) and her daughter Kirby whom she gave up for adoption. The story weaves how their relationship develops after they meet again, and all the relationships around it from Kirby’s adopted family to Marian’s family and friends and to Conrad, Kirby’s biological father.

Adoption is a very interesting topic for me. It always has been. I am not adopted and I do not have any friends who were, but it has always appealed to me. I don’t always read books about it either, but this is one of those times, when an author I like explores a topic I am fascinated by.

It really worked out because I found this touching and realistic. Kirby is really self-possessed for a teenager, but she still retains that awkwardness, obstinacy, and dismissiveness that plagues many a teenage girl. Also, where were guys like Philip Chang or Conrad Knight when I was a teenager? Giffin also makes so many of her male love interests dreamy… even the adolescent ones! Well, it isn’t chicklit if there isn’t charming men.

Another reason I like Giffin’s books are that they are all connected in some way. They happen in this same universe where many of the female protagonists know each other. Sometimes the connection is tenuous, but often like in this book, they are close friends. Marian is best friends with Claudia from Baby Proof. This gives the loyal reader an icing on the cake snippet of other previous protagonists. Generally, it means just an update to say, “They are still happy!” But whatever, it’s nice because readers get attached and all.

Something that I really liked about this book that stood out is the ending. This is chick lit so the ending is almost always happily ever after, and they usually are with her books. I won’t spoil and the ending is a happy one, but not quite conventional. For awhile there, it was looking to get into cheese factory, but I was very pleased with the real result. It is different than her usual endings, but then again, she could change it so that in the update Marian ends up with “X”. That wouldn’t bother me too much, but I liked how Giffin took a different road this time.

Read September 2nd, 2012.

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Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James 5 Replies

Posted on September 3, 2012 in Books

My review of Fifty Shades of Grey is here. While I found that barely tolerable, I found the two books below awful.

Fifty Shades Darker

In fandoms, there is a type of fanfiction called PWP or Porn Without Plot. Alot of this trilogy is basically that. Not much plot, character development, but there is a lot of sex. Surprisingly, I found the constant sexual scenes rather boring halfway through the book.

The beginning of the book quickly resolves the cliffhanger from the first part. All of this second book happens in one week. I don’t know why the author does not spread anything out, but it makes this novel unbelievable. It’s utter fantasy. I was glad when I finished it because I was actually quite bored for most of it.

I still disliked the murmuring, the glaring Britichisms (the use of rude alone), and Ana’s inner goddess and subconscious. Actually, I couldn’t really stand Ana by the end of the novel; she became another Bella Swan. I found her not three dimensional enough. She is too goody goody and implausible as a real character. It wasn’t believable or relatable. She only ever thinks about Christian and that’s it. It’s also unbelievable what happens to her over the course of one week. Predictable novel stuff, but ridiculous.

Also, Ana is dumb. She is not a smart cookie. She constantly asks questions to her own head. She’s slow and emotionally immature. Not as much as Christian, but enough.

All the characters are black and white except for Christian and even he got schmoopy in this novel. He did get some character development, but he was very mushy by the end of it. It was saccharine and frankly, tedious to read them just have sex every ten pages.

This is why I don’t like traditional romance novels where it’s all “I need you’s” and “I love you’s” and blah blah. I sound unromantic, and that’s not the case. I like romances which are more complex and real, which involve more than just two people declaring their love for each other constantly. I prefer ones where both partners grow, develop, love one another against all odds, but without being ‘us against the world’. Hey, it’s great if you have an all consuming love, but your life is more than that.

Ugh, I don’t look forward to the third book because I saw the ending of this one a continent away. In any case, it’s short (Edit: It wasn’t short since I didn’t see the page count) and it’ll be over soon.

Read on my Kindle August 27-28th 2012.

Fifty Shades Freed

So my masochism continues. I found Ana really boring and stupid in this novel. The girl has no major hobbies and very few goals.She spends almost every single thought about Christian. Also for a woman who is an editor, was an English major and as per Christian “most well read woman I know”, Ana doesn’t really have a great vocabulary or diction.

This book was so boring that I avoided reading it on my downtime at work. Usually, I love to read when I can find the time, but this… MEH!

The sex scenes were very redundant. Why oh why did she not get an American to edit this?

I notice that Christian gets his way a lot. They solved 90% of their problems through the same rehashed up sex scenes. They were overdependent on each other.

It was predictable because Ana continue to be stupid. I did genuinely like her for a moment when they had their first real fight. Then I lost respect for her when she saved the day. Sigh, as predicted.

I saw all the plot twists. I generally see a lot of plot twists in movies or books, but that’s fine because sometimes, you have fun along the ride. But for this book, it was not fun. It was mind-blowingly tedious.

I’m glad to be done! I should have stopped after the first book, but now I can laugh about the fact I read books two and three.

Read on my Kindle August 28th-September 1st 2012.

It is clear I am not a fan of these books. I have nothing against people who think the opposite. This was not the worse thing I have ever read, but it was a long journey of boredom for me. I don’t hate it, but I struggled towards the end. It also offers a poor view of people with fetishes, kinks, and girls who are English majors. Do I recommend this? No, but if you want to laugh and see why this book is the fastest paperback bestseller of all kind? Go right ahead. Just try not to buy it and get it from the library or a friend or something. I find it sad that a woman is going to the bank on this work. Also, I will probably watch the movie with morbid curiosity and also laugh.

Here are some other reviews of the trilogy which made me laugh:

Fifty Shades of Bad Writing
Jen Reads Fifty Shades of Grey

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Sunday Salon: Labour Day Weekend Reading 6 Replies

Posted on September 2, 2012 in Books

Sunday Salon

This week, I read Fifty Shades of Grey, and Fifty Shades Darker (review done, up tomorrow). It was a looong week reading those books. I also finished my Austen Adaptations post for my final entry of Austen in August.

In other news, I got a giveaway book in the mail this week! I won a copy of Jane Eyre from Allie of A Literary Odyssey during the Victorian Reading Challenge.

Jane Eyre

When I opened the package, I immediately pressed my nose to pages and flipped through it. I love the smell of new books. I don’t get the smell of it often since I tend to buy used books. I don’t mind used books, but they don’t smell as nice. Anyway, I really want to reread Jane Eyre now, but I have so many other things I need to reread.

A new month and new challenges! I am part of the Gone with the Wind and the Harry Potter reading challenges this month onwards. But I have quite a number of checked out library books to go through this long weekend.

I am not sure what to read first. There is Emily Griffin’s Where We Belong, Ex-Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, been awhile since I read a Georgette Heyer: Arabella, The City of Dreaming Books, Glamour in Glass, and more. This doesn’t include the books from my Kindle!

Also, I have a number of self-help books on the pile. Now, I generally don’t read many self-help books, and when I do, I don’t read the whole thing so they don’t appear in my annual completed books list. I like to skim for opinions about personal things such as career and relationships. Once in awhile, I’ll read one in full, but I find less time for that now. Do you read self-help books cover to cover? Do they actually help?

Happy Labour Day weekend to those of you who get it! Great for reading!

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Booking Through Thursday – Conversions 12 Replies

Posted on August 30, 2012 in Books

This week on Booking Through Thursday:

Do you find yourself thinking that the books you read would be good on film? Do you wish the things you watched on TV or in the movies were available as book?

Some really can’t be converted, of course, but some definitely can (and it’s not always the ones you think will work). There’s something to be said for different forms of media, but a good story is universal … or is it??

Sure, all the time. I watch and enjoy adaptations quite a bit since I like TV and film when I have time for it. As for the other way around, not that often. Some of my favourite TV shows in the past have been based on books or comic books. Things made for TV can be formulaic which is OK for that medium, but more boring in book form.

They finally made a Life of Pi movie and I didn’t think they would, but I’ll be seeing that. Even aside from the book, I’m a fan of director Ang Lee’s work. There are definitely many books that are hard to capture on screen. The Golden Compass movie did not work in the end which is a shame, but it really wouldn’t be able to capture wide audiences. There are some books such as The Eyre Affair Thursday Next series and magical realism (e.g. One Hundred Years of Soltitude) books which would be extremely difficult to transfer. Also, I do get disappointed more when you go from book to TV show such as the case with “True Blood”. The shows become vastly different than the books which sometimes works out and sometimes doesn’t.

I do agree a good story is a good story so I’ll keep reading and watching.

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WIP Wednesday: Twist Festival 4 Replies

Posted on August 29, 2012 in Knitting & Crafting

Twist Festival

A quick update: I haven’t worked on my Girasole blanket very much. I am on the last repeat of Chart G now. It won’t be finished before September. Oh goodness, I’ll be so glad to finish it. Hopefully cooler weather will allow to work on it before the four month mark. Onto better news…

On Saturday, I went to the first Twist Festival. It was good and I hope they do it again next year.

I did not buy much, but I could have bought more if I was not with my family for which I was gratefully restrained! I did get two things from Gaspereau Valley Fibres:

Festival Haul

My first skein of Fleece Artist! It is a Canadian staple and I even bought it from Nova Scotians, but it is generally very pricey. I got this one at a good price and tax free! I don’t know what this colour of the Merino 2/6 is called.

The Fleece Artist is sitting on 400g BFL rovings. Even though my learning to spin is on the back burner, I can’t help buying more fibre especially BFL! I can make a fine shawl from this.

I made a list of possible shawls for the Fleece Artist Merino 2/6. I know people use it as sock yarn, but frankly, I find merino sock yarn with little to no nylon in it prone to holes. They aren’t practical even around the house.

Does anyone have suggestions on what to do with a variegated skein of 4ply 350m merino that isn’t socks?

For more WIP Wednesdays, go to Tami’s Amis.

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