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July 03
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Tricia
is currently reading:
Friday's Tunnel (Paperback)
by
John Verney
bookshelves:
currently-reading,
kids,
own,
plus-1
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my rating:
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Tricia
gave  to:
The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery (Hardcover)
by
Jennifer Appel
bookshelves:
09-07-july,
food,
own
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my rating:
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read in July, 2009
Tricia said:
"So far I've only tried a couple of the recipes in this book, but I have a number of more that I want to make. The instructions are clear and well written, and the list of ingredients is usefully pulled out to the side of each page, making it easier t...more
So far I've only tried a couple of the recipes in this book, but I have a number of more that I want to make. The instructions are clear and well written, and the list of ingredients is usefully pulled out to the side of each page, making it easier to look through and see if you have everything available. The 'Glazed Breakfast Buns' were delicious and although I think they're too sweet for breakfast, they work nicely at other times with a nice cup of tea. My 'Raspberry Crumb Squares' didn't work out as well, but I didn't follow the instructions exactly, so I blame myself. The result was delicious anyway, and I hope it will work out better when I follow what's written. Just made the 'Orange Vanilla Chip Cookies' last night with white chocolate chunks instead of vanilla chips (never heard of these, and definitely can't get them in the UK) - really really yummy, and faintly remind me of Creamsicles as the text says. It's unfortunate that a lot of their cookie and bars seems to require chips in various flavours, as they are really difficult, if nigh on impossible, to get here. I guess I'll have to stock up when I'm next in the States on: vanilla chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, white choc chips and of course chocolate chips.(less)
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July 02
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Tricia
gave  to:
Mothstorm (Hardcover)
by
Philip Reeve
bookshelves:
09-06-june,
kids,
own
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
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June 29
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Tricia
gave  to:
Magic in the Park (Paperback)
by
Ruth Chew
bookshelves:
09-06-june,
kids,
own,
plus-1
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009, has a copy to sell/swap
Tricia said:
"I think I enjoyed this book much more as a kid than I have rereading it now. Throughout the book the two main characters are thrown into situations over which they have no control, and which would be overwhelming if some random thing didn't happen to...more
I think I enjoyed this book much more as a kid than I have rereading it now. Throughout the book the two main characters are thrown into situations over which they have no control, and which would be overwhelming if some random thing didn't happen to save them. This is not a friendly, happy magic.
The dedication to the book is to someone "who is afraid of the park", and quite honestly reading this I can understand why! Too often these children got out of their predications in the nick of time, with the threat of being eaten, being suffocated, and being trapped in another form.
Not a keeper.(less)
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June 28
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Tricia
gave to:
The Court of the Stone Children (Hardcover)
by
Eleanor Cameron
bookshelves:
09-06-june,
kids,
own,
plus-1
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tricia said:
"It is odd, considering that I could hardly remember this book's plot and haven't read it in many year and have never investigated the author, that it has remained in my mind one of my favourite books. However, I may have discovered something interest...more
It is odd, considering that I could hardly remember this book's plot and haven't read it in many year and have never investigated the author, that it has remained in my mind one of my favourite books. However, I may have discovered something interesting about myself reading it today: this book might be responsible for my love of the French language.
The plot itself is not overly complicated, though some of it is convoluted. Essentially it is about a girl who is growing up and helps solve a mystery from the past. She learns to accept her new city by being accepted in a circle of friends and learning about her own passions. I love how well Nina is written, she comes alive off the page. The mystery of the story is very different from any in other books, and the setting is also fairly unique. It feels like Cameron lived the story as she wrote it, and she doesn't overwrite with purple prose.
I'm really glad that this lived up to my memory's view, and I will be keeping it on the shelf for future re-reads. (less)
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June 26
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Tricia
gave  to:
Old New York (Paperback)
by
Edith Wharton
bookshelves:
09-06-june,
own
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tricia said:
"These for novellas lend an insight into the mores of the upper crust of New York society of the mid-19th century. I thought it was interesting how modern some of the situations and plot felt, even though some of the customs were obviously of another ...more
These for novellas lend an insight into the mores of the upper crust of New York society of the mid-19th century. I thought it was interesting how modern some of the situations and plot felt, even though some of the customs were obviously of another age. It seems some of the societal pressures of marriage and morality could still exist in modern New York society, especially that of the richer classes, which are always a bit more conservative.
I did enjoy some of the stories more than others. 'The Spark' was the weakest of the four, since it seemed to always be on the edge of saying something but never getting there. The other three felt more accessible. False Dawn, the first story, was so exquisitely sad and didn't go where I first expected it to, which was a nice surprise. The Old Maid was strongly written and set up the two main characters very well. I understand why Wharton used the younger narrator to frame the story of New Year's Day, but it felt much more like a contrivance. The first two stories of the book did not have a character narrating (although one pops up at the end of False Dawn he does not intrude at all before that), which seems to be the reason they were stronger. The narrator in New Year's Day was the troubling bit of the story. Wharton had to write him in with convolutions of the story, which served to lose the emotional kernel of the story in the mix.
Altogether, I enjoyed these novellas and the glimpses into old New York, and I am now interested in reading Wharton's longer works.(less)
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June 23
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Tricia
gave to:
Children of the Great Country Houses (Paperback)
by
Adeline Hartcup
bookshelves:
08-12-dec,
own
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my rating:
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read in December, 2008
Tricia said:
"I wanted to enjoy this more than I did, but the writing was a bit dense, the chapters a bit too rigidly set out, and there was not a real narrative sense to the book. There is a lot of information but at times it feels more like a reeling off of big ...more
I wanted to enjoy this more than I did, but the writing was a bit dense, the chapters a bit too rigidly set out, and there was not a real narrative sense to the book. There is a lot of information but at times it feels more like a reeling off of big country house names rather than an overall sense of what it was like to live in the houses and how this affected the children once they were grown ups. Unfortunately this didn't live up to my expectations.(less)
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Tricia
gave to:
An Auctioneer's Lot (Hardcover)
by
Philip Serrell
bookshelves:
08-09-sept,
own
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my rating:
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read in September, 2008
Tricia said:
"This was such an enjoyable read, I can't believe I left it sitting on my to-read shelf for so long! The sometimes astonishing, always amusing situations that Serrell has found himself in as an apprentice auctioneer are portrayed in a really light, fr...more
This was such an enjoyable read, I can't believe I left it sitting on my to-read shelf for so long! The sometimes astonishing, always amusing situations that Serrell has found himself in as an apprentice auctioneer are portrayed in a really light, fresh written style here. I enjoyed getting a sense of the countryside characters and their quirks. Serrell's writing is an enjoyable pace and very touching.(less)
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Tricia
gave to:
Sold to the Man with the Tin Leg (Hardcover)
by
Philip Serrell
bookshelves:
08-10-oct
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my rating:
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read in October, 2008
Tricia said:
"Rather than starting out where 'An Auctioneer's Lot' ends, this second memoir goes back and fills in some additional anecdotes from Serrell's career. These are just as funny and heartwarming as the first book! If you enjoyed the first book, you'll en...more
Rather than starting out where 'An Auctioneer's Lot' ends, this second memoir goes back and fills in some additional anecdotes from Serrell's career. These are just as funny and heartwarming as the first book! If you enjoyed the first book, you'll enjoy this just as much. However, if you haven't read the first, I think you can still get as much out of this one too, since he deftly fills you in about the characters' quirks and attitudes. I wouldn't mind reading more about his later career in a future memoir (hint, hint!).(less)
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Tricia
gave to:
Sorrelle (Livewire)
by
Millie Murray
bookshelves:
09-06-june,
kids,
own,
plus-1
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tricia said:
"This teen book about racism, first love, and sticking to your principles is well written and I believe it manages to write at a teen level without being condescending. It addresses a Romeo & Juliet type scenario with added elements of modern racism a...more
This teen book about racism, first love, and sticking to your principles is well written and I believe it manages to write at a teen level without being condescending. It addresses a Romeo & Juliet type scenario with added elements of modern racism and British culture. The main charactere is a very honest narrator, and we sweep through her emotions with her. It portrays the ups and downs, the confusion and the joy of young love, even when everything is against you.(less)
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