Posts Tagged ‘PTO Book Challenge’
[Book Review] Breath: A Novel
by Tim Winton
rating: 3 of 5 stars
Maybe I had too high expectations, and to be fair not many books will leave me feeling the same way as I did after I finished Cloudstreet. The style was similar for the most part — the almost melancholic nostalgia, but the ending lwft me hollow. After the wonderful parts about Pikelet’s adolecence, the South West surfie culture, the amazing descriptions of the sea and the weather… it all fell a little flat.
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[book review] The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
3 of 5 stars
Oh my. Even though I knew/could easily guess the ending here, it left me feeling pretty horrid. Don’t read this if you wish to have romanticised visions of Henry VIII in your head; Gregory makes him out to be a complete and utter nutjob, and a gross fat, stinky nutjob at that. Which is probably about right.
I noticed another reviewer mentions the ‘myopic’ sense of narrative in this novel, and that’s pretty spot on. There is quite the sense of icky claustrophobia — quite possibly just as Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard felt while in Henry’s company.
This was definitely a lot darker than The Other Boleyn Girl, and I would hardly call it a romance. But it was still alright. Pre-feminism angst sources abound.
Finished the first book!
The Princess Diaries 9: Princess Mia by Meg Cabot
4 of 5 stars
My then-13ish cousin recommended Meg Cabot‘s The Princess Diaries to me when I was in year 12. My friends Sarah, Laura and I have been sillily addicted because they are cute as heck and Hilarious (with a capital H!).
The 9th instalment was an easy read chosen to help ease me back into the reading groove, and reading about Mia’s neurotic teenage angsts was a nice change from thinking about my own (although I hope my own angsts are slightly more mature).
*My first book completed for the PTO One-Book-A-Week Challenge!
the Other Side lives NICE
So someone I know just bought a new Beemer, and they got a one-month gym membership at Next Generation Kings Park in their welcome pack — because BMW sponsors the place, or whatever — and gave me the voucher. Apparently everyone thinks I need to get off my skinny butt once in a while.
Since it’s totally on the way to/from work and stuff, Matt said I should just use it for the month, even if it’s just to see how the Other Side lives. I went to join up after work last night (the voucher expires on the 30th, and yes, I know I like to leave everything to the last minute) and ooooooooh, it’s so FANCY!!!
Amusingly, this is on their membership info page:
How much is membership to a Next Generation Club?
We like all of our prospective members to come along to the club and see the fantastic facilities available, allow us to meet you in person and give you a chance to experience Next Generation Clubs first-hand before making a decision. In addition, due to the various membership categories that we offer, we feel it best to discuss which category will be best suited to your needs.
Translation: If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
But that shouldn’t be surprising: they are sponsored by BMW… although that doesn’t really seem to be a very effective marketing choice on Auto Classic‘s part — there were more Porches that Beemers in the parking lot.
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Book Challenge Update: only 59 pages to go before I finish PD9 — sweet.
because I said so 