Author: bundleofbooks

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Joan Aiken

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the wolves of willoughby chaseI was ill a few weeks ago and couldn’t concentrate on my current book, so picked up this old favourite of mine from my childhood instead.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is packed with all of the right ingredients to make a smashing children’s adventure. When Sir Willoughby and his wife leave for a long trip abroad, they arrange for their daughter and niece to be looked after by a distant relative, the perfectly named Miss Slighcarp. With a name like that, it’s no surprise when the stern governess turns out to be a villainous and scheming woman with a plot to steal all of Sir Willoughby’s money. The two girls, Bonnie and Sylvia suffer much cruelty at the hands of their ghastly governess and later in a nearby orphanage workhouse. However, the girls are resourceful and with the help of Simon, a goose boy who lives in the woods, they plan their escape.  Continue reading →

The Angel Bookshop – Cambridge

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On a recent visit to Cambridge, I spotted this ‘heavenly’ bookshop. In between punting on the Cam and a cake and tea stop, my friends and I couldn’t help but take a quick look – I mean, who could resist this window display? It’s colourful, varied and has some cute cuddly toys for good measure. It was the icing on the cake to make the weekend perfect.

Window Continue reading →

The Music Room – William Fiennes

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The Music Room

When I was younger, I remember wishing desperately that I lived in a castle like Cassandra from I Capture the Castle. All those wishes flooded back to me when I read The Music Room. Although very different from the dreamy diary of a teenage girl, this book still made me think about how wonderful it would have been to grow up in a seven hundred year old moated castle.

Fiennes’ memoir is a gentle reflection of life growing up in a castle, with the odd disturbances from an older brother who suffers from severe epilepsy. Continue reading →

The History of Love – Nicole Krauss

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The History of Love

I won this book in a competition – Thanks Ragdoll Books! (Make sure you check out her blog, it’s great!) When Jennifer at Ragdoll Books wrote that The History of Love was up there with her favourite books of the year – if not all time, I was very excited to get a copy! You can read her review here.

But was Nicole Krauss’ book up there with my favourite books? I’m afraid not. In fact, I found it a bit of a disappointment. I really hate it when I don’t get on with a book that other people absolutely love, especially when the recommendation comes from a trusted someone with good taste in books!

I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, from almost the very start, The History of Love was not for me. Continue reading →

The Little Friend – Donna Tartt

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Donna Tartt Little Friend

Donna Tartt’s second novel has been a favourite of mine since I first read it at the age of sixteen. It was a challenge back then, and I do remember struggling through some lengthy chapters. This time round, I didn’t struggle and most certainly didn’t get bored.

Although not as intellectually challenging as the first time round, emotionally The Little Friend was still quite exhausting. This is certainly not a book to pick up if you’re already feeling down. But I have always been drawn to dark and morbid books, so perhaps that is why I liked The Little Friend so much. Continue reading →

Somewhere a Cat is Waiting – Derek Tangye

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Somewhere a Cat is Waiting

Yet again, I have to say a big thank you to the book and cat lover at Literary Relish for introducing me to this book. (You can read her review here).

Somewhere a Cat is Waiting is a gentle book. Everything about it makes the reader feel peaceful and calm. And that is exactly what Derek and his wife Jeannie want from their lives; peace. They move from their busy London jobs to the tranquillity of Minack in Cornwall to grow flowers and enjoy life. Reading this book makes you want to drop everything, buy a cat (and a couple of donkeys) and run off to Cornwall. Continue reading →

Cuculia Libreria Con Cucina – Florence

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My very favourite place in the world is Italy. And some of my favourite things in the world are books and good food. So when I get a chance to mix all of that up, I’m a very content person! That’s why, when I went to Florence a few weeks ago, I was pleased to have found this fab blog about, as the name suggests, a girl living in Florence. I’ve been following Georgette’s blog for quite a while now and remember being particularly excited about this post, which is all about library and bookshop cafés in Florence. Unfortunately I only got to visit one of the places recommended. It just means that I’ll have to go back sometime to visit the rest!  

2013-06 Roma e Firenze 117 Continue reading →

Tell Me A Tale – Various Authors

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tell_me_a_tale

Last year I helped Fluster Magazine organise a short story competition. Twenty winning stories were chosen to be published in an anthology by Armida Publications. For about two months, I watched whilst stories upon stories sped into my inbox, and spent countless sunny afternoons reading through them all. Judging the entries was a lot harder than I had anticipated. To me, there were a few very clear winners, but there were many stories that I simply could not choose between!

Helping with the Tell Us A Tale competition was such a privilege and seeing the finished anthology made me swell with pride. All of the hard work and almost impossible choices were worth it in the end!  Continue reading →

North and South – Elizabeth Gaskell

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I loved everything about the BBC adaptation of North and South (especially Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton!) so I was very eager to read the book by Elizabeth Gaskell. Possibly watching the series first was a mistake, as it definitely made me biased towards certain characters. I believe that I would feel very differently about the book if I had read it first.

Margaret Hale, who has spent much of her life in London is returning to her family home in Helstone. When Gaskell describes the southern hamlet that Margaret loves so much, it sounds like heaven. Unfortunately for Margaret, her stay in Helstone is not to be permanent due to her father, the local pastor, refusing to renew his vows. The family leave behind their peaceful life in Helstone and move to the grimy, dirty and noisy industrial town of Milton, where Mr. Hale plans to become a tutor. Continue reading →

Other People’s Shelves – The Copywriter and her Son

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Last spring I spent two weeks in London for a work experience placement at Slightly Foxed: The Real Reader’s Quarterly. While I was there, I took the opportunity to invite myself for a meal at the lovely flat of a busy copywriter and mother. Lots of good food was had, including a very tasty cheesecake made by the eight-year-old son, and the wine flowed freely. But one of the reasons for the evening, was to talk about writing.

As many of you will know, getting any sort of work as a writer is very difficult with or without the relative experience. My host, having been a copywriter for about 12 years, is the perfect person to give advice about how to make it in this competitive industry.

I was pleased to discover that not only is this fab mother good with words, she also enjoys reading them. So while she was clearing away the remains of our delicious Coq au Vin, I sneaked off, wine glass in hand, to check out her bookshelves.

The fun began in her son’s bedroom, which is creative, colourful and, as every kid’s room should be, absolutely crammed with books!

Continue reading →