Mini-Shopaholic

Once again, Sophie Kinsella has delivered. I finished Mini-Shopaholic (my first purchase with my employee discount) this afternoon on my way home from school. I enjoyed every minute of it. Of course. Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood), one of my very best book friends, was hilarious and complicated as ever in this new installment of the Shopaholic series. Along with her fiesty two-year old, Minnie, Becky has one adventure after another that kept me entertained. I love reading these books while I am in school, because it's a nice change of pace from the usual suspects (Edmund Spenser and Mary Wollstonecraft this week). I would definitely recommend this read to any Kinsella fans. With a word of caution though. You will want to shop, and shop and shop. And you will fall in love with the Brandons all over again.
Happy reading!

ps. I just realized that I have been reading this series since I was in high school (possibly grade ten or eleven -- I don't recall). Becky is a part of my life now.

Twenties Girl

In my last post, I mentioned that I had been reading Kinsella's newest novel, Twenties Girl. Yet again, I found a best friend in book form. I am in love with this book. I laughed, I "aww"ed, I even came close to tears. Kinsella has such a talent for creating amazingly vivid characters who I either want to be, or have them be my best friend. Lara Lington was no exception.
It has been a really long time since I have sat down with a book for hours, and with this one I did that last night polishing off the last few hundred pages into the wee hours.
Also, I had the great desire to find myself a flapper dress, some beads, a cloche hat and do the Charleston. Yep, I loved this one.

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Now, I am just counting the days until I can read Mini-Shopaholic! 

Mini-Shopaholic

Currently I am reading Sophie Kinsella's latest Twenties Girl. But that's not what I am here to share with you today. I'll do that when I finish. While I was reading today, I flipped to the back to see how many pages I had left to read and found an advertisement for Kinsella's next work. Mini-Shopaholic. That's right! Becky is back!

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Oooh! I am so excited for this one! 

The Last Song

After a brief hiatus, I am back and ready to gush about one of my greatest loves: literature. So, to begin my summer of writing, let's start with my most recent finish.
Last week I finished reading Nicholas Sparks' The Last Song. I have always enjoyed reading his novels, and was not disappointed with this one. Though there was the usual predictability that you find in a Sparks novel, it was still a good read.
If you need an easy summer read that will tug at your heart strings, this is the one for you.
Happy reading, friends!

 

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The Vinyl Cafe

After spending some time reading about literary theory for an assignment, I decided my eyes needed a treat. So, I picked up my trusty copy of Stuart McLean's Secrets from the Vinyl Cafe. I have loved McLean's short stories ever since grade seven when my Humanities teacher read us a hilarious Christmas story of his. I consider Dave and Morley to be my friends. Isn't it funny how that happens when you read a book? Maybe I'm the only one that does that. I don't know. But, I find that my test of a good book is when I get so invested in the lives of the characters that they become part of my life too. I think that's really magical, and I am indeed grateful for writers like McLean who have the ability to do that. I think I'll have to read another story tonight before bed too, just for kicks. 

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Poetry

Last semester, I had a poetry class. It was pretty fantastic. I adore poetry. It's so simple, yet so complicated at the same time. I find a great beauty in that juxtaposition. One of my favourite poets is E. E. Cummings. Here's something to make you smile on this blistery day:


somewhere i have never travelled
somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose

or if your wish be to close me,i and
my life will shut very beautifully,suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility:whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens;only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands

How lovely is that? Thanks for the smile, Mr. Cummings. 

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One Fish, Two Fish...

I'm nearing my twenty-first birthday, and yet I am still very fond of Dr. Seuss. I grew up reading those stories, and a great swelling of happiness ensued -- which I later identified as my love for reading. This man was a genius, truly writing for the masses, even if he didn't know it. But, maybe he did.

What is your favourite Dr. Seuss story?

mine is a tie between How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Green Eggs and Ham (and Oh! The Places You'll Go comes in at close second)