New book series on tv: The Secret Circle

Tonight in the US, along with the Vampire Diaries returning to tv, the new series The Secret Circle, also by L.J.Smith will see its debut.
For those who are unfamiliar with The Secret Circle, its like a teen version of Charmed meets The Craft. Witches galore! I have read the series and loved it. You will be able to find a review for the books on my blog before its debut on UK tv.

The Secret Circle is about a young girl named Cassie who moves back to the town of her ancestors after her mother's death and discovers she comes from a line of witches. Here she is inducted into a circle of young witches, one of which she is instantly attracted to. The story follows Cassie as she discovers the truth behind her family's history.

I am not entirely sure how close the series will be to the book, but I am sure it will be great to watch and put some faces to names. I know my favourite character shouldnt be evil, but I can't help that the actor they cast for the role of Charles Meade is one of my faves. If you are watching it in the US tonight, or online, do share your opinions on the series... I would love to hear what you think.
For those who are new to the series, take a peak at the show tonight and if you love it, I highly recommend reading the books.

Review: Stefan's Diaries v.3: The Craving (The Vampire Diaries)

With the return of the Vampire Diaries tonight in the US, I thought I would review the most recent book of the series I have read.

Stefan's Diaires: The Craving, by L.J. Smith is the third book in Stefan's Diaries, part of the Vampire Diaries series. Stefan's Diaries is told in first person by Stefan, following his journey when he meets Katherine, is turned into a vampire and the following months when he tries to cope with his new life and his brother Damon.

In The Craving, Stefan is beginning to handle his life as a vampire, controlling his need for blood. This is the turning point for Stefan where he no longer needs to kill humans to survive. He has left the drama and events behind him and moved on to New York City where he thinks he will be able to live a normal life... that is until Damon returns. With Damon in town, you can expect the quiet life wont last long. Damon is bent on making Stefan's life a living hell and turns it into a game. Unfortunately for Damon, his plans get a little complicated and we are introduced to more evil than Damon and Stefan had imagined.

Cover:
The cover art for this series is pretty basic, each book with a face of the main characters, first Stefan, second Damon and third Elena. While I like the simplicity in this design, my only issue is that Elena is not mentioned in Stefan's Diaries, yet she is on the cover for this book.

Final Comments:
The great thing about the Stefan's Diaries series is that we get an insight into Stefan's thoughts and learn more about his past and how he came to be what he is. If however you have not had the chance the read the series, I recommend you read the first two books, which I will post reviews soon. While I love The Vampire Diaries, this book was a bit quick and just made Stefan look like a wimp.

Book 1: Stefan's Diaries v.1: Origins

Book 2: Stefan's Diaries v.2: Bloodlust

Book 3: Stefan's Diaries v.3: The Craving

Release Date: May 2011

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Author: L.J.Smith

Friday's Five

I am very excited to be involved in my first weekly meme. Friday's Five is a weekly list of five of my favourites, which has been started by the wonderful Steph at Steph's Stacks.

1. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

This is one of my all time favourites, which I actually reviewed in August. It is not often that you pick up a travel book and are dying to know what happens next. It is a fascinating non-fiction novel that combines crime with travel - you get a true story and learn about Savannah at the same time. The fact it spent 216 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list says alot. 

There was alot of talk around this book, which provided the quiet town of Savannah with a sudden burst of tourists. If you visit Savannah today, you will see that the presence of this book everywhere. Its power is similar to that of Twilight and the town of Forks and Harry Potter and England.

2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling

As a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, I loved the first book. It introduced us to Hogwarts and the world of magic. Harry, Ron and Hermione are so young and it is the first book readers relate to as we, just like Harry didnt know anything about the magical world.... after all we are just muggles. Without hesitation I can admit that J.K Rowling is also an amazing writer. I am sure I could read anything she writes.

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 

Now this has nothing to do with the movie that has come out, I have always had a soft spot for this book. It is one of those that you never forget. What I admire in this novel is that it was written by a woman in a period where a story such as this was considered feminist; all because it explored a female characters thoughts and feelings.

The plot is exciting and not at all predictable and I love its gothic qualities. Most importantly, any girl can fall for Edward Rochester without trying.

4. Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov

Three Sisters is a great play that I had the pleasure not only to read but performed on stage in London. Watching it in the theatre is probably a hundred times better than on film. It is said that the story is partially inspired by the situation of the Bronte sisters, however there seems to be a list of multiple inspirations, so we might never know.

For those of you who have never heard of it before, it is a play about the upper class in Russia, following the lives and dreams of three sisters, Olga, Masha, Irina and their brother Andrei.

Unfortunately for the characters, dreams are just that... dreams. Even if you are part of the upper class society, life can be a struggle and the sisters get to realise this the hard way.

5. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Also known as The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic is the first in a series of books about Becky Bloomwood and her adventures in life and shopping. Sophie Kinsella, who also writes under her real name Madeleine Wickham describes what the majority of women today want - a great husband and lots and lots of shoes, clothes and handbags! The thing that makes this series entertaining is Becky is all over the place and her shopping antics get her in trouble wherever she goes.

New rating system

In addition to my new button, I have also changed the way I will be rating books. Instead of 1 to 5, I will be using acorns. The more acorns the better! When I find a book is beyond amazing, I will be awarding it the golden acorn!

New Blog Button!

After my fantastic welcome into the blogging world, I had bloggers giving me tips from every angle. I have never "met" a more amazing group of friendly people. After improvements to my blog, I decided it was time to create a button. With my blog mascot being my famous nutcracker who sits on my bookshelf guarding my books, I decided to give him some representation in my button. After an afternoon of tedious work in Illustrator and staring at my nutcracker soldier, I have finally finished! Introducing my official button!
Special thanks to Steph at Steph's Stacks for helping me turn my creation into a proper html button!
If you would like my button, you can grab a copy on the left side of the page.

Review: Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)

While reading the books in my collection, I decided to read Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer again in preparation for part 1 of the movie coming out in November.

Out of all the Twilight books, I have to admit this is my favourite. Putting aside the extremely insane turn of events, this book gave me a sigh of relief when I realised Bella can be a normal person after all. I spent three books waiting for her to grow up, stop complaining and doing stupid things. While the other books exploded with team Jacob and team Edward drama, Breaking Dawn finally brought an end to the struggle.

Breaking Dawn is a great end to the saga as we see Bella finally settle down with Edward and begin to think of others for once. The book starts with an exciting event... the wedding! At the wedding, we meet all the people involved in Bella's life - past, present and future; humans, werewolves and vampires. Obviously with such a mixed group of people, you can tell this book will have its drama... and you will not be disappointed. It is a bit like Eclipse but more intense. The only thing that may disappoint is the lack of action scenes like in Eclipse... but then again teenage girls probably dont want to see their favourite characters killed.

Cover:
Like the entire saga, the covers are consistent with the colour and design. I love them for their simplicity and they definately stand out on my bookshelf. In regards to meaning, I simply assumed the white queen represented the new Bella... strong and unstopable... a vampire. That was my assumption before even opening the book.
There is also a clear explanation on Stephenie Meyers website:

"Breaking Dawn's cover is a metaphor for Bella's progression throughout the entire saga. She began as the weakest (at least physically, when compared to vampires and werewolves) player on the board: the pawn. She ended as the strongest: the queen. In the end, it's Bella that brings about the win for the Cullens".

Final Comments:
It is difficult to go further with insights on this book without ruining it for the odd few who havent read it yet, especially with the movie trailer having already spoiled it. This book has everything the twilight series is famous for - romance, drama, conflict, action and heartbreak. Definately the best in the saga in my opinion. I have enjoyed reading each book and will miss all my favourite characters, including Carslisle and Aro! Two of the strongest and honest characters in the book that made reading more enjoyable.

Rating: 5/5
Release Date: August 2008
Publisher: Atom (Little, Brown Book Group)
Author: Stephenie Meyer


What do you think of the book?
Do you think the saga has been represented well on film or do you prefer to stick to the books?

If you are a fan of the films, below is the teaser trailer for the movie

Review: The friendly guide to Mythology

The friendly guide to Mythology is a book of mythology written by Nancy Hathaway.

I have found throughout the years, people tend to reference mythology in many situations. This can happen in a movie, tv show, in a book or a random discussion with friends. It can get rather annoying when you don't know anything about the tale.

I was originally given this book to read at University in the US for a course in World Mythology. It is not only a fascinating reference book about myths, but it is laid out in a way that encourages reading and feels like a story telling book of myths around the world.

Whether you want to know how the world was created, how someone became a hero, why the gods eat their children, why you shouldnt fly too close to the sun... this book can answer all the questions you may have.
You will see myths of gods, monsters, mortals and creation from Europe, Asia, Australia, America and Africa.
The reason I say it is more like a story book is because the book also contains photos and illustrations, which makes it easier to remember stories.

Cover:
I love the cover art on this book, it is very right and colourful and gives readers the feeling that it is a light read and not a heavy and boring book of myths.
Can you guess who is on the front?

Final Comments:
If you want a enjoyable book of myths to go, then this is it. There is an A to Z list of the popular gods... the only ones you really need to know. If like me, you get confused by a story or aren't sure what it means, there are also interpretations that make life easy. All in all, this is an extremely fascinating book that I like to read from time to time as it inspires my imagination!

Rating: 5/5
Release Date: August 2003
Publisher: Penguin
Author: Nancy Hathaway