The Pen and Inkpot

It is not very often that I read a really good book: one that has my attention the whole way through and one with a plot that shifts and twists as I read. Yet "The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder"  was one of them. This murder mystery contains the genius of an Agatha Christie novel tied in with important current issues.  "Don't tell anyone what you did to Bee Larkham" Jasper is not an ordinary boy. In fact, he would say he is extraordinary. Synaesthesia paints the sounds of his world in a rainbow of colours that no one else can see. But on Friday, he discovered a new colour - the colour of murder. (excerpt from novel blurb) This novel provides an unpredictable mystery using an original plot line and surprising plot twist by feeding the reader small amounts of information as the story progresses, creating  anticipation and an Agatha Christie style. The character of Jasper supplies an insightful point of view, adding depth to the story and  displayi...

Inside "The Fellowship of the Ring" , J.R.R. Tolkien has created a whole new world and I love diving into this classic to read about it. I must admit that it is not a novel for everyone and I didn't love every aspect of the story but there's nothing like an classic, fantasy novel. "When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and  excitement in Hobbiton." (Page 21) Bilbo was regarded as a peculiar character due to his mysterious disappearance and far off adventures of his younger days. Despite this, all the folk of Hobbiton attended the party and were faced with a huge surprise. "He stepped down and vanished. There was a blinding flash of light, and the guests all blinked. When they opened their eyes Bilbo was nowhere to be seen." (Page 30) This left Frodo Baggins to inherit Bilbo's home and belongings which in...

I am usually a pretty organised person in general because I feel stressed when things are in disarray. As a blogger, I have to manage my website and make sure that I post regularly. I struggled with this a lot at first, but now I have gotten the hang of it and I will share with you some tips and tricks that help me post on time. Preparation Having a blog post finished well before you intend on publishing it is one way to make blogging easier for yourself. I write my posts months before they are posted so that I have a lot of time to complete it and work on other things before it needs to be posted. For example, I am writing this post currently in early December, but it will be posted in early January.  Planning Inside my "blog" notebook, I keep a table of what posts I am posting when and how much of them have been completed. This helps me get posts done before their deadlines and allows me to work on them in bits and pieces. In this table I have eight c...

Neil Jordan has created a fascinating world within the novel Carnivalesque. This is the most unique story I have read and I promise you that you will never read another book like it. I picked out this novel at the library because it has such an interesting concept, but it ended up as not quite what I had expected.  To Andy and his parents, it just looks like another colourful carnival, with its flashing lights and circus tents. But when Andy ventures into the Hall of Mirrors, something unexpected happens. In a confusion of reflections, one of Andy's reflections walks out of the Hall of Mirrors to join his parents and go back home, leaving the real Andy trapped in the mirror himself. Just like that, he is transported to the amazing world of carnival life where time and gravity don't exist. Meanwhile, Andy's parents struggle with the emotionless shell of their son that replaced him. When mysterious things start to happen in Andy's coastal, Irish town, he starts t...

This is actually the first biography that I have read and I really enjoyed it. Written by young education activist, Malala about life as a Pushtun living in a village in Pakistan. Although it wasn't written in a gripping style, the events told the story without fancy descriptions. What struck me most about this novel is how true it is. I now have a new understanding of how lucky I am to have peace in my country and freedom to get education.   Malala grew up in the Swat Valley in Pakistan while the Taliban roamed the streets. Her school was shut down and women forced to stay inside. Her father were some of the few people who stood up for their religion and education rights. Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban on her way home from school. In this novel, Malala tells the story of her country and the life she endured living in Pakistan.  I felt foolish not having known about the fighting in Pakistan. I knew that there was fighting, but I hadn't realised tha...

I have been told that this novel is just a copy of Divergent and other dystopian novels but I found it not so similar. The vague idea is the same, but once you actually read the novel, you will find it is not like Divergent at all. Red Queen was interesting and entertaining yet predictable and frustrating at times. Mare Barrow has been cursed with red blood and lives in a town of fellow Reds. She steals to provide for her family while her sister basks in success at an apprenticeship. Those with silver blood rule over the reds with their special powers, sending them to fight the war and watch displays of Silver strength. Mare knows that she has only made things worse for her family, but when she meets a stranger on the streets, suddenly her world gets flipped around. Being a royal is not easy though, and power is a game in which no one can be trusted.  (May contain vague spoilers) The storyline is entertaining and the idea is well mapped out. The plot goes very deep...

Merry Christmas! It's the most wonderful time of the year, but also the most busy time of the year. There is a lot to do in December and buying Christmas presents is one of them. In this post, hopefully I can make Christmas shopping a little quicker and easier for you with a few ideas of Christmas presents you can buy online or at the shops and suit even the fussiest family members and friends. A diary or calendar Many people use a paper diary and paper calendar to keep track during the year (myself included) and soon we will be needing a new one! A nice looking diary or quirky calendar is something you know that they will use and enjoy all through the coming year. A onesie No matter if you have one already or not, everyone can use a new onesie. They come in all styles and suit all personalities. From fluffy bunnies to rainbow unicorns, you can find some pretty cool onesies online and they are guaranteed to get a lot of use. A hamper Can't decide on wh...