2012 eclectic reader challenge: december - classic

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my last book for the Challenge, and I chose it as my classic because I really wanted to finish with something good. And really, there was no way I was not going to like this book.

Anne of Green Gables is one of my all-time favourites - but since I had read it before, in the spirit of the challenge, I decided to read Anne of Avonlea. LM Montgomery didn't let me down.

This book instantly transports me back to girlhood, when my "bosom-friend" Emily and I used to re-enact Anne and Diana's adventures as 12 year olds. We were BESOTTED with this story. We had all the movies. We made raspberry cordial (non-alcoholic! Readers of the book will get this!) and we pretended to have puffed-sleeves and picnics.

Needless to say, as I read this, I could see perfectly in my mind every scene played out. The characters to me are as familiar as old friends.

I loved every minute, and I still have an image of Anne stuck in a storm, having fallen through a hen-house roof, balancing on a barrel with an umbrella over her head!

Anne of The Island is already beside my bed!

View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: november - your favourite genre (general fiction)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was such a surprise! It just looks so unassuming, I never expected to be so charmed by it! It is based on a collection of correspondences between characters with one Elizabeth McKenna in common in the aftermath of World War 2. But it's so much more than that! It's a love story, a story of heroism, a historical tale, a tragedy, and a work of charming humour all in one! And it is the only book written by 70 year old librarian Mary Ann Shaffer! It's a little gem of a book; rare, precious, delicate and beautiful.

View all my reviews

Recapping the Challenge...

Genres

1. Literary Fiction - Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction - Truth, Peter Temple 
3. Romantic Fiction - A Good Indian Wife, Anne Cherian
4. Historical Fiction - Wild Lavender, Belinda Alexandra
5. Young Adult - Catching Fire, Suzanna Collins
6. Fantasy - Angel's Blood, Nalini Singh
7. Science Fiction - Adjustment Team, Philip K Dick
8. Non Fiction - Pole to Pole, Pat Farmer
9. Horror - The Turn Of the Screw, Henry James
10. Thriller /Suspense - Bold Blood, Lindy Kelly
11. Classic - Anne of Avonlea, L M Montgomery (Currently reading for December)
12. Your favourite genre - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer

2012 eclectic reader challenge: october(got a bit ahead!) - horror

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Okay - lemme start by saying that I am a wuss. Of the first degree. So I really REALLY didn't wanna read a horror book. I don't 'do' scary. So I thought maybe if I chose a historical book, I might be less scared...
Couldn't have been less-scared if I tried.
I think this book is meant to be all about creating suspense and atmosphere, but really... I mean NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS. You wait for it to happen, and it never does. Hmm.
Too subtle even for me.

View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: september - sci fi

Adjustment Team by Philip K. Dick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wow. Simultaneously the most intriguing premise and the most frustrating book I've ever read.
Dick explores the idea that there is no such thing as coincidence, and that the 'higher power' in control is a government organization. I don't read a lot of sci fi, but the ideas and possibilities here had me hooked.
But - it just ENDS! This book has the most I unsatisfying ending I have ever encountered! It leaves so much unsaid, so much unexplored! I got to the end, and glanced at the floor in case pages had fallen out! LOL Makes me curious to see how they ended the movie!

View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: august - thriller

Bold Blood by Lindy Kelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nothing ground-breaking here. The writing is so-so and there are a few subplots which I think are meant to divert the reader's attention from the mystery, but are just confusing and irrelevant.

The 15 year old horse lover will love this. It's James Patterson meets Christine Pullein-Thompson.

View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: july - fantasy

Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I hated this. I resented the time I wasted reading it. It's Mills & Boon for adult Twi-hards. It's full of vomit-inducing similies, eye-rollingly bad double entendres, and endless, repetitive descriptions of chiselled abs, and rugged jawlines.
This book did nothing to encourage me to read more Vampire Fantasy. Unless you love Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey - DON'T BOTHER.

View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: june - non fiction

Pole to Pole: One Man, 20 Million Steps by Pat Farmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't know how you could read this book and not be humbled and inspired by Pat Farmer. Love or hate his politics, this is a man who is willing to LITERALLY go to the ends of the earth to help people he'll never see in countries that have next to nothing. The sacrifice, the pain, the money, the wear and tear on his body, and his focus and determination to succeed despite all this left me feeling in awe.
The memoir is a little repetitive, but I think it is honestly written, and reflects the day-to-day raw grind of the run that wasn't shown in the media releases. I loved this, and it made me just wanna put my running shoes on and head out the door.

View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: may - youth fiction

This month's Eclectic Reader Challenge genre was Youth Fiction. I decided to try reading the Hunger Games Books, since I enjoyed the movie!


Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series is wonderful - it reminds me of the way I felt about the "Tomorrow When The War Began" series by John Marsden when I was a teen.
The simple, unadorned writing style somehow sucks you into the horrors of the dystopian society in which Katniss Everdeen lives, while still being an easy to read page-turner. I saw the movie first, but I am so glad I decided to read the books too!
...oh and Katniss Everdeen would kick Bella Swan's soppy useless butt! ;) 


View all my reviews

2012 eclectic reader challenge: april - historical fiction

From www.goodreads.com : 


"At fourteen, Simone Fleurier is wrenched from her home on a Provençal lavender farm and sent to work in Marseilles. Her life there is hard and impoverished, but Simone discovers the music hall and a dream: to one day be a famous dancer and singer...




Belinda Alexandra has created a tale of passion and courage that moves from the backstreets of Marseilles to the grand music theatres of Paris, from the countryside of Provence to decadent pre-war Berlin and jazz-age New York. " 


Felt a bit 'meh' in the 1st half of this book, but am so glad I pressed on! I loved the story & the WW2 history from a French perspective was fascinating. The characters were maybe a bit 2D if I'm gonna b picky - but I really loved this. 

Never read anything from this author before (this was recommended by a bookmobile regular!), But will def read more of Belinda Alexandra's stuff! I gave it 4/5 stars on Goodreads (Would've given it 4.5 stars if I could've!)

2012 eclectic reader challenge: march - literary fiction (take 2)

Incase you missed it, the genre for January was actually literary fiction, but I stuffed up and read a romance instead. Sothis month I read a literary fiction text to make up for it! (whoopsie)

Imagine what would happen if Mary Poppins arrived on the set of 'Deliverance'. 

That pretty much sums up this story, a satirical dig at the Victorian fiction genre,  about educated and civilized Flora, who goes to stay with her backward - inbred?! - cousins the Starkadders at their farm Cold Comfort Farm. I was constantly snorting and giggling at this ridiculous little story, where characters have names such as 'Caraway' and 'Mybug', the cows just randomly lose limbs without anyone's notice, and the family matriarch keeps the whole farm under her control by feigning madness from having seen 'something nasty in the woodshed' (no, you don't find out what!) :S

Think Edgar Allen Poe meets James Herriot. And then throw in Pollyanna. Couldn't help but giggle. I gave it 4/5 on Goodreads.

Join in!

2012 eclectic reader challenge: february - mystery.

This was just not my cup of tea. The story relies heavily on the reader's ability to follow conversation that is highly colloquial and jargonistic. There is very little description, and often characters are introduced without preamble or explanation. I found this book like listening in to a phone conversation between two strangers without knowing any background (and not really caring). 


I know it's a multi-award winning book, but honestly, it just didn't hold my attention, and reading it became a chore.


Not for me. I gave it 1 / 5 stars on Goodreads.

Join in!

2012 eclectic reader challenge: january - literary fiction.

I wasn't really sure what to read for this category, as the line between 'literary' fiction and 'fiction' seems pretty blurry as far as I can tell!!! So I picked this book: It read promisingly from the blurb, it had no classification on our library shelf, and I like reading about different cultures.

Having read it - I wouldn't call it 'literary' :( Oops, my bad.

Don't get me wrong! I enjoyed it! It's a nice story, I enjoyed the little insights into Indian culture and everything; but I'd call this a romance. Character development wasn't very deep, the writing was fairly unadorned, and the plot was fairly predictable, if I'm honest. 

The main male character Suneel started to irritate me after a while, and I wanted to tell him not to be a selfish, whining teenager mostly, but I did like and admire Leila, and I think that's what kept me reading! :)

Altogether, a nice read. A romance with a bit of a difference! I gave it 3/5 on Goodreads.

Join in!

right up my alley

I'll read anything.

ANYTHING.

When people ask me what I like to read, or to recommend them a book, I actually find it really hard, because I'll give anything a whirl! I suppose I like sagas, literary fiction, and suspense the most, but honestly: I'll read anything anyone recommends!

So when Shelleyrae tweeted her 2012 Eclectic Reader Challenge, I knew this was the one for me! :)

The challenge is to:

"Select, read and review a book from each genre listed below during the year for a total of 12 books.

*  You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advance.

*  Where a book is identified by more than one genre eg historical romance, it may only count for either the historical fiction or romantic fiction genres – not both.

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction
3. Romantic Fiction
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult
6. Fantasy
7. Science Fiction
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favourite genre

• Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, make sure you identify it by adding either a direct statement  and /or the challenge image badge to the post.

• Share your review with other challenge participants by adding a new comment to this page with a direct link to your review."

I'm gonna choose as I go, so any recommendations you have - don't hesitate to comment! Maybe you could join in...? ;)