THE HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT.

THE HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT by LUCIE WHITEHOUSE.

When Lucas inherits Stoneborough Manor after his Uncle's unexpected death, he imagines it as a place where he and his close circle of friends can spend time away from London. But from the beginning, the house changes everything. Lucas becomes haunted by the death of his Uncle and obsessed by cinefilms of him and his friends at Stonesborough thirty years earlier. The group is disturbingly similar to their own, and within the claustrophobic confines of the house over a hot, decadent summer, secrets escape from the past and sexual tensions escalate, shattering friendships and changing lives irrevocably.
..... from the outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: Even now, I can remember the first time I saw the house as clearly as if there were a video of it playing in my head.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: I felt, more than heard, the first opening pulses of the house's secret rhythm. There was something sly in it now, knowing, taunting.

Not a bad debut novel by Lucie Whitehouse though I can't help but think it will probably appeal more to women than men as it is usually women who walk into a house and feel it's vibes - this feeling, I believe being an integral part of the story, the thing that makes the whole story work ... or not.

The author's power of description are quite something to read, at times the feeling of menace was so great that the hairs on my arms literally stood up and yet there was just something lacking, something that I can't quite put my finger but probably has something to do with the fact that nothing was unexpected, that almost all the way through you could tell what was going to happen next with the ending predictable quite early on.

The characters, though believable (we all know of people like them I'm sure), weren't particularly great either being somewhat stereotypical and predictable and, to be honest, generally not very nice.

All this said, I think given the right team this could make a spectacular film, probably one of those rare instances when it is better than the book, as the feelings of menace were really great and would, I think, come across well on the big screen.

The House At Midnight was a reading group read.

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INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN A BEVERAGE.

Still not feeling too well (and looking a bit like the character on the left), many thanks for all your kind words and best wishes and apologies again that I've been unable to visit you all as I normally would. I've missed you all and hope to get around to visiting real soon so be sure to have the kettle on and a packet of biscuits to hand. Oh, and some tissues might prove useful as well.

Talking of biscuits. There was some discussion a while ago about what constitutes a biscuit and what a cake.* I seem to remember Jaffa Cakes (a biscuit-like cake with a sponge base, a layer of orange flavoured jelly and a chocolate topping) being involved and some argument over V(alue) A(dded) T(ax) being added. Anyway, it seems a similar argument as come to the surface with regard to when fruit is a food AND when it is a smoothie.

What do you get if you take five strawberries, half an apple, half a banana, five grapes and put them in a blender with a squeeze of orange and lime? A big increase in tax, a judge has decided.

The curious ruling came after Innocent, which is partially owned by Coca-Cola, challenged its tax bill by arguing its smoothies were a 'liquefied fruit salad' rather than a 'beverage'.

The company claimed it was unfair that the government charges 17.5% VAT on Innocent's 100% fruit juice smoothies when a bowl of the raw ingredients are not subject to VAT. - Helen Pidd, the Guardian (23/11/10) (FULL STORY)

Even if I don't get that invite to The Wedding at least Husband dearest (Hd) gets an extra day off work which isn't any bad thing.

No sooner had the royal wedding venue (Westminster Abbey) and date (Friday 29 April) been announced  than I was off to buy my hat David Cameron (Prime minister) declared the wedding day would be a public holiday. (Hurrah.) - Stephen Bates, the Guardian (24/11/10)

First a book, then a movie, then a musical, is there anything different we could do to make Wuthering Heights appealing to a whole new generation? Ooohhh I know ....... Wuthering Heights in 3D. No?

Heathcliff is to be portrayed by a black man for the first time in an adaptation of Wuthering Heights after Andrea Arnold, the Bafta-winning director of Fish Tank (?), cast unknown James Howson in her forthcoming remake.

The casting is in line with Emily Bronte's conception of the character as a 'little lascar' - a 19th century term for sailors from India. - Ben Child, the Guardian (24/111/10)

Always having had his grooming needs taken care of at an 'old fashioned barbers shop rather than a unisex salon, it seems that Hd can now consider himself a modern dandy.

Not just about having one's hair cut though ......

(One London barber claimed) they were doing nine moustache trims a day, while demand for a 'high quality' short back and sides, for £38.50 (excuse me while I pick HD up off the floor), was increasingly popular. Maria Tadeo and Joanna Walters. The Observer (28/11/10) (READ FULL ARTICLE)

And finally, how's this for a unique way of making money for charity?

Tattoo-loving Ann French has come up with a novel way to raise cash for charity.

The playboy Playmate plans to raise funds by getting people to sponsor her to have her favourite's charity's (GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME) logo (a rather cute little green tortoise) tattooed on her thigh. - Zoe Burn, the Sunday Sun (28/11/10)

*For those of you even remotely interested, the ruling, in very simplistic terms I know, being ....... a cake goes hard when stale whilst a biscuit goes soggy.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

Book 3 of my holiday reading challenge. Not too late to join in, click HERE for the details and HERE to post any book reviews.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by CHARLES DICKENS .

As Scrooge and the Spirit went along the streets, the brightness of the roaring fires in the kitchens, parlours, and all sorts of rooms, was wonderful. Here the flickering of the blaze showed preparations for a cozy dinner, with hot plates baking through and through before the fire, and deep red curtains. There, all the children of the house were running out into the snow to meet their married sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles, aunts, and to be the first to greet them.


A Christmas Carol, the timeless classic by Charles Dickens, is an essential part of traditional celebration of Christmas. In this, his most famous eulogy to the Festive season, Dickens vividly defined the message of goodwill towards to all mankind in his story of Ebenezer Scrooge. This 'squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching old sinner' who considered Christmas to be 'humbug' learns, through a series of ghostly visitations, the true value of charity, good humour and love for his fellow man. the spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come, each with a terrifying message, point the way towards the old miser's salvation.
..... From the front inner cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: Marley was dead: to begin with.


MEMORABLE MOMENT; "I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the ghost."I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it."

Not written with children in mind, I was surprised that the librarian found this copy of A Christmas Carol in  the children's section. Why the surprise you may ask when after all this novel has seen itself transformed into many a family movie and this book has been illustrated by QUENTIN BLAKE to appeal to children.

I must confess that this isn't one of the Dickens books I have read before. As a girl I read The Old Curiosity Shop and, neither liking nor understanding it, never felt inspired to read any of his other books ........ until now.

So did I enjoy it? Umm ..... put it this way, It hasn't inspired me to reread The Old Curiosity Shop OR any of his other books, no, not even Oliver Twist.

Whilst I found the writing to be quite poetical, to me it just didn't somehow or other flow and I found it really hard going in places. Add to this the fact that I didn't like the style of the illustrations either AND the fact that this particular edition as I mentioned before had been produced with children in mind and I could see why the book had only been lent out some eight times since being purchased by the library in November 1996 - not exactly a good recommendation is it?

That said, I know this to be one of the well loved classics, the number of times it has been made into a film and the fact that the words 'Scrooge' and 'Humbug' are almost universally recognised testifies to this. One of the rare occasions when I can honestly say I preferred the movie(s) to the novel though it has to be said that most of these have stuck, more or less, faithfully (apart from various widely differing interpretations of how the ghosts should look) to Dickens's work, I just think the film versions are more palatable to modern tastes though I know many of you will disagree.

Appealing to children? Personally I think not though they may be tempted to read it having perhaps heard of it from their parents/grandparents OR having seen one of the many movies. To me there is nothing to recommend this to a younger reader (apart from maybes the illustrations in this particular edition) who I think, on the whole, will find it difficult to understand some of the language and style of writing used especially after having seen some of the very visually clever and exciting films on offer.

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A P To T OF SILLY STORIES.

P is for pilot. A lost pilot crashed his plane after spotting a tractor driver in a field and deciding to land to ask him directions. Unfortunately he clipped the top of the tractor during his landing.

Q is for quiche. A 24-year-old British woman was asked for identification before she was allowed to buy a ........ slice of quiche. Dozy staff demanded office worker Christine Cuddihy first show them her driving licence before making her purchase.

R is for robber. A robber wrapped toilet paper round his head to hide his face when he held up a convenience store with a knife. Police followed the trail of tissue paper,  but he got away.

S is for sh smell. Garbage workers at Bejing's Gao'antun landfill plant have found an answer to complaints from locals about the smell. They've brought in 100 water canons to blast liquid deodorant at the smelly site.

T is for tombstone. Worshippers at a church in Sweden rushed to help a woman with one foot in the grave - literally. She got stuck while leaving flowers by a tombstone because heavy rainstorms had caused subsidence in the graveyard, which resulted in her being sucked into the ground.

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THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB by KAREN JOY FOWLER.

The book club was Jocelyn's idea, and she hand-picked the members. Jocelyn's best friend was Sylvia, whose husband of thirty-two years had just asked for a divorce. We felt she needed something to distract her. At sixty-seven, Bernadette was the oldest. She'd recently announced that she was, officially, letting herself go. "I just don't look in the mirror any more," she'd told us. "I wish I'd thought of it years ago."

The next person Jocelyn asked was Grigg, whom we none of us knew. We'd known Jocelyn long enough to wonder whom Grigg was intended for. Allegra was thirty, and really only invited because she was Sylvia's daughter. Prudie was the youngest of us, at twenty-eight. She taught French at the high school and was the only one of us currently married, unless you counted Sylvia, who soon wouldn't be. Our first meeting was at Jocelyn's house.

In California's Sacramento Valley, six people meet once a month to discuss Jane Austen's novels. They are ordinary people, neither happy nor unhappy, but all wounded in different ways, all mixed up about their lives and their relationships. Over the six months they meet marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and under the guiding eye of Jane Austen, some of them even fall in love.
..... from the inner front cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (from the prologue): Each of us has a private Austen.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: Why bother to send teenagers to school at all? Their minds were so clogged with hormones they couldn't possibly learn a complex system like calculus or chemistry, much less the wild tangle of a foreign language.

I confess, I started out on a bad note with this one having somehow or other (don't ask me how) mistaken the author Jane Austen for the character Jane Eyre so was expecting a read in which the second featured to some extent or other.

That sorted, did I enjoy the book? Here I'm going to go typical teenager on you, shrug my shoulders and mutter "'spose so, it was ok."

Overall I was disappointed with this novel THOUGH I quite liked the layout of the book - there was a portion 'dedicated' to each of the book club members who got to tell their story as it were whilst discussing their favourite Austen novel be it Emma (Jocelyn's choice), Sense And Sensibility (Allegra's choice) OR Northanger Abbey (Grigg's choice). That said the character's stories in themselves were more or less instantly forgettable, I'm writing this a few days after having read the book and if it weren't for the numerous stickie notes covering the pages I would be hard-pushed to give you any particular details other than that one of the characters breeds dogs (which character and what type of dogs? I forget).

I even wish I could say that the use of quotes from Austen's books had inspired me to read some of her works though sadly this isn't the case. As for reading the book because of the title - I think anyone doing this will be hugely disappointed as the book REALLY isn't about Jane Austen but rather the six individuals who come together because they happen to enjoy her books.

The Jane Austen Book Club was ex-library stock purchased at a branch library.

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HOGFATHER.

HOGFATHER by TERRY PRATCHETT

It's the night before Hogswatch. And it's too quiet.

Where is the big jolly fat man? Why is Death creeping down chimneys and trying to say HO HO HO? The darkest night of the year is getting a lot darker ....

Susan, the gothic governess has got to sort it out by morning, otherwise there won't be a morning. Ever again ....

The 20th Discworld novel is a festive feast of darkness and Death (but with jolly robins and tinsel too).

As they say: You'd better watch out......
....... From the outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: Everything starts somewhere, although many physicists disagree.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: It was a strange but demonstrable fact that the sacks of toys carried by the Hogfather, no matter what they really contained, always appeared to have sticking out of the top a teddy bear, a toy soldier in the kind of colourful uniform that would stand out in a disco, a drum and a red-and-white candy cane.

Perhaps not an obvious choice for a holiday reading challenge but I challenge anyone to tell me this isn't a festive read - I mean just look at the cover and read the blurb from the back of the book and tell me that Death isn't Father Christmas albeit Terry Pratchett style.

Yes, this is the 20th novel in the Disc World series and whilst there is no Christ and therefore no Christ-mass OR father Christmas the inhabitants of this weird and wonderful land do celebrate the holiday of Hogswatch giving and receiving gifts courtesy of Hogfather who is Santa Claus in all but name.

But this year something is not quite right, this year there is something dreadfully wrong.

I can't say I'm a huge fan of Terry Pratchett (I leave that to Husband dearest who has every one of his books) but I really enjoyed this book once I'd getting passed wondering what it was all about.

Cleverly written, Pratchett certainly has a talent for writing entertaining stories if this is anything to go by, I guess I'd describe Hogfather as a fairytale for the modern age with a wonderful morality all of its own. My only real criticism being why so long? An ending well worth the wait (It had me both laughing and crying) but it took some 374 pages of a 444 page book before we got to finally begin to understand what exactly was happening (and why) and a further 40 or so pages before we completely understood. "It's called setting the story," commented Hd when I mentioned this. Fair enough but, once again, why take so long in doing so?

But more than the story itself, the characters were what really made this book for me. Quirky and eccentric and, oh so, funny - I especially loved that Death 'spoke' in capital letters and then there was my favourite, Hex, a computer (of sorts) who was 'fed' dried frogs and was rebooted when:-

Adrian goes round the back an ..... er ..... prods it with his foot. But in a technical way.

Being the 20th book in the series, could I read this as a stand-alone novel? Yes, though I do think it probably all makes a bit more sense if you have read some of the other stories (or know someone who has) as then you have the added advantage of knowing the history of some of these characters and what makes them who they are.

The second book read for my holiday reading challenge. Click HERE for 'the rules' and HERE to post any reviews.

Also reading Hogfather is A Chick Who Reads, to see her post click HERE. Oh and be sure to take note of the difference in the covers.

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FOUR QUESTIONS ASKED, FOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND MORE.

I know,  I'm being really naughty, with a stack of books that I've read and reviewed waiting in my draft box AND a pile read but yet to be reviewed AND a tbr mountain that never seems to lessen, only grow, I really don't have the time to be posting other things but such is life and I enjoyed JENNERS 4 QUESTIONS ASKED , 4 QUESTIONS ANSWERD so much that I simply had to join in - don't you just love her as her alto-ego, Amazajen?

Anyway, to answer Jenner's four questions.

What would you do on a perfect day? (No monetary restrictions … just imagine away).

Firstly I'd find myself falling (Alice In Wonderland style) down a huge rabbit hole where I'd present the Queen Of Hearts with some croquet mallets and balls so that she wouldn't have to use flamingos and hedgehogs before having tea (well, hot chocolate) with the Mad Hatter. Then I'd spend some time in the 100 Acre wood giving Eeyore a cuddle - if ever a donkey needed a hug - before calling in on Charlie in his chocolate factory who is retiring and would like ME to take over the running of the place. Finally spending the night, dancing in the snow, with Edward Scissorhands (one of my favourite films, how I sob at this bit.)

Have you ever stayed up for 24+ straight hours? Why?

No, I like my bed too much BUT I have spent a good fifteen/sixteen hours without sleep when we would do an annual overnight fundraising disco at the community centre's play scheme. A 'killer', I'd crawl into bed at about eight in the morning not to be seen until at least eight the following day. Mind you I swear I suffer from jetlag on the three or so hour flight from Newcastle to Germany.

Have you ever laughed so hard your stomach muscles and face hurt? What made you laugh that hard?
Several times. I know I perhaps shouldn't of found this funny but I did ... and, I confess, still do.
My sister and I were shopping for an outfit for a wedding she had been invited to. Watching her try on shoes, whilst I looked after her daughter (Niece #1, now 21), I took my eyes off the buggy for a few seconds to comment on said shoes only to discover that my niece had reached over and grabbed hold of a VERY expensive hat, plucking it of the feathers that adorned it. Never have we vacated a shop so quickly.

What is the earliest time in your life you can remember?
Ooh that's a hard one.

I can't remember how old I actually was but I must have been about three, possibly four. It was the first 'proper' party I had been invited to at a friends house. That ages me, in those days there were no trips to the pictures (cinema), no discos with magicians or men shaping animals out of balloons, no sleepovers, we had tea parties in our homes for family and a FEW friends. Anyway, time for PASS THE PARCEL, the music stops and, hey, I'm left to unwrap the last layer of paper, to claim the prize. I can't recall exactly what the prize was but it was the first thing I'd ever won and I wanted it, oh how I wanted it. Only problem was so did the birthday girl who was used to getting what she wanted when she wanted it - oh the drama, the tears, the stamping of feet. No, not mine, I had been brought up better than that and remember handing over MY prize.

What fun. And so onto my four questions:-

1. You are going to a fancy dress party - what is your costume of choice and why?
2. What is the oddest gift you have ever received/given?
3. Every Christmas morning we would eat tinned hotdogs for breakfast. A family we know ate a box of malteser chocolates in bed to celebrate a birthday. Do you have any holiday traditions? If not, what tradition would you like to start?
4. You find a time machine to which time in history would you travel and why?

This invite is open to all, please feel free to answer my questions and hopefully ask some of your own but in particular I'd like to ask these questions of .........

• KELLY @ Kelly's Thoughts And Ramblings.
• ODDY @ Dani's Letters.
• DIZZY C @ Dizzy C's Little Book Blog
• NAIDA @ The Book Worm.

That done, I thought I could safely get back to my book reviews but alas this was not to be what with Molly and her CRUMBS - a great post that I could totally identify with, it ended with the wonderful words ......

I have been eating toast in bed ever since

Which got me thinking of the childhood 'rules' that I came to rebel against as an adult.

Toilet Paper - As a child my father had this massive thing about the number of sheets we used. Honestly I think if he could have getting away with it he would have stood at the toilet door, handing out single sheets of loo roll as we went in. I rebelled and now take delight in using an abundance of the stuff.

Likewise - the washing of hair and time spent doing so. As a teenager I had greasy hair and when I say greasy I mean of oil-slick proportions, yet I was only allowed to wash my hair twice a week, Wednesday and Sunday, UNLESS there was a special occasion (Christmas Eve for example) AND whats more I only had a certain length of time in which to do it before my father would bang on the door creating such a fuss. I rebelled and now if I want to spend half-an-hour, an hour even, in the shower I will do.

Molly I salute you for eating that toast in bed - the more crumbs you make the better.

So what made rebels of you?

Not too well at the moment, another nasty chest infection, I plan to schedule some posts to appear over the next few days so apologies if I do not get around to visiting you as I normally would, I wouldn't want to be spreading any germs amongst you. (What do you mean it doesn't work like that?) Oh and just in case I don't get to see you, may I wish all my blogger buddies across the pond a very happy Thanksgiving for tomorrow. PW

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AMADANS ALERT.

AMADANS ALERT by MALACHY DOYLE.

'Stop.' hisses the shape in the darkness, and a long, thin hand, with seven bony fingers, reaches out and briefly touches the thief's arm.

With the touch. The stroke.

But nothing happens.

'Stop, you must stop!'

The Amadans are back - and this time nothing can stop them.

...... From the outerback cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: It's night.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: It's funny how doing something good for someone can give you a warm feeling in the cockles of your heart sometimes. Even when you're an out-an-out, sworn-to-badness, no-good gangster.

Apologies for my being brutally honest about this novel but it just didn't hit the mark as far as I was cocerned. Ok, so it's written for junior readers but then so were many of the books I have read recently and that didn't stop me from enjoying them, from finding them a refreshing change. AND then there is the fact that it is a sequel which I think may have made more sense if I'd actually read the first part.

On finishing Amadan's Alert, I pondered for a long time on just how to review it. Have you ever finished a book and found yourself (go on be honest) thinking well! thank goodness that's over with? I don't know why I find myself having to read a book through to the (bitter?) end but I do and sometimes hate myelf for it - after all there are plenty more books out their begging to be read so why carry on with something you are not enjoying?

I don't often find myself using this word but I'm afraid that it just about sums up this book for me - boring. Too long winded, with far too many strands to it and uninteresting characters that are not nearly as 'bad' as the author seems to think they are, I think Doyle was trying to be amusing but fell way short of being so. Too harsh? Perhaps, but then I don't think children are fools and can often tell when someone is trying too hard - in this instance - to be funny.

There must have been something good about it, something that made me want to read it?

The 20p cost and the fun looking graphics on the front cover certainly helped. And then there was the whole concept of the novel - the idea of there being 'creatures' from another world using modern technology to travel and combat crime using 'the touch' was interesting. Plus I liked the idea that one of the three main characters was an elderly gentleman (the grandfather of another of the main characters) who had a secret 'weapon of ..... (now that would be telling.)

Amadans Alert was ex-library stock purchased at our local library.

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BIG HATS AND 'CAMP' COFFINS.

Starting with the Daily Telegraph ......

You REMEMBER MY SAYING that I was hardly likely to get an invitation to the wedding of the year? Well, I may well get to wear a big hat after all as ......

Prince William and Kate Middleton want their wedding to be a 'people's ceremony' with as many commoners ordinary members of the public invited as possible. - Gordon Rayner. (click HERE for full story.)

Lets hope the love of Wills and Kate lasts longer than that of Sarindi and Saruni.

A female swan that 'divorced' its mate has returned to Britain with (shock, horror) a new partner. (As swans normally mater for life) the swan known as Sarindi surprised experts by abandoning a previous partner, Saruni.No longer able to smoke in public places it would seem that the smoking ban has created a whole new breed of felon.

Treat a smoker like a criminal - get a villain.

The smoking ban has bred a  Raffles (slang for a burglar OR cockney rhyming for a mistake? Take your pick) who orders extravagant restaurant meals with wine, pops out ostensibly for a smoke between courses, then does a runner leaving a huge unpaid bill. The offense is a greater problem for places that feel it insults honest customers to hold their credit cards on arrival, as if running up a tab in a pub.

And here was me thinking my daily dealings on the farm * were pure escapism.

Most video games have obvious escapist themes, allowing players to immerse themselves in fantastical scenarios such as leading dwarf armies or shooting aliens in epic space battles. FarmVille is not really about escaping to a farm – most of the office workers saving their digital coins to buy virtual tractors would panic were they ever to be presented with an actual pig. Perhaps what the sudden popularity of co-operative farming games shows is that, for many modern workers, the idea of owning a piece of land within a friendly community is now just as inconceivable as pulverising zombie invaders in Resident Evil 4.

Farming games tap into a powerful collective wish-fulfilment fantasy: the fantasy of running your own life rather than being a peasant in the neo-feudal hierarchy of corporate serfdom - Laurie Penny, the Guardian (READ MORE.)

Whatever next?

Two undertakers in the north-western German city of Cologne are trying to tap into the gay market by selling coffins adorned with images of male nudes.

"We believe you should be able to have a coffin that lets you embark on your last journey in a way that reflects how you lived your life," said undertaker Thomas Brandl. - the Guardian (READ FULL STORY)

Ooh I wonder if I'll be able to get one designed to look like a book OR perhaps a giant bar of chocolate?

And finally, in Sunday's Observer we have this article by Tracy McVeigh.

Many of you will have heard of Lager Louts (A person (especially a young male) who behaves in a violent manner when drunk) and now thanks to the Daily Telegraph you know of the criminal who relies on the smoking ban to leave without paying for their meal. Now learn about the so-called Saga Lout,

It is being dubbed the 'grey crimewave' or the rise of the 'saga lout'; new statistics reveal that ever higher numbers of pensioners being arrested and ending up in Britain's jails. (READ MORE)

Quite funny on the face of it - I'm sure, like me, many of you had images of little old ladies running amok in the streets, staging 'smash-and-grab raids using a zimmer frame, committing robberies with a mobility scooter as the getaway vehicle, holding up post offices with walking sticks whilst collecting their pensions BUT this does have a serious side to it in that researchers found that a startlingly high percentage of over-60s appearing in court had undiagnosed dementia.

* For those of you unaware I'm a level 72, multimillionaire farmer in my spare time. Ok then, put another way, I play Farmville.

STOLEN.

STOLEN by KELLEY ARMSTRONG.

Elena Michaels is a wanted woman. Ten years ago she was transformed into a werewolf by her lover. Her transformation makes her powerful. But in the wrong hands, it also makes her deadly.

And now, just as she's coming to terms with it, a group of scientists learns of her existence. They're hunting her down, and Elena is about to run straight into their trap. But they haven't reckoned on Elena's adoptive family, her Pack, who will stop at nothing to get her back.

They haven't reckoned on Elena, either. And that's a very big mistake.
...... From the outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (from the prologue): He hated the forest. Hated its eternal pockets of damp and darkness.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: "Now, I wasn't worried he'd do anything. I was very strict on that point. No devouring classmates." Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Other parents warn their kids not to talk to strangers. I had to warn mine not to eat them."

Ok, I've read these books in a rather strange way - book 3, DIME STORE MAGIC, first and now book 2. Who knows which of the remaining Otherworld books I'll read next.

Did reading part 3 first in any way ruin my enjoyment of part 2, Stolen? I'd have to say no though of course I could work out certain plot developments by knowing which of the characters made it to the next installment.

Perhaps even more enjoyable then Dime Store Magic - it was certainly far more humorous (but maybe that's just werewolves for you) - Stolen was much more pacier and action packed though I have to warn those of a squeamish nature that it was, in places (quite a lot of places) quite bloody and gory.

As I've said before characters usually make or break a novel for me. No matter how good the plot, get the characters wrong and, generally speaking, I don't enjoy the book. Stolen's characters, I'm therefore pleased to say, made this story for me. I enjoyed most of the characters in Dime Store Magic but I loved the characters in this. Especially Elena who was one gutsy woman/wolf. Quick witted and mentally as well as physically strong she was everything I liked in a 'leading lady'. however, equally fascinating for me was Ty Winsloe, the villain of the story who, like a pantomime baddie, I wanted to get his just deserts all the way throughout the book.

Recommended to those who like their supernaturals stories a bit more grown up, I thought Stolen an enjoyable read that, once started, I found difficult to put down.

Stolen was a library book read.

A ROYAL ENGAGEMENT.

Cards on table, I wasn't going to post on Tuesday's announcement that Price William has asked for 'commoner' (I can't believe that certain journalists have dubbed her this, hardly nice is it?) Kate Middleton's hand in marriage but found myself bowing to the various requests made by you my blogger buddies and FaceBook friends despite the fact that I know that this might upset (infuriate even) some of you and even has the potential for all sorts of comments to be made especially by those who are not regulars to Pen and Paper but happened upon it by chance today - please be gentle with me, kind to each other and remember that we are all entitled to our opinions and though they may not be your opinions please be respectful.

To be totally frank with you, neither a royalist nor an anti- royalist, I'm really not bothered about this announcement one way or the other - it's not as if I know the couple OR as if I'm likely to get an invitation to the engagement party let alone to the wedding, shame as I can see myself in a BIG hat. That said, I can see my feelings changing to one of complete boredom very soon as already I'm tired of hearing about it, of listening to all the speculation about when and where the wedding will be, who the best man/bridesmaids will be, if Prince Harry is Charles's son - whoops! That's a whole other post and a suggestion that might have once seen me sent to THE TOWER which in the 16th century acquired a reputation as a grim, forbidding prison in which many, generally high status individuals were held as prisoners later to be tortured and executed.

But I digress ...... As it is, I'm just as glad that I know where the off switch is on the tv.

Apart from those of us to whom this whole 'media circus' means very little I think the rest of the population basically fall into one or other of the two remaining camps:- The royalists who see this as a good thing at a time when things could be better here in Britain, a time when we can forget our troubles and throw ourselves into the celebrations, a time when the rest of the world will look on in envy, a time when money will be generated by people buying all manner of (dare I say it?) 'tacky' souvenir merchandise SUCH AS these mugs etc to commemorate the wedding of William's parents.  AND The anti- royalists who don't like the royal family anyway and see them as a drain on the taxpayer and will doubtless demand to know just how much this will cost 'Joe Public'.

My feelings about the whole media aspect aside, I wish the couple well just as I would on hearing the announcement of any other engagement  and hope that the attention will soon lessen so that they can begin life as any other couple would. HOWEVER why, oh why wasn't a new ring bought OR am I being totally unromantic and unsentimental? I know, many rings are passed down from one woman to another via a son but let's face it this ring hardly brought any luck to the last couple, William's father, Price Charles, and mother, Lady Diana Spencer for whom marriage sadly ended in divorce and her untimely death - oh dear, does that makes me superstitious as well as unromantic and unsentimental?

And for those of you yet to see the engagement announcement coverage, click HERE

THE XMAS FILES.

As I expected I'm once again having terrible difficulties sourcing the SEASONAL BOOKS I had mentioned hoping to get - normally very good, our library services seems to be woefully inadequate when it comes to this type of reading material and I was only able to get hold of one book (not on my list) and reserve Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol. Still, thanks to Vivienne and her post on SUGGESTED READING, which I intend to print and take to the library, perhaps I will be able to get my hands on something.

Anyway, onto book one in this year's Holiday Reading Challenge (for details click HERE) which is hosted by Nely at All About {N} and includes other bloggers such as Mary (Book Fan) and Sharon (Sharon's Garden Of Book Reviews) OR HERE to link up your reviews.

THE XMAS FILES by PATRICK HARDING.

Do You Know?

Why we celebrate Christmas on 25th December? How holly came to be associated with Christmas? When the first Christmas card was sent?

Packed with fascinating and little-known facts about the festive season, The Xmas files unravels the myths and mysteries surrounding Christmas in an enchanting sweep through the history of our favourite time of the year. The nativity story that we all know and love conjures up images of the inn, the stable, shepherds and the three wise men. But could it really have happened that way? Were there more than three wise men? were they really wise or were they astrologers? When could Jesus realistically have been born?Patrick Harding sets the historical record straight on these and other questions as well as delving into the origins of our Christmas ritual - decking the halls with boughs of holly, singing carols, eating turkey and Santa Claus.

...... From the outer back cover.

OPENING SENTENCE: In the 24th century Christmas (Christ's Mass) is a worldwide time of celebration and commercial exploitation shared not only by millions of Christians but by people of other faiths and those of no faith in particular.

MEMORABLE FACT: In parts of Wales, 26 December was commemorated by a strange custom that was only finally outlawed in Victorian times. Holly beating or holming, as it was known in some areas, took the form of men and boys beating the unclothed arms of women servants (or other women considered to be of a lower social class) with holly branches, until their arms bled.

An interesting read, full of information as to how, when and why we celebrate Christmas, The Xmas Files is divided into sections;-

• The Ones I used to Know covering the origins of Christmas, when Jesus was born, why we celebrate Christmas when we do etc.
• 1,500 British Christmases. The 'first' Christmases through to Victorian and wartime Christmases and onto more recent times.
• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. Everything you wanted to know about Santa Claus/Father Christmas and his companions, Rudolph included. I really loved the section that dealt with letters that had been sent.
• Christmas Customs From the yule log right through to pantomime.
• The Goose Is Getting Fat. Traditional eats such as the goose, sweet mince pies and Christmas pudding etc.
• Other Christmas Quirks And Queries. - Why a white Christmas? and other such fascinating, little heard of topics.

Despite the fact that I dislike it when the word Christmas is shortened to Xmas and I thought the cover was somewhat gaudy, there were several things I really liked about this book. The first being the general layout - those section headings made the whole thing seem so concise and accessible but not in a text-book kind of way. Then there was the content in which the author dealt with the subject matter in a really thorough way whilst managing to keep things interesting and then there was that we were reminded that the whole festival had it's origins in pagan celebrations with many customs (the tree, holly etc) dating back to then but most of all I enjoyed the pictures which chronicled the changing faces of Father Christmas dressed in 'TRADITIONAL GREEN' to the 'COCA-COLA' VERSION we typically see today.

A thoroughly interesting and informative read with a few surprising facts up its sleeves, I'd recommend this book to all those who are interested in Christmas in general and to those who are interested in the changing faces of Christmas in particular.

THE MEMORY KEEPERS DAUGHTER.

THE MEMORY KEEPERS DAUGHTER  by KIM EDWARDS.

It should have been an ordinary birth, the start of an ordinary happy family. But the night Dr David Henry delivers his wife's twins is a night that will haunt five lives for ever.

For though David's son is a healthy boy, his daughter has Downs syndrome. And, in a shocking act of betrayal whose consequences only time will reveal, he tells his wife their daughter died while secretly entrusting her care to a nurse.

As grief quietly tears apart David's family, so a little girl must make her own way in the world as best she can.
..... From the outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: The snow started to fall several hours before her labor began.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: "Are you sure?" the nurse asked, looking up and meeting her eyes. "Are you really sure you want me to call a doctor?"
I don't know about a memorable moment, perhaps I should have renamed it 'Shocking Second' for this sentence refers to when Phoebe, the twin daughter, has a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting and is rushed to hospital where a nurse questions (albeit in a round-about way) if her life is worth saving.

Having worked with people who were once referred to as mongoloids/mental retards I thought I would find myself getting very emotionally involved in this story and I did but not to the extent I had expected.

To me, an interesting read rather than a particularly good read, The Memory Keeper's Daughter was too long and concentrated more on David, his wife Norah and their son (Phoebe's twin brother) Paul's story rather than that of Phoebe and 'her mother' (the nurse) Caroline which I thought was of much more interest and worth exploring more.

With fascinating insights throughout, the book dealt with how grief, secrets and disability issues can affect people and in this respect was amazing. It just went on too long (401 pages) and had major gaps in the narrative looking at the two families when 'the twins' were children aged 6, then aged 13, 18, 24 and 25.

Not as emotionally charged as I feared, The Memory Keeper's Daughter had me both laughing, crying, and, once or twice, shouting in anger as well as, on occasions, wondering exactly why a character/event occurred (I refer to the whole Rosemary episode for those of you who have read the book) and yet there was still something missing, something that I can't quite put my finger on, something that prevented the book from being all I felt it could be.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter was a hospital buy, sold to raise funds for The Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS).

BABY SEED SONG.

Little brown brother, oh! little

brown brother,

Are you awake in the dark?

Here we lie cosily, close to

each other:

Hark to the song of the lark

"Waken!" the lark says, "waken

and dress you;

Put on your green coats and gay

Blue sky will shine on you,

sunshine caress you

Waken! 'tis morning 'tis May!"

Little brown brother, oh! little

brown brother,

What kind of a flower will you be?

I'll be a poppy all white, like

my mother;

Do be a poppy like me.

What! You're a sunflower! How I

shall miss you

When you're grown golden

and high!

But I shall send all the bees up to

kiss you;

Little brown brother, good-bye.

- Edith Nesbit.

1858 - 1924.

And now for some homegrown talent. Two very different styles of verse by two very different bloggers - I give you (drum roll please):-

MARINELA'S HOPE
&
BUDH .... AAAH'S THE GIRL WHO WANTS TO MAKE YOU LAUGH.

BALTHAZAR JONES AND THE TOWER OF LONDON ZOO.

BALTHAZAR JONES AND THE TOWER OF LONDON ZOO by JULIA STUART. 

When Buckingham Palace announce that the Queen's exotic animals will be moved from London Zoo to the Tower Of London, Beefeater Balthazar Jones, owner of the world's oldest tortoise and collector of rare raindrops, is charged with minding them.

The magical (and ghostly), labyrinthine world of the Tower is already home and workplace to a strange collection of creatures - including the Reverend Septimus Drew, the Ravenmaster, and Ruby Dore, landlady of the Rack And Ruin, and, of course, Jones and his wife, the spectacular and fiery Hebe. Once it was home too for Milo, their young son, but then came the fateful day that haunts them both.

With the Tower made busier and stranger still by the addition of (among others) marmosets, a Komodo dragon, and even a zorilla it is easy for Balthazar to avoid the past. but will his marriage and the menagerie all make it through in one piece?

..... from the outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: Standing on the battlements in his pyjamas, Balthazar Jones looked out across the Thames where Henry III's polar bear had once fished for salmon while tied to a rope.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: "The removal man says he stopped for petrol and when he came back from paying, both the back and passenger doors were open and they'd vanished."

"Who was in the passenger seat?"

The beefeater looked away. "One of the penguins," he muttered.

Positively the best book I have read so far this year. Warm, touching, sad and yet very funny - I loved every sentence, every paragraph, every page, every chapter that was Balthazar Jones And The Tower Of London Zoo.

Not just about the zoo though, the book also told the wonderful story of Mrs Jones, Hebe, who worked in London Underground's Lost Property Office alongside Valerie - the antics of whom had me laughing till the tears came.

A wonderful story that has so many aspects to it, animals, intrigue and romance included. Peopled by a vast array of characters, all of whom are eccentric in one way or another and yet totally believable at the same time,  I'd be hard pushed to say just who my favourites were as there were so many but I'd probably go with the aforementioned Valerie and her catalogue of mishaps, usually involving her 'love interest' Arthur Catnip AND, perhaps, most loved of all, the Reverend Septimus Drew who, shall we say, as well as a chaplain, had an interesting sideline in the, err,  'creative arts'.

Then, of course, there were the vast range of animals, including the missing penguins, the giraffes who seemingly came from nowhere and Mrs Cook, the oldest tortoise in the world, who provided much of the humour and a great ending.

A reading group read, I can't wait to see what the others thought of this book. For myself, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it and would recommend it to you all as a stunning and original story.

FROM THE OLFACATION TO THE QUEEN JOINING FACEBOOK.

We've all heard of house sellers filling their homes with the smell of baking bread and brewing coffee in the hope of selling their homes more quickly AND the 'staycation' (A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer - Urban Dictionary) but how about ......

The latest and most cunning trend in the world travel market is 'olfacation' OR 'perfume-themed' holiday destinations.

Hotel lobbies, bedrooms, resort facilities and even airports will be doused with 'come-hither', tailor-maid aromas, according to a report, with the aim of enticing you back there. the Bangkok Intercontinental will reek alluringly of lemon grass, apparently, so that whenever you catch a whiff, at home or elsewhere, you'll be whisked away mentally to Thailand. - Rose Prince.

And now for several food based articles. What tastes like a pear but looks like an apple?

The answer? A pear.

(Not one of my jokes....... ) A supermarket claims to have solved the 'notoriously tricky' problem of how to eat a pear - by stocking a version shaped like an apple. One supermarket chain said it's 'easy to eat' Deisanne pear would iron out dilemmas such as whether to eat from the base or the top, and how to hold the fruit once you have eaten the thin part. (Thank goodness! The number of sleepless nights I've spent worrying about this.)

If I was to ask you what you thought the most asked question was, what would you say?

It is not "Where's the remote?" NOR is it "Where have you been?" NOT EVEN "What's the weather like?"

It is: "What are we having for dinner?"

The question-and-answer search engine, Ask Jeeves, polled 3,000 adults on which question they either ask - or hear - on a daily basis.

The study suggests that the British are obsessed with food, regularly asking "What are you having for dinner?" "Are you hungry?" AND "What are you doing for lunch?"  *

And yet another question ......

Who is the first person you would turn to to ask for advice on health issues? I guess many of us would answer a doctor but we'd be wrong.

The Department Of Health is putting the ........ fast food companies McDonald's and KFC and processed food and drink manufacturers such as PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Mars and Diago at the heart of writing government policy on obesity, alcohol and diet-related disease. - Felicity Lawrence, The Guardian. (READ FULL STORY)

Hmm, I'm only surprised the government didn't bring a tobacco manufacturer on board as well.

How could I forget to mention?

RUPERT TURNED 90 ON MONDAY.

HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH SIGNS UP ON FACEBOOK.

* Just in case you were wondering, the next nine questions asked according to the poll were:-

02. Are you ok?

03. How are you?

04. What's on the television?

05. What are you doing?

06. How was work?

07. What time will you be home?

08. Where are you?

09. What time is it?

10. Would you like a cup of tea?

And knowing The English obsession with the weather - at number 14, what is the weather like?

All of today's articles were printed in Saturday's Daily Telegraph unless otherwise stated.