#re3 - Quidditch Through The Ages

Crawling out of reading slumps are hard! And I have only just, I think, got out of it. But, because I am doing quite a few things on the blog this month, am scheduling my reviews/#re3 so by the time you read this, I shall be back to my reading self so HA HA! Eat that, reading slump!!!

So, Quidditch Through the Ages. As you guys are aware, I reread all seven Harry Potter novels last year (and enjoyed myself so much! I am thinking of reread one of them later this year) and I wanted to continue the Potter-ness with reading the novellas, the movies and maybe the stage shop! 

This is a book that Harry, Ron and Hermione read during their time in Hogwarts. In it, we discover the history of Quidditch, how the balls came into play with the game, the roles, the teams of Quidditch from the UK and from around the world and other things that relate to the wizarding world's most popular sport. 

This is for the Harry Potter fans. There's no two-ways about it. Plus, when you buy a copy, the money goes towards comic Relief so it's a win-win! (Not sure if this is the same thing outside of the UK). 

What I found fascinating was how much detail JK Rowling put into Quidditch. Which shows us that JK Rowling had it all planned out or knew enough of the world she was writing when this novella was written (remember, Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts was written after the publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Plus, with this book, there was lots of little hints and nods to the previous Harry Potters. It was fun, fast reread and it made me want to read the others before the year is through. 

And recently, I discovered that Quidditch is now a real Muggle sport so reading this made me go "I wonder if anyone has stolen these Quidditch teams's names?"

A Series of Unfortunate Illustrations - Part 1

While I was reading they first three novels in the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room and The Wide Window), I couldn't help looking at the illustrations by Brett Hellquist. They always caught my attention when reading the books and I wanted to show some of them to you for two reasons. First, the illustrations shown in the UK editions might not be the same as what's shown in the US/international editions. And second, as illustrators aren't always shown the praise they deserved, I wanted to go "Look at these! Aren't they great?!"

So, in order of each book (The Bad Beginning to start and The Wide Window to end), let's get cracking!

I can't help but love the first and last images I used in this post. They always caught my eye and I just love the detail in them. They could inspire stories (don't get me started! I could think of ideas for short stories based on some of these illustrations!)

If I continue with my reading/rereading of the Series of Unfortunate Events, I would love to show off more of Brett's illustrations and any other illustrations I find in any novels I read. Would that be ok with you guys? With Series of Unfortunate Events, it will be each 3 books per post with book 13 in series ether being put on its own or clubbed up with books 10, 11 and 12. 

I hope to do another of these post soon. But if you like what you have seen, you can check out Brett Helquist's work at http://www.bretthelquist.com

What Makes Us Human? Tour

Hi everyone! This is a surprise announcement over something I have tried to set up! 

I am here to announce a small blog tour between myself and several other lovely book bloggers, asking one question: what makes us human?

Ok, quick history lesson: This idea came to me last summer when I was listening to the radio. On it, there was someone who was talking about this very question. I remember disagreeing very strongly with his wonderings, but as the day went on, I kept thinking about the points he made and going, "Yeah... he does have a valid point...". And the question stuck with me. It got stuck in my brain and I wanted to explore it via this blog, but decided to sit on it for a while and decide the best way to tackle it. 

A few months later (November, I think), I was watching the news in horror. There was one story (and I fear we all know which) that made me really question humanity as a whole. And that was when I knew I had to put this idea into action. So, over the course of the week, I emailed some of my book blogger pals, asking if they wanted to be involved, and they rose to the challenge! Because of that, I love each of you so much! 

So, on this tour, starting this Wednesday, each blogger will answer the question; what makes us human? So, who is taking part? Well... 

Wednesday 20th January 2016 - Sisterspooky

Thursday 21st January 2016 - SableCaught

Friday 22nd January 2016 - Tales of Yesterday

Saturday 23rd January 2016 - Thirst for Fiction

Sunday 24th January 2016 - The Pewter Wolf (That's me! *panics over my post*)

Monday 25th January 2016 - Chouett

Tuesday 26th January 2016 - Serendipity Reviews

I hope you guys all join in with this tour, ask questions about humanity and we can all have a healthy (but civil) debate over this question and all our answers. To everyone who told part in this tour, thank you and, if I ever decide to do this again, you have my blessing to grab a newspaper and hit me round the head with it in an Edna-like fashion or cheer me on! 

See you when the tour starts!

Rebel of the Sands Trailer

I'm currently reading this now (Hopefully, I will read this before the book's release. Stupid reading slump throwing me off my reading game for a month!), but when the lovely Hannah emailed to say they were going to release a book trailer for Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands, I knew I had to show you guys.

So, with no further ado, TA-DAH!!!

#re3 - The Wide Window

This should be the last Lemony Snicket book to talk about in the coming weeks. Sorry, but had a really bad time with last month's reading slump, and I just seem to go towards the first three books of Series of Unfortunate Events (not sure why, but hey-ho!)

The Baudelaire orphans travel to Lake Lachrymose to stay with their relative, Aunt Josephine, who seems to be afraid of everything. The front door mat, the stove, door handles, the lake itself (but the lake, she has good reason to fear it). And her love for grammar is... well...

But the Baudelaires are trying to make the best of it. Expect... expect that Count Olaf is after them and their fortune, and will stop at nothing for it. And they see him with his fake disguise that seems to fool all the adults, and with Hurricane Herman on the way (a hurricane? On a lake?!), will they escape him again?

This has the same feel as the first two books, which is very nice in a weird way. It's nice that, this early in the series, we know the rhyme of the series (though this is beginning to wear a bit thin). And it's interesting to meet the guardians as,over the course of these three books, each has been different and quite unique. Count Olaf being the villain so we have to meet him from the off. Uncle Monty from The Reptile Room, who cared for the Baudelaires deeply (and they to him) and wanted them to see the world and love life. And now, Aunt Josephine, who loved grammar and her safety more than the children's care, but is still an adult who, in the series, is quite an interesting character. She is quirky, which fits pretty well in this quirky yet gothic read.

But still, tiny things bugged me. Like I said earlier on, this is beginning to fit into a pattern (Baudelaire's go to guardian, Count Olaf appears in bad disguise, the children see through disguise but no adult does [how stupid are these adults?!], guardian goes missing/dies, children prove Count Olaf is Count Olaf, Count Olaf escapes and Baudelaire go to next guardian, thus the cycle continues!) and while this is ok for the start of this 13 book series, this can't be the pattern for all 13 books! It just can't! Even for a middle grade series, this can't be the pattern to each book as readers will bore quickly!

But there was something I saw in this reread that I missed the first time. There are two tiny details in the final chapter that hint to series as a whole. On page 211, Lemony Snicket mentions the following sentence (I put in bold the bit that needs to be taken notice of): "And we can never know exactly what was happening to Aunt Josephine as the children sat on the dock, unable to help her, but I will say that eventually - about the time when the Baudelaire orphans were forced to attend a miserable boarding school...", Snicket is revealing what is going to happen in two book times, in a book titled "The Austere Academy". 

Also, four pages earlier, Count Olaf pipes up something, hinting to everyone who is paying close attention that he was involved in the fire that made the Baudelaires orphaned and killing both their parents. He says, after Mr Poe tells Count Olaf will be arrested and charged for fraud, murder and endangerment of children, "And arson". This is the earliest hint, to my knowledge, that Count Olaf gives to show he was involved in the fire and yet, no one seems to have heard him.

Am oddly enjoying (up to a point) rereading these books, I might continue rereading and discovering (Remember, I didn't read the whole series and I didn't read the books I have read in order [1, 2, 3, 10, 13 then 4]) for rest of the year. Maybe. Till Netflix air their version of the series...

#re3 - The Reptile Room

I know I said I'm not allowed to read the same author in a row this year. But am reading and writing this in 2015 so am ok! Not breaking my own rule! Plus, at the time of writing this, am reading the third book in the Series of the Unfortunate Events: The Wide Window as I'm trying to get out of my reading slump!

In this second novel, the Baudelaire children is moved into the care of their Uncle Monty and his collection of reptiles. But Count Olaf is coming for them and their fortune... And nothing is going to stand in his way. Not an giddy man, his collection of reptiles or three smart children...

Out of Bad Beginning and Reptile Room, I prefer Reptile Room. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because this is the start of the pattern where the Baudelaire go to a relative and think they are safe, but Count Olaf appear (in an awfully bad disguise) and the children tell the adults who Count Olaf is (and they don't believe them), they prove Olaf is Olaf and he gets away, meaning the Baudelaires have to go to another relative.

It still has that 2D feel to this where characters are slightly cardboard - Olaf especially. It fits the start of this series, but this is a 13 book long series and each book is slowly getting thicker so I hope this doesn't continue.

I am intrigued to see where this series goes, but I'm fearing that this will do a rinse and repeat.

However, I like the little nods to the readers as they are on the same page as the Baudelaire and I like how Snicket interacts with the reader. For example, there is one page just covered in one word repeated over and over again - ever. Plus, Brett Helquist's illustrations are wonderful - I love looking at them and I am planning to do a blog post on his art within the first three novels within this series.

But yes, I liked this book more than The Bad Beginning but it still isn't as good as I would like. I think this is because I have read so much and I'm not the book series's target audience. But this is a fun read that getting me out of a reading slump!

#re3 - The Bad Beginning

Let's start the year of book reviews and rereads as we mean to go on, shall we?

The Bad Beginning is the first book in the Series of Unfortunate Events series - a series I have been thinking on and off to reading (or rereading) throughout the course of this year (it's only an idea and I'm still not sure if I am going to do this due to time and the amount of books in this series!).

The main thing I took away from this reread was that, yes, this is middle grade and the style reflects that. It's very interesting to return to middle grade books after reading a lot of YA and adult and the main reason I picked up Bad Beginning was because I hit a reading slump and I thought this would be fast and easy read. Which is was as I made it stretch over four/five days (real life and reading slumps suck sometime).

But because this is a middle grade read, I felt quite nit-picky over some the things. It felt like an old fashioned book for children where the adults are useless (Mr Poe - oh, let's not start my fury on him!) or just clueless to what's happening while the kids know what's going on and figure out what to do. This is ok, but having this stark black and white between adults and children bother me. I like my characters to be flawed and rounded, but having one age group painted as one thing and the others painted another bothers me.

Another thing I noticed was Count Olaf. He's a bit of a panto villain, isn't he? You know he's the bad guy, you know he's going to do bad things but you know he will be found out. You can boo and hiss at him. I know, as the series goes on, he becomes less of a panto villain and will be more rounded a character, but in these early books, he's going to be a 2-dimension baddie.

The only other thing I want to mention. I had trouble trying to figure out when this series is set. No information is given but am curious. The world has a gothic feel so I first thought 1920s/1930s but with cars and walkie-talkies, it must be later - 1940s/1950s? But if that's the case, the gothic feel would be gone.

But saying that though, if this series was out when I was 8 or 10, I would have devoured this series. I would be obsessed with these characters and Snicket's writing style. I loved the first few lines in chapter 2 that tackles about death and grief because it's so true. Plus, there are moments where Snicker did tricks with his writing that I've not seen before: when Klaus was reading a book very late at night and was reading the same line over and over again, Snicket just repeated the same sentence two or three times to give the reader the same feeling Klaus had. And I know in later books, Snicket continues with these little tricks and I am intrigued to find them.

Also, tiny sidenote before I leave you is how much I liked the illustrations used, drawn by Brett Helquist. They are fun and I really like the style - and feel they don't get as much attention as they should as we bracket his art with Lemony Snicket. But, as I move forward with me maybe rereading/reading this series, I hope I continue to enjoy Brett's work.

T.R. Richmond Talks What She Left

I want to welcome T.R. Richmond to the blog today. T.R Richmond wrote the novel, What She Left, which have had people comparing it to Gone Girl on Goodreads and Amazon. The story starts with Alice Salmon, a young woman who died when returning to her university town one night.

But as Professor Cooke begins to look into Alice's life via her paper and internet trail, he begins to wonder...

To celebrate this book's US release (out next week, for those of you in the States), T.R Richmond has joined us to reveal why he wrote What She Left in the style that he has.

Before I hand it over to T.R. Richmond, I just want to say thank you to him for taking time out to write this post. I know how busy he must be, but thank you nevertheless.

I expect most people who read this blog, as well as loving traditional “paper” books, also have an electronic reading device. 


It’s not just how we read novels that’s changed in the last decade or so, however. The way we get our news and information has changed more in the last 10 years than it did in the previous 100.


Long gone are the days of keeping up with what’s going on in the world by taking one newspaper or catching one radio or TV news bulletin. The internet allows us to hear about local, national and global events in a host of ways from a multitude of sources. 


It's also true of how we communicate with friends, colleagues and loved ones. We interact in a variety of disparate, episodic methods. We text, email, tweet, blog, post on Facebook and use picture-sharing websites. So many ways, these days, to get in touch, stay in touch and to hear – and spread – news, views and information.
I wanted to reflect this in my novel, so rather than featuring one single narrative voice included multiple subjective accounts and snippets. My lead character was a 25-year-old woman who was part of the Facebook generation – it felt appropriate to tell her story in this way. 


Of course, it means readers have to do a bit of “join-the-dotting” (is that an actual expression?) as they piece together the story of Alice Salmon’s life and, ultimately, the mystery surrounding her death. But hopefully that’s the fun bit – they get to “play detective” as they sort fact from fiction, work out who to believe, and come to their own conclusions about what she was like and what she left. But this is actually no different to what we all do every day – we piece together news and the narratives of our own lives. 

As for why I opted for multiple first-person narrators, well, I’d always enjoyed this form (we’ve all read Gone Girl, right, and I’m currently watching a TV show called The Affair which also does it brilliantly). It feels like an “honest” approach because we all see things from our own perspective and are all, in fact, unreliable narrators of our own lives. I’m also a fan of epistolary novels (everything from Dracula to Bridget Jones) so was drawn to this format.
Ultimately, I wanted to explore how representative of us the traces we leave behind in this digital age are – because, more than at any point in history, we all leave a “footprint” nowadays. 


So this was the challenge I set myself – to write a suspense story that collated a life (and the circumstances of a death) from this footprint. In some ways, I wanted What She Left to feel like an unfolding news story, as well as a novel.


I might have set out with such motives, but when you get into the heart of a story, the characters take over. It not so much then about what I wanted – more about what they told me they were going to do. At times, it felt like I was doing a jigsaw puzzle, but that’s how life feels, isn’t it.


Writing What She Left highlighted to me how much I enjoy the digital world – it reminded me of its joys, its power and its omnipresence. That said, it’ll never replace that most old-fashioned and wonderful of things – face-to-face human contact. Just as electronic reading devices will never totally replace traditional books.