Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Books: The Millennium series by Stieg Larsson

Posted by spriglet On Thursday, 25 July 2013 21:42 0 comments
There really is nothing better, I think, than discovering an incredible writer who not only has a great way with words and a unique way of creating intriguing characters, but is also very, very smart. A lot of the books I've read (and loved) have not necessarily been intelligent works of fiction; more just very entertaining reads. But having just read Stieg Larsson's Millennium series I can happily say they're the smartest novels I've read in years. 

 I rarely finish a book and a) feel absolutely gutted that there aren't more and b) start researching the author, but that's what I did after finishing The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest. It's not that the ending isn't final enough - the books could easily stop there, it had a great finale - but that I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to those characters just yet. Looking up the author and his history, I'm now even more saddened by it as the man behind the books sounds a lot like Blomkvist, the lead male character.

 Plots like this one don't come around often; Larsson was an absolute genius and if it's true that there are two more possible books (it seems he'd intended to write ten before he died - all for fun, too) then I can only hope that his widow (though they never married) manages to fill in the blanks in a way he would have wanted and gets them published. If not, then I'll be satisfied with re-reading the trilogy over and over. Lisbeth Salander is one hell of a heroine and even when you know how it ends, the story still grips you every step of the way. 

 The man has been labelled an extremist and a feminist; all I can say is he's one of the best writers I've ever come across. 
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Book review: One Day

Posted by spriglet On Monday, 1 October 2012 23:10 0 comments
I don't get to read as much as I'd like to thanks to hectic London life, so aside from the sun, sea and sangria, one of the things I looked forward to most about my holiday was starting and finishing a book or two.

 The first book of choice was One Day by David Nicholls, and having not seen the film (part hate for Anne Hathaway, part knowing I wanted to read it first) and after hearing plenty about it, I was intrigued - I generally avoid books that have a lot of hype but am a sucker for a good love story. Plus everybody on the tube had read it, so I had some catching up to do.

It wasn't quite as I expected - I thought it was a romantic story of a should-be couple meeting up on the anniversary of their first date, but instead it looked at where they were on that date each year whether they were together or not. The book spans 20 years, from 1988 when they meet as students to the present day.

I'd seen plenty of comments about it not being a 'traditional romance' so I wasn't expecting the usual chick-lit, but at first I found it very hard to like either of the characters. I found Em difficult rather than endearing, and Dex arrogant in the way that isn't attractive, making it tricky to care about either of them. But their lack of likeability makes them all the more real, which I assume the author was going for - this is no Disney tale of the perfect man and the perfect woman falling in love.

 Both lead characters (and the people that surround them) are flawed, but through working on their imperfections they grow up together, apart, and together again. It felt incredibly genuine. While a lot of books tend to be a bit saucy or funny for dramatic effect, One Day had a real edge to it, largely I think because of the structure. Each installment in the life of Em and Dex was intriguing, but just as you turn the page to find out what happens next a year has passed and their lives have changed and intertwined, in ways which aren't always revealed in great detail.

 I imagine it suits both men and women, another plus that puts it above your traditional chick-lit; Londoners might enjoy it for its depictions of the city and how the two live in such contrasting situations (Dex's snobbery at her pokey flat was particularly authentic). 

I did have one big issue with it, though; the twist seemed unnecessary. I know a lot of people whinge about twists if it involves something happening that they would prefer not to happen, but for me it felt a bit like a desperate attempt at making the book 'shock' readers (and creep up the bestsellers lists in the process). Maybe I'm just too cynical?

 What I liked most about the story, though, was the writing (engaging and not soppy despite dealing with emotion) and the fact that I could really relate to the relationship. It was like taking a sidestep, looking at a past relationship and seeing it for all its flaws, greatness and sadness in one. 

I always like a story that teaches me a little something, and Nicholls definitely gave me something to think about - love is not perfect, for one thing; and for another, don't ever imagine Anne Hathaway when picturing a character. It ruins it. 

 Have you read it? What did you think?

 P.S. I watched the film after and it was much better than expected. But the book definitely wins.
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Sophie Kinsella - She's Back

Posted by spriglet On Tuesday, 29 November 2011 22:43 0 comments
Image from Amazon
I just had to post this today, as a long-awaited email from Amazon popped into my inbox this morning. Sophie Kinsella, writer of the Shopaholic series as well as the brilliant Undomestic Goddess, Twenties Girl, Remember Me? and others, is back. FINALLY.

It feels like an age since I read Mini Shopaholic and even longer since Twenties Girl - which was pretty different given the ghostly essence of the story but fantastic and laugh-out-loud funny nonetheless. Now Kinsella is back with a new novel which is available to pre-order - it's called I've Got Your Number and sounds hilarious as always.

Chick-lit gets pretty slated at times but as a writer who wants to write that stuff (I want to make people laugh and swoon simultaneously, in life and in writing. What's wrong with that?!) I absolutely love it. There aren't many who do it well (no pressure then, future me) but when I find a decent author who knows their giggles such as Freya North or Anna Maxted, I stick to them and wait eagerly for their next release. I'm always looking for new ones too, so do let me know in the comments if there are any you swear by.

So without further ado, here's the blurb stolen from Amazon and the link for pre-ordering it. Enjoy!


I've lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. 
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Buy it on Amazon here. Happy reading...
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Creative Inspiration - Films, Books and Music

Posted by spriglet On Saturday, 5 November 2011 16:22 0 comments
If I'm not being creative myself, it's often because I'm too busy enjoying someone else's creativity. I love that great feeling after reading an all-encompassing book where you can't wait to recommend it, or after watching a gripping film when you feel like you're still there in the story (unless it's Saw, in which case I get as far away from it as possible with an episode of Friends). The hope that one day I'll write something that makes people feel like that is pretty much why I'm here, so I thought I'd post about some recent inspiration...

Great authors
It does seem like everyone wants to write a book, but maybe it's just that I'm surrounded by writers? As well as my love for Sophie Kinsella's light-hearted shopaholics and co, I've recently found I love a good thriller when it comes to reading. Enter, Linwood Barclay - his stories read like an unfolding ITV drama (I mean this in a good way) and keep me turning the page no matter what time it is or how long until my alarm clock is due to annoy me. Never Look Away had me guessing right until the end, but my favourite so far has been No Time for Goodbye - original, tricky and refreshingly 'real' under all the crime and darkness of the plot.

Great musicians
It's no secret that I am addicted to Spotify, Ibiza and maybe a bit of The X Factor, but sometimes in this reality-show driven era of music it's easy to forget that there are real musicians out there who could be the next big icon. When I was younger my idols were Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Kylie because I thought they'd be around forever - now I think the same of Beyonce, the late Michael Jackson and well, Kylie (there's just no stopping her!). 

Last week I saw Bruno Mars at the Brixton Academy and I couldn't believe what a born entertainer he was - he has so much charisma, a smile that could melt anyone into pure lust, and a voice and super cool dance moves that make me think he was born into the wrong decade. His support act was Skylar Grey, who co-wrote Love the Way You Lie and sings it pretty damn well too - she has a haunting voice that reminds me of Evanescence and is definitely one to watch.

Great films
Thanks to the brilliant LoveFilm I have a regular dose of film landing on my doorstep so that if I miss a trip to the ever-expensive cinema I can add it to my wishlist. With Oscar season upon us there are so many great movies to see out there at the moment that I don't know where to start - though obviously, anything with Ryan Gosling in gets prioritised for me; I can't wait to see Ides of March and have also got my eye on Justin Timberlake's new release, In Time.

I recently saw Drive and left with both the shakes and a thumping heart - I don't know why it got to me so much but the way it was directed had me quite literally holding my breath, and Gosling played his multi-dimensional character perfectly.  I also saw the other Ryan of note, Ryan Reynolds in Buried (courtesy of LoveFilm) and I think it must be the most tense film I have ever watched. Filmed purely in a coffin in which he has been buried alive, it really was thought-provoking and one of the most memorable movies for me in recent cinema. 

What inspires you to be creative, or what books/films/music have you discovered lately? I'm currently reading We Need to Talk About Kevin, definitely not my usual chick-lit with a happy ending...
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Book Review: Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella

Posted by Judy Johnson On Sunday, 1 November 2009 13:37 1 comments
In anticipation of the review I am yet to write of my favourite author's latest book, Twenties Girl, here is a review of Remember Me?  which I originally wrote for Flisolo.com. If you loved the Shopaholic series, give this one a go - it's equally brilliant.

Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? is another bestseller that will make you laugh unashamedly out loud. ‘Chick-lit' doesn’t do it justice; Kinsella’s books are classics in the eyes of her widespread fan-base, with memorable characters who stay with you long after the book is finished.

In Remember Me? our heroine is Lexi, a twenty-five-year-old with dire career prospects at a carpet company, wonky teeth and a rubbish boyfriend, Loser Dave. But after an accident, Lexi wakes up in hospital to find that actually, it’s not 2004 as she thinks; it is 2007 and she has the life she’s always dreamed of. Perfect teeth, perfect millionaire husband, designer handbags, the lot.

Suffering from amnesia, Lexi has no idea what has happened in the last three years of her life. Her ever-helpful ideal husband draws up a ‘marriage manual’ so that she can learn the ropes of their relationship, but as she begins to find out more about her new self, Lexi realises her dream life is more of a nightmare. Her best friends no longer talk to her, she’s not allowed to eat crisps, her sex life involves something called a Mont Blanc which turned out not to be a cocktail, and an attractive man is causing problems. Lexi’s character is brilliantly crafted as someone we can all empathise with, and the plot has many twists and turns with some fun bumps along the way, making it impossible to put down. From her disastrous attempt at driving her Mercedes (she couldn’t drive in 2004) to knocking out a £300 fish at her husband’s ‘Loft-style Living’ launch, Lexi is adorable and worryingly real.

Filled with some fantastic lines of wit, Remember Me? will make you giggle, cringe and cry, perhaps all at once; a must read for all Sophie Kinsella fans and even more so for Sophie Kinsella virgins- this book will get you hooked.
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Confessions of a Shopaholic

Posted by Judy Johnson On Saturday, 28 February 2009 17:47 3 comments
Being a massive Becky Bloomwood fan, I went along to see Confessions of a Shopaholic this week. It was already a risky choice as I have given up shopping for lent, so it was kind of like taking an alcoholic to a pub, but I have been waiting for this film for a long long time!

Sophie Kinsella's fantastic and infamous Shopaholic books are hilarious, and every girl I know who's read them is convinced that Becky Bloomwood just 'is' them - including me. Her humour, her romantic side, her got-to-have-it shopping mantra are all things us girls understand. So, the film had a lot to live up to... question is, did it pass the test?

Thankfully, it did. Expecting it to be disappointingly different, with our British Becky Bloomwood being replaced by an American, and the dashing Luke played by a Brit, I was gleefully surprised when actually, it worked really well. Isla Fisher gave a fantastic performance as the gushing, fashionista journalist, whose 'magic cards' (credit cards) were maxed out due to her shopping addiction. She was very much like Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde, with a butter-wouldn't-melt voice and wide eyes, but with a sweetness that us readers all know and love. Hugh Dancy is the latest dreamboat to hit the screens, playing Luke Brandon with humour and a sensitive side.

The best scene in the film is the dancing between Luke and Becky when they are abroad - there won't be a dry eye in the cinema as Becky freestyles with her fan. Turning books into a film is always risky and there's a strong chance of spoiling what was so great about the story in the first place - but the only way they'll ruin this is if they don't make the sequels.
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