A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin {book review}

The first book of Earthsea is a tale of wizards, dragons and terrifying shadows.

The island of Gont is a land famous for wizards. Of these, some say the greatest - and surely the greatest voyager - is the man called Sparrowhawk. As a reckless, awkward boy, he discovered the great power that was in him - with terrifying consequences. Tempted by pride to try spells beyond his means, Sparrowhawk lets loose an evil shadow-beast in his land. Only he can destroy it, and the quest leads him to the farthest corner of Earthsea.

I have owned this book for well over a year. The first time I tried to read it I couldn't. It is written so different from what I was used too I easily got confused and gave up after the first 3 chapters. However recently I've found myself with nothing to read. Searching the shelves at the local charity shops and grocery stores for something to grab my attention and nothing did. We are having the windows in the house re-placed which caused us to move everything around. Good for an early spring cleaning and for looking through ones books! This one was sitting in the pile of yet to read. Without thinking I started to read it, right in the middle of sorting and I was hooked. It's an enchanting coming of age story. People in other reviews are comparing it to the likes of Harry Potter and such, but it's way before Harry's time therefore it can't compare. A young boy discovers he has magical ability in a world where it is excepted, he goes off to school and learns the skills to be a wizard. While in school he does something foolish and after school the real life lessons are learned. I like it. I can't wait to read the other three. I have them all in one book.

I don't like series because I don't know if or when they will end and I don't have the time to commit or funds to a series. However a trilogy or saga is different. I know it's 3 or 4 books and expect it to have a beginning, middle, and end. Different then a series.

This reads like old school science fiction. If you like fantasy and sci-fi I would recommend it to you! I would also recommend it to you if you like coming of age and adventure stories!!
x LiSa

The Fat Chance Guide to Dieting by Claudia Pattison

Think nothing tastes as good as slim feels? You're obviously not eating the right food . . .
Holly, Naomi and Kate are determined to win the battle of the bulge. So it's down to the local slimming club, where carbs are strictly off the menu and there's no escaping the scales. But calorie-counting isn't the only thing on their minds.
Newly engaged Holly should be over the moon. So why does she blush every time her sexy boss walks into the room? Curvaceous Naomi finds herself the object of a very unusual fetish and a shocking secret is revealed when an unexpected visitor arrives on Kate's doorstep.
Yet with a little group support (and a particularly brutal weight loss boot camp) the women manage to stick to their regime, in time for the glamorous Slimmer of the Year Awards. But with tempting buffet tables, highly competitive contestants and even the odd fat fetishist lurking, it's anyone's guess as to what will happen . . .

Having recently joined a local slimming club I thought this would be a fun read, but it's nothing short of odd. The group leader is horrible and the lives of the 3 main characters are lacking to say the least! Another reviewer said that the book was about friendship and that it shined throughout the book. I didn't get that. The relationship between the girls hardly progressed from acquaintances. One of the girls actually gets held against her will and force fed by a guy who gets turned on by bigger girls stuffing their faces. Ah...okay? I would suggest you give this one a miss!!
Happy Reading in 2012! I hope to be around a bit more!! You can always find me at my other blog www.unitedcakedom.com where you can find reviews on all my baking books!!
~Lisa

Happy New Year!!

This year one of my resolutions is to post at least one book review a month! :0) I don't read nearly as much as I used too. Kids are getting bigger and I find that I actually have less time to myself!
Hope everyone has had a great 2011 and are looking forward to 2012!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

What scary stories have you been reading??

The Hunger Games Trilogy A Re-Review and The DaVinci Code

I've been in re-read mood. I just finished re-reading the Hunger Games Trilogy. Almost exactly a year since I read them the first time around. I love them. It feels like they were written as one book. I mean it feels the author, Suzanne Collins, wrote them all at once and then published as separate for the obvious reason of the book being way too big to hold. Although with digital books on rise there should be no reason to pay 3 times for one story.
Okay back to the story. I love Katniss, I love the fact that she's real. She's not some dopey girl who is madly in love with anyone. She's sensible when it comes to feelings of the heart and about life in general. She's imperfect in real ways, not superficial ways *coughstupidbellacoughcough* The love triangle is more real because sometimes you love someone who just isn't right for you. You choose the one who completes you, not the one you love more.
Going away from the love story the whole scary government thing is great too. No, Suzanne Collins isn't the first one to use children as pawns in some sick twisted way for the government to control it's people, Battle Royale and Running Man.... but her story is her story and it's very well written and organized. I can't fault it really. It also shows how wars and governments don't change over night. That leaders in these sorts of causes aren't always the good guy but a lesser of two evils.
If you still haven't read these please do so before it's ruined with the movie due to come out in March. Any true fan of literature cannot like any of the movies made from their favorite most beloved books. I hated the Harry Potter movies, the Circle of Friends movie, The Notebook, the Percy Jackson movie wasn't too bad, but it was nothing like the book at all! Even though I may be curious to see how the movie for the Hunger Games turns out I'm not going to see it. I'm just to worried they will have messed it up completely. I have my Katniss, Peeta, Prim, Haymitch, Gale all in my head I don't need Hollywood telling me how these characters should look. That's one of the best parts of reading....using your imagination.

I didn't mean for my "review" to turn into a rant about books being turned into movies, but it does annoy me. And it leads me into the second book (4th book) I've re-read recently The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. It's fast paced and very entertaining. Movie was only so/so.

I have yet to read the prequel or the newer sequel, but I really loved this book. I've always been one to question things so it's a fun alternative to some things that have been thought of as fact. It's based on some facts, but it is fiction. For everyone who may have been offended by this book it is fiction.

I'll try to be on here more often! Let us know what your reading! I'm always looking for new books to read!!

What I Read this Summer!!

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

It was good! A bit rushed it took place over 13 years.

It is, surprise surprise, the first in a trilogy.

Definintly an insightful look into Wonderland.

One Day by David Nicholls

I really enjoyed this book.

I can completely understand why it's such a hit.

As a women who hasn't had some type of Dexter?

As a man who hasn't had an Emma?

A book that shows life over a period of time, that is so very like real life.

The Help By Kathryn Stockett

A very insightful story!

I really enjoyed this book.

It tugged at my heartstrings.

I'm not surprised by the popularity of this book.

Will be seeing the movie when it comes out in October! (UK)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl I'm not sure how I made it through my childhood without reading this.
It is a must.
It's a fun entertaining read, better then both the movies!!

I also did a little re-reading:
Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan
Just as sweet as the first time I read it.
I'd love to bake for people so this book appeals to me!
Will probably be re-read again and again!

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
(never again)
I thought the first book was ok.
I now know the rest of the series is dumb.
So, I shouldn't have ruined the first book by re-reading it.
Too late.

Souless by Gail Carrigner I liked it enough to read it again.
Not sure if I will continue with the series though.
Time will tell!

If you want an update on all my cookery/bakery books check out my new blog!

What has everyone else been reading??

Leave a comment or let us know on facebook!

We've got a group page, you're welcome to join!!

Sorry it's been so long since we've had activity on here! With winter coming up I hope to have a bit more time to read! Lots of days in due to rain and cold weather!

x Lisa

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love - and its threatened loss - the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

I think after it's third reading this surpasses Pride and Prejudice as my favorite Austen novel. In the past I would have listed them P&P first, Emma second, S&S third and the last 3 are just sorta bunched up together (I do like them, but not like I like these 3) but now I actually think Sense and Sensibility jumps to number 1. These characters feel real, they would have no problem stepping out of the book into the real world. They would fit right in. It's full of betrayal, love children, affairs, second marriages, etc.... It has everything that we love to gossip about now! I am writing as though everyone knows this story already. If you don't you

should!! It's very good!!