Sunday 30 November 2014

Made by Raffi by Craig Pomranz and Margaret Chamberlain (Children's, Picture book, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)



June 2014, Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 40 pages, Hardback, Review copy 

Content: knitting, friendship, love

Summary from Frances Lincoln
 Raffi is a shy boy who doesn’t like noisy games and is often teased at school. But when he gets the idea of making a scarf for his dad’s birthday he is full of enthusiasm, even though the other children think it is girly to knit. Then the day draws near for the school pageant, and there is one big problem – no costume for the prince. And that’s when Raffi has his most brilliant idea of all – to make a prince’s cape. On the day of the pageant, Raffi’s cape is the star of the show.

Nayu's thoughts
I couldn't say no to a knitting picture book, considering I love crochet, and can knit but find crochet easier on my health these days. Plus, and this is a big plus, Raffi is boy! He's doing what can be seen as a 'girly' past time. But he both family and friends that knitting is for everyone! Which it is. You can't beat starting a new project and squeeing over yarn, or diving into a current project - which, entertainingly, is called a wip Work In Progress, just like a novel! - and Raffi's story is a fantastic tale promote the benefits to all of knitting. 

By the way, I had no idea Craig was an opera singer until I checked out his website.
Suggested read
On with the knitting theme- this time for older readers - check out Boys Don't Knit by T. S. Easton (Young Adult, 9/10E)

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Gigantosaurus by Jonny Duddle Children's, Picture book, 10/10E, short 'n' sweet review)


September 2014, Templar, 32 pages, Paperback, Review copy 

Content: lots of humour, some danger,

Summary from Templar
All young dinosaurs are warned about the scary Gigantosaurus. So Bonehead volunteers to be the dino-kids lookout. Unfortunately, he is the original boy-dinosaur who cried wolf, or in this case, GIGANTOSAURUS! Finally, Bonehead's friends refuse to believe his warnings and the Gigantosaurus really turns up!

Nayu's thoughts
This is a hilarious dinosaur version of the boy who cried wolf. I found the illustrations a teensy bit scary, hence why it didn't quite get full marks, but I chuckled away as time and time again the dino children got tricked, until the time when they didn't, and very interesting things happened! Story is fab, and the illustrations are highly detailed, providing heaps to look at on every page. 

Find out more on Jonny's website.

Suggested read 
No dinosaurs, and no wolves, but a hilarious read can be found in Rory and the Monster Sitter by Rosie Reeve (Children's, Picture book, 10E/10E)

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Tiger Moth by Suzi Moore (Children's, 9 years +, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

 August 2014, Simon and Schuster, 
Content: secrets, danger, lots of tension, a little humour, tissues needed 

Summary from Simon and Schuster 
Ever since she was adopted by her parents, Culver Manor, with its hidden rooms and overgrown garden has been the one place Alice feels safe, the one place she can call home. Everything's perfect. Until it isn't. When she finds out her Mum is going to have a baby, Alice's world turns upside down. Will they love their real baby more than her? Why isn't she enough for them anymore? Alice doesn't know what to say, so she doesn't speak at all. She stays silent that day and the day after that, until six months have passed without her saying one single word.

Zack has everything he could want. His dad's a film stuntman, he lives in the best house on the best street and is Mr Popular at school. Everything's perfect. Until it isn't. Zack's dad is killed on set and he and his mum are forced to sell their house and move to a tiny cottage by the sea. Ripped from the life he once knew, Zack is angry at the world and looking for trouble. Then he meets Alice, the girl who doesn't speak, and together they begin to realise that sometimes it's when life seems less than perfect that the most magical things can happen.

Ever since she was adopted by her parents, Culver Manor, with its hidden rooms and overgrown garden has been the one place Alice feels safe, the one place she can call home. Everything's perfect. Until it isn't. When she finds out her Mum is going to have a baby, Alice's world turns upside down. Will they love their real baby more than her? Why isn't she enough for them anymore? Alice doesn't know what to say, so she doesn't speak at all. She stays silent that day and the day after that, until six months have passed without her saying one single word.
Zack has everything he could want. His dad's a film stuntman, he lives in the best house on the best street and is Mr Popular at school. Everything's perfect. Until it isn't. Zack's dad is killed on set and he and his mum are forced to sell their house and move to a tiny cottage by the sea. Ripped from the life he once knew, Zack is angry at the world and looking for trouble. Then he meets Alice, the girl who doesn't speak, and together they begin to realise that sometimes it's when life seems less than perfect that the most magical things can happen. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.co.uk/Tiger-Moth/Suzi-Moore/9780857075109#sthash.owN4jRXM.dpuf
Ever since she was adopted by her parents, Culver Manor, with its hidden rooms and overgrown garden has been the one place Alice feels safe, the one place she can call home. Everything's perfect. Until it isn't. When she finds out her Mum is going to have a baby, Alice's world turns upside down. Will they love their real baby more than her? Why isn't she enough for them anymore? Alice doesn't know what to say, so she doesn't speak at all. She stays silent that day and the day after that, until six months have passed without her saying one single word.
Zack has everything he could want. His dad's a film stuntman, he lives in the best house on the best street and is Mr Popular at school. Everything's perfect. Until it isn't. Zack's dad is killed on set and he and his mum are forced to sell their house and move to a tiny cottage by the sea. Ripped from the life he once knew, Zack is angry at the world and looking for trouble. Then he meets Alice, the girl who doesn't speak, and together they begin to realise that sometimes it's when life seems less than perfect that the most magical things can happen. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.co.uk/Tiger-Moth/Suzi-Moore/9780857075109#sthash.owN4jRXM.dpuf
Nayu's thoughts 
This story is chock full of all the things I love, heaps of family drama involving a character who decides not to speak for a while, which thankfully for me seems to be appearing in several books that I've recently read. I find it fascinating how Alice thinks, the thoughts and feelings she has before she gives up speaking, and after. I like how her both and Zack are going through life-changing events, so in some respects might need a stable friend who isn't going through so much drama, but because of that they are experiencing the end up relating to each other and helping each other out. This is one to be reread, that's for sure! 

Suggested read
Check out another book by Suzi, Lexiland (Children's, 10 years +, 10/10E)
 

Monday 24 November 2014

What are YOU reading? #245





What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys where you post books completed last week and plans for upcoming books. Jump over to her blog and see who else is participating.





Read




Princess Poppy Let's Dance by Janey Louise Jones
Children's, Picture book
9/10E
(This cute inner princess book focuses on being nice to everyone…)







My Little Star by Mark Sperring and Nicola O'Byrne
Children's, Picture book
10E/10E
(Ideal bed time read with a bird that looks like my Zack!)







The Witch with an Itch by Helen Baugh and Deborah Allwright
Picture book, Children's
10E/10E
(Little witch learns getting in a mood does no one any good!)







Zeki Loves Baby Club by Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Children's, Picture book
10E/10E
(A fun insight into what happens at a baby club, including lots of singing and moving!)







Nanny Fox and the Three Little Pigs by Georgie Adams and Selina Young
Children's
10/10E
(Not your usual fox and pig story!)







Slippers in the Oven by Roberta Aarons
Fiction
9/10E
(Sister saga going over the past while on a cruise is rather engaging..)







Bubble Trouble by Tom Percival
Children's, Picture book
10/10E
(These two learn there needs to be a limit to competition…)







How the Library (NOT the Prince) Saved Rapunzel by Wendy Meddour and Rebecca Ashdown
Children's, Picture book
9/10E
(This Rapunzel seems more than a bit depressed for a while…)







Monstar Makes A Wish by Steve Cole and Pete Williamson
Children's, 5 years +
9/10E
(An alternate genie in a bottle tale…)





The Boy Who Made Things Up by Margaret Mahy and Jenny Williams
Children's
10E/10E
(This sounded like a good tale; I hadn't expected it to be a great one!)







The Railway Rabbits Berry and the Amazing Maze by Georgie Adams and Anna Currey
Children's, 7 years +
10E/10E
(Lots of aww cute moments with these bunnies!)







The Railway Rabbits Bracken and the Wild Bunch by Georgie Adams and Anna Currey
Children's, 7 years +
10E/10E
(New friends and a new enemy await Bracken when he runs away from home…)








Listened




The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond
Food Fiction
9/10E
(Another gem of a read in the stash of books where a girl in her 30s ends up chasing her dream of owning a cafe/shop which I absolutely adore!)







Murder on the Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn
Crime
10/10E
(A bit like ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ but way more fun and with a female detective!)







Watched




Aikatsu
Anime, Japanese version (subbed)
10E/10E
(Wishing there were more episodes featuring Aikastu8 group!)







Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream
Anime, Japanese version
10E/10E
(I know what Rhythm wears in episode 19 is a bit dire, but I think she looks super cute & has the confidence to carry it off!)







Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live
Anime, Japanese version
10E/10E
(At last Otoha is becoming a bit independent from Beru!)







Casualty
Medical drama, English version
10E/10E
(Lily got caught up in a murder with the murderer on the loose in the hospital!)







Holby City
Medical drama, English version
9/10E
(Mo isn't all that nice to Adele…)







Waterloo Road
School drama, English version
8/10E
(A better episode than last week, still not as exciting and melodramatic as it can - ok so I hate infidelity plots too…)







Winx: Season 1
REWATCH! - Anime, French version
10E/10E
(This is a less scary season and way more enjoyable now.  I make good use of the fast forward button on the parts involving gross creatures…)








Craft, games and more
This week I've played on the usual 10E/10E Gameloft games…



…Ice Age Village has an amazingly cool event for 2 weeks-if I can collect crayons from animals I can get special fall/autumn themed items!!



My Little Pony is also expanding, and my friend is back on it so I can get extra hearts from her. I've got Rainbow Dash! And I'm saving up for Fluttershy.




Last but not least is Littlest Pet Shop, which is taking longer to level up because I'm on the last few stages for a lot of animals so it takes many hours before I can feed/clean/play with them.



Craft wise I've mostly been doing sewing, as I've needed to unwind. I've completed the umbrella and started on the purple and pink puddles!




Here's an updated pic of one blanket which I must finish this weekend.





Saturday 22 November 2014

Nayu's News #154 Raindrops and Rainbows


Naru from Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live anime creating a rainbow with her prism jump!
It's been a mixed week really. Hence the rainbow pics, which might be in the wrong order but I wanted to start with a happy pic! 
 Some of you may have seen on Twitter, or even on my 'Today I'm....' picture which I try to change daily here that I've been recovering from emotional exhaustion. A family member had an operation on Tuesday I thought I was ok about it all, but the feeling of complete exhaustion on Thursday (which was barely there Tuesday so it was a delayed reaction) told me I'd worried more than I thought about it. 
I felt like Sophie does when she runs out of energy in the anime PriPara
 >o< I was so tired I had to stay off work. I managed 4 of 5 hours on Friday - it just hit me & I felt terrible again. 
Relaxing for me these days includes listening to audio books! Sadly without a bird companion....

Thankfully I'm off work until Thursday to recover from a few family social events tomorrow and Tuesday, so I can have lots of rest! Which I promise I'm doing. I'm making sure that I watch anime each day. Once this post is up, it's lots of anime, crochet with audio book & hopefully some writing too! I know I'll be in trouble with more than my body if I don't rest up. *waves at friends across the pond with good glares for when I'm not resting enough* 
I'll rest!


That was one raindrop - the other I'm not elaborating on much, but let's just say please check that any gutters on your house are kept clear. Otherwise you might be fending off Mould Monsters...

No monsters in my books!
Rainbow time! I'm back into reading, which is a huge plus for me. I've missed it lately, but it hasn't been possible when I'm tired. 

More rainbows in watching new to me episodes of Aikatsu when Ichigo, with Seira, finally beat Mizuki!!!!! (& Mikuru) 
Ichigo & Seira's song is aptly named Friend
 I'm so glad she finally did it! Although I wouldn't have minded if Double M (Mizuki & Mikuru) won, since Mizuki is, well, Mizuki! 
Mizuki is on the right, Mikuru left
 Amazing and lovely. I'm enjoying the 3rd season which focuses more on Akari, who has a bit of Mizuki-like friend (purple hair & everything!). Ah, got to love anime. The slightly bad news is that it's being released bit by bit, so I'll have to wait for new episodes in about 5 episodes time, when I catch up with the latest releases. 
Sumire! Akari's Mizuki, as it were.

I've written a guest blog post!
You can find me talking about why I love books on Fat Fox Books, who asked me to do a blog post for them! Totally cool to do, I hope you enjoy reading it!

Time for me to go - enjoy the rest of your day!
I'm spending mine with my cat! If she appears...

Friday 21 November 2014

Nayu's News #153 eBooks of the Year 2014 finalists announcement

Feeling the book love!
Nayu here! Since I a) adore books including eBooks & b) sometimes shop at Sainsbury's, I figured I might as well let you all know about this Sainsbury's ebook related news because many of you are like me! 
I've read and reviewed the following books included in the list: (not all listed in the press release but they are on the website) All genres are the ones I've given them, not necessarily the ones in the competition. The links will take you to my review of the books.
The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me by Lucy Robinson, Romantic Comedy, 9/10E

Mad About You by Sinead Moriarty, Fiction, 9/10E 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Young Adult, 9/10E

I've both read and listened to this book, but not yet reviewed it:
Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan, Food Fiction, 10E/10E
Eagerly awaiting the sequel!

I've got the following on audio book (not yet listened to)
A Place to Call Home by Carole Matthews
I've got these in my audio book wish list:
Ivy Lane Spring: Part 1 by Cathy Bramley 

The Beach Hut Next Door by Veronica Henry


Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella


The Teashop on the Corner by Millie Johnson

And finally I've given the following as a present, although not read it yet
The World According to Bob by James Bowen

Many of the other books look appealing too! I'm sure somehow I'll choose my favourite - make sure you do too, especially as you can win £100 of eBooks! Here's the important info from the press release email.


Image: eBooks of the Year by Sainsbury’s
eBooks by Sainsbury’s has today revealed the finalists for its annual eBook of the Year awards.

Some of the UK’s most treasured writers including Jojo Moyes and Lee Child have joined the long list of commercially and critically acclaimed authors nominated to receive the coveted prize of eBook of the Year 2014.

The winner will be decided by a public poll on the eBooks by Sainsbury’s website where voting will open today, and close on 11 December. The winning title will be chosen from over 150 eBooks with the winner to be announced on 15 December.

In its second consecutive year, the awards are a celebration of British book publishing and literary talent. From gripping thrillers to out of this world science fiction, the long list includes the nation’s favourite ebooks from the past 12 months, from John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars to the runaway word-of-mouth hit that was The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.

To encourage participation, every visitor to the eBooks by Sainsbury’s website who votes for their favourite eBook of the Year will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 worth of eBooks. The full collection of eBooks up for nomination can be found on sainsburysebooks.co.uk where public voting is now open. To vote, simply visit the eBooks of the Year page, log in to your account and click ‘Recommend’ next to your favourite book.

Sharon Nightingale, Head of Commercial at eBooks by Sainsbury’s, said:
“These awards are unique in that they celebrate Britain’s most popular eBooks, the books that bring reading to a huge audience wherever they are. Our long list for 2014 is rich and varied, fully reflecting what a spectacular year it has been, particularly for debut authors. We are honoured to support the industry and authors alike by encouraging people to go out and discover the fantastic reads that have made this year so special.”

Highlights from the eBooks by Sainsbury’s eBook of the Year long list include:

Literary Fiction
-          The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (Penguin UK)
-          The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce (Random House UK)
-          The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker (Quercus Books)  
-          The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop (Headline)

Popular Fiction
-          The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh (Headline)
-          The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Penguin UK)
-          Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (Orion)
-          The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes (Penguin UK)

Science Fiction and Fantasy
-          The Martian by Andy Weir (Random House UK)   
-          The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness (Headline)
-          The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey (Little Brown)
-          The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (Headline)

Historical Fiction
-          The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters (Little Brown)
-          The Blood Crows by Simon Scarrow (Headline)    
-          Lamentation by C.J. Sansom (Macmillan)
-          Desert God by Wilbur Smith (Harper Collins UK)

Biography
-          This Boy by Alan Johnson (Random House UK)
-          There’s Something I’ve Been Dying to Tell You by Linda Bellingham (Hodder)
-          So, Anyway by John Cleese (Random House UK) 
-          Guy Martin: My Autobiography by Guy Martin (Random House UK)
Crime and Thriller
-          Cross My Heart by James Patterson (Random House UK)
-          Want You Dead by Peter James (Macmillan)
-          The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (Little Brown)
-          Personal by Lee Child (Random House UK)

Notes to Editors
Founded in 1869, Sainsbury’s today operates over 1,200 stores, employing around 161,000 colleagues across the UK. With 24 million customer transactions every week, the company’s focus is on delivering high quality, affordable food, clothing and general merchandise across supermarkets, convenience stores and online. Sainsbury’s Bank offers accessible financial products that reward customers who both bank and shop with Sainsbury’s. Strong, well-established values are integral to Sainsbury’s success in helping customers Live Well for Less