Bookworm #7: Once in a house on fire

"At school, I couldn't help but grin. At home, something ripped under my skin when I smiled, trying to pretend that everything was fine. Deadly moods lurked in a purple-white haze, smoke clinging to the curtains, turning stale overnight.” 

Thought I'd blog about one of my latest reads today as I've been rubbish at keeping up the bookworm feature despite the fact that I've been reading non-stop recently! I actually read Once in a house on fire a while ago but totally forgot to write about it.

Ashworth writes a memoir of her harrowing childhood as she grows up in 1970s Manchester. Written from her own point of view, she explores her struggle for identity as she is faced with violence, poverty and racism as a young girl. Although the subject matter is extremely dark, Ashworth's poetic style makes this a hard to put down book. I read it almost from cover to cover and I began to feel for this vulnerable child floating in a world of apparent hopelessness and cruelty. She describes how her love for literature got her through the hard times and made 'miserable things seem sublime.' I can't even begin to describe how beautifully written this book is; it actually makes me feel a little envious. Ultimately this is a book about strength and survival and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.

“A poem was a box for your soul. That was the point. It was the place where you could save bits of yourself, and shake out your darkest feelings, without worrying that people would think you were strange. While I was writing, I would forget myself and everyone else; poetry made me feel part of something noble and beautiful and bigger than me.” 

 

 

Glitter and Trauma

Here are a few things I'm currently loving and thought I'd share...

1. My new car! Can't wait to whiz around in it! Any ideas for new car nicknames?

2. Jessie J's new song 'Who's laughing now?' - Great song, great video, great message.

3. One Day coming out at the cinema. I read the book recently and loved it although the trailer seems to focus mostly on the romantic aspects of it so I guess I'll see how different it is!

4. My number four is a blog written by a girl I know called Rose. Not only is she a fantastic photographer, cook and blogger but she is also ridiculously beautiful. Her recent post about the London riots really gets across everything I would want to say so I thought I might aswell just point you in her direction as she has it all covered! Go and check out The Londoner. 

5. Strawberry Fields Festival! I have blogged about this before but it's getting closer now and excitement levels are on the increase! Any festival that has a sound system made out of a boat gets the thumbs up from me! Can't wait! 

BOOKWORM #4

“Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself. You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms.”   - Angela Carter

Holiday reads so far:

I've been desperate to read this for a while now as everyone has been raving about it. Finally got round to it on holiday and have to say that I found it hard to put down. Written across twenty years, it tells the story of two people and how their lives intertwine as they grow up and change. By the end of the book it really had me thinking about my own life, what I want to change and where I might be in a few years time. I would recommend it to all, although it's probably more for women as it is quite sentimental and reflective at times. The film is coming out soon and I'll definitely be at the cinema to see how they've adapted it. 

I haven't read anything by Dean Koontz before but a friend of mine is a big fan so I thought I'd give it a go. It is definitely one of the most disturbing books I have ever read but it gripped me from start to finish and once I got past the overuse of similes I was pretty enthralled. It's a very dark book but Koontz also explores human relationships particularly well and I felt like I almost knew the characters by the end of it. If you like gruesome murder, the supernatural and strong emotion then this is a good book for you. I'm yet to decide if I'm brave enough to pick up another book by the same author!

I first got into Harlen Coben's writing when I was about 16 and have read quite a few of his books now. Miracle Cure was his first book and I'm halfway through it at the moment. It hasn't gripped me quite like his others but as he wrote an apology in the front of the book for his first works (seriously) then I am going to forgive him for that. The premise of the book is based on AIDS victims being killed off mysteriously, slightly dated now as the main focus is on most victims being homosexual, which we know is not necessarily the case nowadays. Anyway, I do love a good mystery and as always Coben has plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing.




Thanks to the Asda deal of three books for ten pounds, I've had plenty of reading to do! Still plenty more to read and do this summer so will keep you updated as I go. I'm still halfway through Living Dolls so I'm aiming to get that finished soon too.

Ah, I love being a bookworm.

Into Dust

Beautiful.

Thought you might agree. They're both pieces from one of my favourite jewellery stores. I'm also lucky enough to own both of them and will be showing them off all christmas with a big smile on my face! Love the delicacy of the snowflake bracelet; it'll sparkle beautifully in the winter light.

I guess I better let the secret out... they're from Azendi and if you haven't heard of them before, then it's time to get some research in just in time for Christmas! I don't know a girl that wouldn't want you to pay a visit there for them.

I'm a big fan of the collections on the site, here are a few snippets:

Charmist - Collect gorgeous charms to create an individual bracelet. I love this topaz one!

 

Ice Berry - Simple and understated ♥

Triwa watches - Violet dandy to add a bit of colour to your life! 

Pretty things make me ever so happy!

My computer Christmas countdown (yes, I have one) is telling me that it's nine days to Christmas. Nine days! How did it arrive so quickly? 

Things I am looking forward to:

• Seeing friends and family for catch ups and christmas hugs
• A giant Christmas dinner with all the trimmings
• Finishing my advent calendar
• Chilling out with a good book and getting some well deserved rest

 Plenty of reading to do over Christmas, mostly for teaching but some for pleasure. Have a look see:

Must be my fifth time of reading it but I love it! Hopefully so will the kids I get to teach it to...

Another school related book but will enjoy reading it again and making tons of notes. Yes, I love notes. Genuinely.

So many people have recommended it. One for the Christmas list!

Love Haruki Murakami so will be trying to track down as many of his books as I can.

And on a final note...

BOOKWORM #1

I had a few hours to spare today so decided I would finally venture into the Oxfam Bookshop in town. I only had two pounds with me so decided I would make it my mission to find a really good book for a low price. I spent a good 45 minutes in there looking at all the books, music and collectable items. There was a Haruki Murakami collectable in there which I spent ten minutes staring at with my mouth wide open. If you haven't read Murakami then I would really recommend his books. Here's an excerpt from Norwegian Wood:

'Eighteen years have gone by, and still I can bring back every detail of that day in the meadow. Washed clean of summer's dust by days of gentle rain, the mountains wore a deep, brilliant green. The October breeze set white fronds of head-tall grasses swaying. One long streak of cloud hung pasted across a dome of frozen blue. It almost hurt to look at that faroff sky. A puff of wind swept across the meadow and through her hair before it slipped into the woods to rustle branches and send back snatches of distant barking-a hazy sound that seemed to reach us from the doorway to another world. We heard no other sounds. We met no other people. We saw only two bright, red birds leap startled from the center of the meadow and dart into the woods. As we ambled along, Naoko spoke to me of wells.'

Anyway, there I was looking through all of these books and Goodnight Mister Tom popped out at me from a shelf. Literally. I knocked it off and decided I would pick that one. So far, so good.