In The Mail {9} - Two Caravans, Hidden and Firelight

If coming back from the OUP event with a bag full of books wasn't enough, I also received a few treats this week! Including The Daily Mail's book club choice: Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka - the author of ' A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian' (thanks Roger for giving it to me!), Hidden by Miriam Halahmy (thanks Miriam) and Firelight by Sophie Jordan (thanks OUP). I can't wait to read and review.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan (Oxford University Press). I love this cover!!!
"With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special among the draki - the descendants of dragons with the power to shift into human form. But when Jacinda's rebelliousness forces her family to flee to the human world, her draki spirit starts to fade. If it is lost, she will remain as a human. The only thing that revives it is gorgeous, elusive Will... whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can't resist getting closer to him even if it means risking the draki's most closely-guarded secret - and her life."


Hidden by Miriam Halahmy (Meadowside Fiction). Very intriguing....
"Alix is just an ordinary fourteen year old, living at the bottom of quiet Hayling Island. But one cold, misty Saturday on the beach she and Samir suddenly find themselves saving a drowning immigrant. Faced with the most difficult decision of their lives, what should Alix and Samir do? A literary coming-of-age novel, dealing with courage, prejudice, judgement, and the difficulty of sorting right from wrong in our complex world."


Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka (Penguin Books &  Fig Tree). Sounds hilarious!!!
"When a ragtag international crew of migrant workers is forced to flee the strawberry fields they have been working in, they set off across England looking for employment. Displaying the same sense of compassion, social outrage, and gift for hilarity that she showed in A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Marina Lewycka chronicles their bumpy road trip with a tender affection for her downtrodden characters and their search for a taste of the good life." (Goodreads)

Out & About - Brazilian Waxing Company (Threading)

I have been cursed with a monobrow and for years I was on the quest for the perfectly shaped eyebrows. Threading was the answer.

I like to think that every nationality has its beauty secrets. Not to get very boring in a long winded explanation, I will have to agglomerate them. Sorry, I know it's a very broad generalization; but here we go:

Brazilians, or Latin women for that matter, like curves and they love a big toned bottom. My mother would say it is what makes us 'women'. So if you want a firm and sexy derrière grab one of them for some maintenance tips - a Latin woman, not her derrière, I must add.

Oriental women tend to have very healthy eating habits. They also seem to put great value on calming exercises, like Thai Chi, on the belief that less stress leads to a better life. And don't even get me started on that come-catch-me-shyness of theirs that seems to drive the boys insane. I can't tell you how much I wish I could do that. Latin blood doesn't always allow for shyness.

Last but definitely not least, Asian women have beautiful skin and hair. There are some fantastic beauty secrets to be learned here. The interesting thing is that they like to use only natural ingredients like milk, flour and spices. It works beautifully! I try some of the receipts in regular basis. More importantly and to the point... Asian woman tend to have amazing eyebrows! It frames their almond shaped eyes like you have never seen and the results can be quite striking. You have to appreciate that in some Asian cultures all a woman is allow to show is her eyes, so these ladies have learned how to make the most of it. 

Threading is actually an ancient form of hair removal. Persians used to have it done!!! The difference in between threading and other forms of eyebrow plucking is that it's gentler than waxing and as precise but more efficient than tweezing. It is also fantastic for shaping unruly monobrows like mine. :-) Just for the record, you will never see me sporting it.

My favourite place for threading is the Brazilian Waxing Company in Manchester (you might remember my other article on Brazilian waxing during the Brazilian week we had in May) for the same reasons as before: they are efficient and good at what they do, you can book and cancel online, the rooms are clean and the place immaculate, the therapists well trained.

While I can not say you will have a pain free experience (threading - like any lasting hair removal technique - is not painless) I can tell you you will be well looked after. The girls here really do know their stuff. If your eyebrows  have been in dire need of a makeover you might even rediscover your face!

 Like waxing, take a couple of Paracetamol 20 minutes before you go under the thread and prepare to pull some funny faces. You can also kill two birds with your stone and get rid of your muzzy (moustache) if, like me, your curse doesn't stop at your eyebrows. This is another advantage of threading: you can have your whole face done and get rid of any hairs that shouldn't be there. Including that annoying one under your chin you discover every so often for your great horror *insert thriller soundtrack here*. 

And boys... they can thread you too!!! But since you are not used to painful beauty procedures in regular basis I suggest you definitely don't forget the Paracetamol. 

Ambient: *****

Price: ££££

Children: No

To check the rating system click here. 

Brazilian Waxing Company

Tel: 0208 1234 332
Web: www.brazilianwaxingcompany.com
Now in two new address!!!
Oxford Rd Branch
3 Oxford Road, Manchester M1 6EY
City Center Branch (Just off King St.)
7 Cheapside, Manchester M2 4WG

Book Turned Movie {2} - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Jane Eyre & Breaking Dawn

There are a few books-turned-motion-picture making the headlines this week. And here they are:


Jane Eyre - You might remember me mentioning Wuthering Heights getting a movie facelift with a new version releasing during the 2011 Venice Film Festival. And for the every Brontë fan's delight, earlier this month Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë - the eldest sister,  has released in UK cinemas. It has earned great reviews from film critics all over the place and boy... Does it look good? I am itching to go and watch it.

Breaking Dawn (Part 1) - The second trailer of Breaking Dawn was also released earlier this month. This particular book, like Harry Potter, was split into two movies and personally I can't wait to watch it. Funnily enough, neither can my husband! It releases in British cinemas on November 18th. (Watch the first trailer here)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (American version) - the first trailer for the very anticipated and talked about American remake of the Swedish film and book 'The Gil with the Dragon Tattoo' was released last week . I honestly hope this bring something new to the table as I thought the original film was good enough as it is. If it does not it will validate one of my points regarding movie remakes and I will be very disappointed. Although, with Daniel Craig as the male lead and David Fincher as the director I will be really surprised if it is not good regardless. This one is due to release in cinemas on December 26th, Boxing Day.

Have you watched any of the films mentioned above - Twilight Saga, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre or the original version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? What did or do you think of them? 

Music Mondays - Don't Go by Wretch 32

Music is a big part of my life and it's not only a form of writing, but it also inspires me to write. Music Mondays is the part of the blog that celebrates music. Especially, although not always, British artists. I hope you enjoy!

This week, if you don't know it already, I would like to introduce you to 'Don't Go' by Wretch 32 featuring Josh Kumra. Wretch 32, also known by his mother as Jermaine Scott, is a British rapper from London. He has done quite well this year being nominated for the BBC Sound of 2011 and the MTV Brand New for 2011 awards. And Josh Kumra is a young British singer songwriter from Swindon. Funnily enough, I lived in Swindon for awhile back in the days.

If you are not into rap, don't let it put you off. This is a great track! The mixture of Wretch's strong Londoner yet smooth rap and Kumra's fab vocals makes for an iconic song that will not leave your head. What do you think?

LYRICS...

Liebster Blog Award Nominations

Last month I won the Liebster Blog Award and now it is my turn to pass it on to other amazing bloggers.


Firstly, though, I would like to thank Sierra over at Happily Never Ending for nominating me. You're a star Sierra. 


The goal of the award is to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers. The rules are as follows:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!  


And here are my nominations... I will have to owe you one as most of the bloggers I would like to nominate seem to have just exceeded the benchmark number of followers. As soon as I have the last one I will post my recommendation so stay tuned!


1. The lovely Laura over at Books Are Precious Gems - Laura breaths, sleeps and eats books. She's one of the most passionate book lovers I have ever met. She's also a busy bee - commenting, recommending and spreading the word on anything she finds interesting. I'm very honoured to have her as one of my followers. 


2. Amanda from A Dangerous Method - I know this is a Brazilian blog, therefore in Portuguese, but I simply love it and there are no rules against nominating a blog in another language so... It's on my list because I love the design and the way Amanda talks about the books - honest and straight forward.


3. Jennifer at Dream Reads - Dream Reads is my latest find. Jennifer doesn't post as regularly as some, but I like the way she writes.


4. Darren at The Book Zone (For Boys) - Because it's nice to hear what the blokes have to say about books too! Darren is one of the very few male book bloggers in the UK. I not only like his blog's design, which is very different from the girl's, but also love the way he writes. Not to mention the difference in what books he chooses to read. All very interesting.

Congratulations to all you and well done!!! You definitely deserve it!

Book Giveaway {4} - Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush Hush has been amazingly successful. It has also generated a lot of controversy over stalking, abusive relationships and how bad should bad boys really be (read my review here). Here is your chance to get a copy and decide for youself what is what.

This giveaway is international and the book is in English. The deadline is Saturday 1st October at midnight (London GMT). The winner will be announced on Sunday. Don't forget to press the SUBMIT button to send your entry. So fill the form and get winning!

SYNOPSIS:
"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgmen. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life." (Goodreads)

Oxford University Press Bloggers' Event

Phone photo of Joss Stirling, Dave Cousins and me.
I really need to get a new camera!

Books, authors, bloggers, canapés, chocolate, and Bellini cocktails... All in the bloggers’ event organized by Oxford University Press (OUP).

You might not be aware, but PaulaSHx is just a baby. It is not even one year old yet. So I was really excited to be invited to my first bloggers’ event down in London and it did not disappoint.

The best thing wasn’t the yummy cocktails and nibbles, great location or fab goodie bag full of treats, although all these are great too. What I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to meet and have book obsessed conversations with other bloggers and a couple of authors.

Other bloggers have a lot to teach me. Not only have they been in this game for longer than I have, they have also read a lot more books than me. We had very interesting discussions about making your blog successful and, surprise-surprise, books you should read. I was also introduced to some amazing blogs, so say hi to my new friends:

Megan at The Book Addicted Girl, Stacey from Pretty Books, Sarah at Feeling Fictional, Casey & Hayley at Dark Readers, Darren from The Book Zone (For Boys), Dwayne from Girls Without a Book Shelf and Sammee from I Want To Read That.

Chatting to authors is always great fun and this time I had the pleasure of meeting Joss Stirling – the author of Finding Sky and Stealing Phoenix (findher interview, book reviews and articles here) - and Dave Cousins - who’s debut novel Fifteen Days Without a Head releases on January 5^th 2012. 

During his talk Dave said something every aspiring writer will know well. For years he has written stories and achieved them thinking they weren’t good enough; until his wife read one and convinced him to send it to a writing competition. Needless to say, he won. And through that came the release of his first novel. I, for one, am looking forward to reading the ARC copy I picked up. It sounds hilariously brilliant! To think it was under his bed for an year because he didn't think it was good enough... Moral? Get someone else to read your work and give you an honest opinion.

As an Events Organizer, I know events like this take an awful lot of logistics so thank you OUP for a fab event.

And there was also a little something for you... I have bagged some treats including a signed copy of Stealing Phoenix, a signed ARC copy of Fifteen Days Without a Head, a signed copy of Velvet by Mary Hooper (thanks Dwayne) and an ARC copy of Mortal Chaos by Matt Dickinson; all of which I will be giving away here. So keep your ears to the ground!

The Guardian and Observer Book Season & Book Swap

This is what every book lover and writer, or aspiring ones like me, likes to see! Six weeks of pure and simple appreciation for the art and craft of wordsmithing.

The Guardian and Observer (British newspapers for those not in the UK) have launched their Book Season and there is a lot to get involved in - from free audiobooks to the massive Book Swap.

The book swap is my favourite. Anything that gets people talking about and sharing books is a fantastic thing in my eyes. Now, there are a lot of initiatives out there that do this throughout the year: book clubs, reading groups, libraries and charities, but it is lovely to see someone with such high profile making a big noise about it. And the fab thing is: although this started here in the UK, there is no reason why it cannot spread around the world!

The rules are simple. Download the little bookplate (so people know the book has been given away rather than lost), attach it to the book you wish to share and leave it somewhere people will find it: a table in a Cafe, inside trains, doctors waiting rooms, wherever you think people will come across it. Take a picture and upload it to the Guardian's book swap map. If you find one, also take a picture and upload it to the map. That way people can see where the books are and if they have been found. For more information on all these or to dowload the bookplate or see the map click here. I am down in London today so I'll be leaving one in the tube somewhere.

There are thousands of books waiting to be discovered so keep your eyes open for them. Who knows? You might discover a genre or author you would have never come across on your own! So let's get sharing, hunting for and enjoying books!

Happy reading! ^_^

Music Monday - Heaven by Emeli Sandé

Hi everyone! I am sorry I went M.I.A. (missing in action) this last week. I sure seem to be apologising a lot recently! All sort of dramas unfolding and keeping me otherwise engaged.

However, I come bearing gifts. I am hoping to make up for my disappearing act with this amazing track by Scottish singer and songwriter Emeli Sandé. A big thank you goes to my cousin Babi who introduced me to this single even before it hit MTV.

I love Emeli vocals as well as her beat. I hope you do too.

LYRICS...

Music Mondays - Hometown Glory by Adele

I know Adele has attracted a lot of attention after her new album - 21, but the song I like the most from her is one of her older ones from her first album - 19.

Hometown Glory was originally Adele's first single, but it was relaunched as the fourth single after the album became well known. The song was written in 10 minutes by Adele herself after her mother tried to convince her to leave her hometown to go to University. I thought this would be rather fitting as I start University today.

I hope you enjoy it!

LYRICS...

Book Giveaway {3}- First Ladies Winner

Thank you to everyone that re-twittered, commented and took part on this giveaway.


It's my pleasure to announce that, according to my random number generator, winner for Kay Burley's Fist Ladies giveaway is... 


Natalija Skomare!!!


Well done. I will be in touch via email.

Book Review - Bad Spirits by D. V. Berkom

This might be a short novella, but gosh! Does it pack a punch!?! 

I have not been able to read for pleasure for over three weeks so to be able to sit down and read such intriguing little novel was a breather. 

SYNOPSIS:
Action packed, fast paced and blood smeared, this series has everything an action lover would die for: Good looking girl - falls for bad guy - realizes her mistake - tries to run away only to find out exactly how bad he really is. Oh yeah... Did I mention she also stole his money? Like... A lot of it? And that he is a big Mexican drug dealer? Yeah. You get the picture.

REVIEW:
Told from Katie's (the runaway) point of view, the prose is brilliant and even though Berkom wastes no words describing the harshness of the environment our heroine finds herself in you can still feel the barrenness and heat of the Mexican desert as if you were there. 

The characters are interesting and there are a lot of them as on her efforts to run away Katie encounters a whole array of people. This is also where D.V.'s writing style shines - although there are a lot of characters you can still keep pace with who is who, what is their part in the story and none of them seem to be there for no reason. 

The plot is convincing and the story very intriguing. You feel for Katie, you want her to get away, but then... You wonder if she doesn't deserve it somehow. Her family surely seems to think she does. And some of her behavior makes you want to slap her.

For people who like to know the smallest detail about the characters in a book they are reading, this might not be a good choice. Not because the story isn't good or the writing isn't brilliant, but because of the nature of novellas. In such a small number of words you cannot really give a lot of background on someone or resolution to parts of the story. For example, even though they change her fate completely, all these people come into and out of Katie’s life in such a short period of time, how do they meet their own fates? This question and others are left unanswered. Not because of Berkom's writing skills, but because of the nature of short stories. I encountered the same issue while writing my own and reading a couple of the Quick Reads books (read my reviews here). They inevitably let me wanting more information and detail.

When I realized there was only 51 pages to the series I had to contact D.V. and ask her if I received the entire document. I thought my computer was playing tricks on me, especially since I knew the document I had was from book 1 to book 5! And I have to say, having written a short story recently, it is a lot harder to condense plot, story, good characters and a knock out ending - while making it convincing and interesting - into a short number of pages then it is to right a full blown novel, even though the novel takes longer because details require research kind of thing. So I take my hat off for Berkom. This is nothing if not an accomplishment. 

OUT OF CURIOSITY: Katie's adventures are not over. D.V. Berkom has written another two books to follow these ones. Find out more here. 

Book Rating: ****

To check the rating system click here.

Joss Stirling's Blog Tour and New Book News

I know I have been talking a lot about Joss Stirling recently, but then again, her new book - Stealing Phoenix (read my review here) -  was out only a couple of days ago and I am a fan. ^_^

So you will understand exactly why I am delighted to find out she is writing a third book for the series!!! Originally there was only ever going to be one - Finding Sky (read my review here); but now there are three! And I can't wait to find out more about the Benedict brothers and their soulfinders. According to Joss' story, there are seven brothers and I am crossing my fingers, and being a little greedy, that she might write seven books. I particularly want to see what happens to Victor, my favourite. It's a pity he isn't real. *sighs dreamingly*

The Benedicts are a family of savants. Here is a little taster for you:

Saul - the father, can foresee danger
Karla - the mother of the family and Saul's soulfinder, can tell the future
Trace - can see the past and tell where someone has been
Uriel - can read a person's memory
Victor - is the mind controller
Will - can tell what happened by touching an item
Xavier - is the healer
Yves - can control fire and make things set alight/ explore
Phoenix - Yves' soulfinder, can control people's perception and make them feel she's stopping time
Zed - the youngest Benedict brother, can predict the future like his mother
Sky - Zed's soulfinder, can see people's feelings

Do you want to find out more? Follow Joss' blog tour starting Monday 12th September. Here is where she'll be...

Book Turned Movie {1} - Wuthering Heights' New Movie Adaptation Revealed

Director Andrea Arnold has finally unveiled her version of the classic Wuthering Heights during the Venice Film Festival - a raw and frill-free adaptation that will have the purest of Brontë's fans on their toes.

Arnold has definitely had some controversy over the fact that she not only had a cast full of first-timers and the use of some words Brontë herself might have been shy to even consider, but she also gave the classic novel a new zing by turning the famous Heathcliff into a black runaway slave rather than a gypsy. While the film concentrates in racial rather than the original novel's class issues, critics believe it has not done the book any disservice. As a matter of fact, the criticism was focused on the acting or lack of chemistry in between the two leads (You might recognize Cathy, played by Kaya Scodelario, from the TV series Skins) rather than Arnold's gritty take on the novel.

Are you a fan of the book? Did you like any of the movie adaptations? What do you think of this one?

Read The Guardian's review of this movie here.

'The Hunger Games' Movie Trailer and the Release of its Sequel 'Catching Fire'

Branded the next Twilight, the highly anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' best-seller The Hunger Games had its first teaser trailer debut during the MTV VMA's.

Lionsgate has already set the date for its sequel - based on the second book, Catching Fire - as the 23rd of November 2012. Bearing in mind the first film has not even finished shooting yet, this is a rather bold move. What do you think?

There is also an interview with Jennifer Lawrence, who plays lead girl Katniss, about the books and its violent content. There was great debate in America over the suitability of the series for young readers due to its violence. 

For those not familiar with the series, here is a little taster:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love." (by Goodreads)

Exclusive Extract from Stealing Phoenix

Sorry for the delay in posting this folks. I know some of you have been waiting for it. I have experienced some technical problems (high levels of daftness). 


To celebrate the Blog Tour of her latest book, Stealing Phoenix (read my review here), British author Joss Stirling has released a full extract of one of the first chapters in the book!


Unfortunately, I have already harassed the poor women for an interview (read it here) as well as reviewed her two books in the Benedict Brothers series - that is my affectionate name for it - (read my review of the first book, Finding Sky, here) and released two exclusive 'Stealing Phoenix' teasers (read them here and here) so she won't be coming here during her tour. :-( However... You can enjoy this fab extract instead!


I highly recommend both her books and here is one of the reasons why:

"     Reminding myself to keep focused on the job, I eased my way nearer to the boy. I could now see him in profile: he had the kind of face you saw in girls’ magazines next to some model as gorgeous as him. He had got the whole deal in the genetic department: chiselled nose, casual-cut ink-black hair that looked good no matter how rumpled it was, dark brows, cheek bones to die for; I couldn’t see his eyes because he was wearing shades but I would bet they were huge and a soulful chocolate brown—oh yeah, he was too good to be true and I hated him for it.
     I caught myself before I glowered at him, surprised by my response to the guy. Why was I reacting that way? I didn’t normally feel anything for my victims, apart from a twinge of guilt that I’d singled them out. I always tried to find people who wouldn’t notice the loss that much, a bit like Robin Hood. I enjoyed outwitting my rich targets, but I didn’t want to think anyone really suffered from what I did. The Sheriff of Nottingham had his ill-gotten taxes; these days people had insurance from big multi-nationals, and they were the ones who really ripped off the poor. It wasn’t as if I were like them, robbing widows and orphans, was it? They got compensation eventually. At least that was what I told myself as I planned how to pick his pocket. This job was a bit different as I was acting under orders; it was fairly rare for me to be asked to steal from a particular mark, but I was relieved the target looked like the sort to be insured up to the eyebrows. Neither he nor I had chosen this so it wasn’t rational to turn against him. He’d done nothing to earn it but stand there, looking so sorted, clean and kind of centred whereas I was such a hopeless mess. 
     The guide wittered on about how the seating had been constructed to be removable. As if I cared about Olympic legacy; I was never convinced I’d see next month, let alone ten years away. A plane rumbled overhead on the Heathrow flight path scarring the summer sky with its white trail. As the boy looked up, I made my move.
     Reach for their mental patterns . . .
     They were whirring away like so many beautiful kaleidoscopes, ever shifting. Then . . .
     I stopped time."

Music Mondays - Glass by Bat For Lashes

One of my favourite flavours of the month is British female musician Bat For Lashes - a.k.a. Natasha Khan. This single in particular is part of her latest album 'Two Suns' (2009) which was inspired by her trip to the Joshua Tree Desert in California. 


I love the contrast of her melodic voice with the fast drums. Absolutely gorgeous if not ever so slightly ethereal.


Enjoy!  

LYRICS...

Book Giveaway {3}: First Ladies by Kay Burley

Kay Burley is a Lancashire lass that has done good. She is the longest-serving female journalist on British television and currently hosts her own show over at Sky News. Her debut novel, 'First Ladies', launched in July and she was interviewed by Lancashire Life Magazine to celebrate her success. 

Lucky for us since we inherited one of the first copies of the book to give away here!!! For a chance to win this intriguing novel fill the form below and don't forget to click the SUBMIT button at the end to enter.

This giveaway is international and the book is in English. The deadline is Saturday 10th September at midnight (London GMT). The winner will be announced on Sunday. So fill the form and get winning!

'Suave Prime Minister Julian Jenson has just been re-elected. The nation's darling, he has an elegance and natural charm in public. But in private the cracks are starting to show.At his side is his wife, Valerie. Trim, tall, well educated but deeply unhappy - with her son and daughter away at school, alcohol is becoming a trusted friend.Sally Simpson is at the peak of her game. Powerful editor of the bestselling magazine Celeb, she can't wait to take her rightful place by Julian's side.Sexy TV reporter Isla McGovern has caught Julian's eye, and she will do anything (or anyone) to get to the top.When the three women meet, so begins a perfect storm, and only one can emerge as the First Lady.'

Poetic Images {1} - A Book Lover's Photo Album

Aussie blogger Holly over at Good Golly Miss Holly is not only a mean book blogger, but she also does this fab 'Daily Dose' posts with the images she comes across while surfing the net. Ok, it does help that the girl is also into photography. (These annoyingly talented people, honestly!!! *indignation*) Here is the thing... I know today is not Monday - the traditional day for 'Daily Dose' - but, inspired by the images I have seen recently, I decided to share my dose of treasures with you. So what do you think?

These two make me think of the world you discover inside and through books.

  Books & Fashion, because who said they don't go together? Bookish is the new black!

And these two are just too cool for school. ^_^

Lancashire Life {6} - Book Towns and Book Festivals

Haver you ever heard of 'Book Towns'? No? Neither had I... Until recently. Which is a shame, since they host the best book festivals going! Click here and read my new article for Lancashire Life about them.

Hush Hush Graphic Novel Sneak Peek

Earlier this year it was announced that Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (read my review here) was to become a graphic novel. As I obviously missed that bus (Was I living under a rock? How could I have missed that!!!), I thought some of you, like me, might not be aware; especially in the UK. So here is the cover and a little strip from the novel which is due to release on October 18th.

Have you read the book? What do you think? I love the ' burning ashes' effect on the cover, but that is just me: details, details, details. I'm not so sure about Patch, though. You?

There are also other fab graphic novels worth checking. For more information on those click here.

Biology Class Scene