I love Kelley Armstrong – did not like this book. It seems like her publishers are scrambling for something to print by her and at best this belongs in a book of short stories. There is definately not enough plot or interest to warrant a new book hardcover price of $30.00
Her credibility is hurt when something of this caliber is published. The story line is about werewolves Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers with their four year old twins Kate and Logan who are holidaying over Christmas in a Chalet outside Algonquin Park, Ontario.
Their is a very weak story line about their family being threaten by rogue mutt with a taste for human flesh; it tries to establish more credentials for their children and their capabilities as offspring’s of “bitten” werewolves” not hereditary.
We have only had one other title of this author come into the bookstore so I was quite surprised to see the list of past titles out there. I was quite taken with his main character Cork O’Connor and his family and extended family. There is a touch of mysticism, spirituality and adventure/mystery. I am always taken in by an author who writes their stories in interesting locations.If they happen to be Canadian locations all the better.
This novel takes place in Lake of the Woods which straddles the US/Canadian border. Since I grew up in the Muskokas I could picture the local vividly. He is on vacation with his two daughters, son, deceased wife’s sister and her husband – who have been helping him with his children since his wife was killed in a tragic accident. Continue reading →
In a world where everything has become mass-produced by larger companies pushing everything through factories full of machines, I feel a sense of happiness when I know that there are still companies out there that still maintain the quality of being handmade. Where the things we know and love, have been known and loved by those that made them. Continue reading →
I found this video on a fellow bloggers….blog. It’s a lovely story about the origin of the “Keep Calm, Carry On” posters that have now been reproduced and altered beyond oblivion, but the original message is rather uplifting!
For me, going into a bookstore is like traveling down Alice’s rabbit hole, the unexpected and magical are around every corner. Bookstores emanate a feeling of serenity, while at the same time unleashing excitement for new thoughts and ideas- it’s where new dreams come alive. As the age of online shopping dominates our pocket books let’s not forget to support and frequent our local treasure troves of the written word.
I know, I know, it's been quiet in this blog for awhile, but to be honest i've been reading alot of cultural theory books and museums studies texts! I'm also plowing my way through the second Game of Thrones book in preparation for the new season on HBO soon! In the meantime, check out this post on Beautiful Bookstores from around the world. I could get lost in these places! Who's with me???
Here’s a review, from Louise, co owner, avid book reader
The Raven Queen is a very good read after you get around some of the tongue twister character names and place names. If i were to put it simply, the Raven Queen is a cross between a “Merlin” character and Boadicea the Celtic Queen. Continue reading →
I know i have blogged about Janet Evanovich before, but i just wanted to write a little note about her first book One for the Money, which has been made into a movie and is coming out this friday. These books are definitely easy to read and are hilarious so if you are looking for something to clear your mind between all the classics (or in my case cultural theory text books) give Janet Evanovich a read, she’ll have you laughing in no time.
A good friend of mine showed me this video last weekend and i think it’s just fantastic. The video is filmed in a bookstore in Toronto called Type, one of my faves by the way full of weird, wild and wonderful books that cannot be replaced by e-readers…..trust me. Support your independent bookstores! What a beautiful way to express what all book lovers feel…that there is nothing quite like a real book.
I often find myself buying books that have been recommended to me by many other people and then they just sit on my bookshelf for months collecting dust. One of these books was Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin. I had a visit from an old friend in September and she was thoroughly obsessed with the third book in the series , there are five in total. I tried to start reading the first book right after she left but i couldn’t get into it, probably because i am not a seasoned fantasy reader, and i am not used to the way fantasy is written. Lucky for me HBO made the first book into a tv show, after i watched the first episode i was hooked and read the rest of the 750 page book in 4 days!
The first book of the Song of Fire and Ice series, Game of Thrones, was written in 1996. The series is one of the best selling series in the fantasy genre but found a renewal after HBO decided to turn it into a tv series.
Game of Thrones is set in a mystical land of seven kingdoms where winter can last for years (and you thought our winters were long). The first book focuses on the Stark Family, led by Lord Eddard Stark, keeper of the North and Lord of Winterfell. Winterfell lies south of The Wall, a giant man-made ice wall which separates seven kingdoms from the horrors that lie in the forest behind the wall. The wall is guarded by a group of men called the Nights Watch, who have swore their service to protecting the seven kingdoms from whatever lies behind the wall.
Lord Stark is instructed to become Hand of the King (the right hand man) to king Robert. However, when Lord Stark travels to the south to take up his post he finds that the people surrounding the King are not who they seem, especially the Queen and her twin brother. Game of Thrones is a story of kingdoms, lords, ladies, powerful families, alliances, loyalty, bravery, war, lies and deceit. It reminds me of historical fiction, with scary monsters, dragons and even a rather funny dwarf.
The book is structured so that each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a different character, of which there are many but this structure keeps them all organized allowing each character to develop in complexity. I won’t go into details about the plot because this would be the longest blog post ever. I will say that i was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. Next on my list, Clash of Kings.
Ok so if you are a self-proclaimed book lover, chances are you have read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I have read the book and seen the few tv series and movies made from the book, but nothing has ever come close to the BBC’s latest addition to the list, the three part tv special which aired over Christmas this year. Great Expectations is a rich, complex story of love, revenge, violence, class struggle and most of all a journey of a boy who had nothing, was catapulted into a world of riches only to lose himself again.
The BBC are well known for producing top-notch tv series ( Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey…and the list goes on) and you will not be disappointed with their latest addition. Gillian Anderson (X-files) is fantastic as Miss Havirsham, cold, disturbed and forever reliving her own personal tragedy in her wedding dress. The characters are so well-developed and the whole tv series is beautifully shot….im just in love with this dark Victorian story. I’ve attached the official trailer from the BBC, please ignore the Christmas music, it doesn’t quite do it justice!! and an extra clip just for fun. Enjoy!
Ok completely unrelated and off topic to books but i thought it’s Christmas and I would take a minute to post about my other little business.
EmmyLou Knits is a line of hand knit scarves, cowls, headbands and hats made with love by myself. I focus on the warm, chunky and cozy knits made mostly from 100 percent wool, with some items made from wool blends.
EmmyLou Knits are a beautiful last minute Christmas gift for your loved one, sure to keep them warm and cozy this winter…because we all know it will get colder eventually!
EmmyLou Knits are available at Bamboo Ballroom on Whyte Ave in Edmonton, the Enjoy Centre in St. Albert, Alberta, and Coal Miner’s Daughter in the Annex in Toronto. If you are not lucky enough to live in these areas i also have an Etsy site and i love doing custom orders so please ask for colours and styles!!
There is only 11 days until Christmas! What books are you looking for for your Christmas reading? Or maybe looking for that special someones stocking stuffer? (wow say that three times quick!) We are full to the rafters at the moment with all kinds of good books. We have a great selection and lost of new realeases by Diana Gabaldon, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy, Ken Follett, Lee Child, Steve Berry, Elin Hiilderbrand, Vince Flynn, Lisa Gardner, Linda Howard, Karen Robards, Phillipa Gregory, and many more!!
Sitting on my bookshelf is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. The first of three best-selling books, i have not been able to get into it, but everyone has been constantly telling me to read it and persevere! Well the movie is coming out soon, on December 21st, i watched the trailer and i’m thinking I’ll tackle it over Christmas. We have all three in the store and they fly off the shelves so they must be doing something right!! Any thoughts?
Also similar to Stieg Larsson books are books by the author Henning Mankell. A personal favorite of Joan, Co-Owner of the Bookwormz, they are said to be very similar to Stieg Larsson, for those of you who have read all three and are gagging for more!
Another great read this year was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven’t read this already you really should. The Help is a moving story about life in 1960′s Jackson, Mississipi and the often strained relationships between white and black people during the Civil Rights movement. Skeeter, a young girl just finished college and aspiring to be a journalist, decides to write an anonymous book about the lives of Jackson’s African American maids and the families they worked for. Written from the perspective of the maids, the book provides funny, heartfelt and often shocking stories about the way the maids were treated, but also about perseverence and love. A wonderful read, and now a wonderful movie, the Help is a fantastic book and well worth a read.
Also, here is the trailer for the movie, but make sure you read the book first!!
