The Pen and Inkpot

This was the 40th novel I read in 2018 and probably one of my favourites all year. A deep, insightful yet disturbing reflection of the life of a kidnapped mother and her son. "Room" had my mind racing and my heart exploding as the characters grew and changed. It is a novel that I would definitely read again.  Jack lives with Ma in Room. It has a skylight, a locked door and sound proof walls. It measures eleven feet by eleven feet. Jack knows that everything he sees on TV isn't real, only him, Ma and Room are truly real. On Jack's fifth birthday, Ma explains something to him that changes everything. Maybe there is a world outside Room. The idea behind "Room" is fascinating and insightful yet brutally disturbing at times. It goes into depth about important issues, increasing awareness about the experiences of victims of abuse and trauma. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the novel which introduced Room and led into the climax and first part o...

If you take a little look at the bookish corner of instagram, you will see that a people own a LOT of books. Most famous bookstagrammers get sent books for free, but for the rest of us, we buy all of our books. All those books are pretty expensive, but in this post I will reveal my secrets on where I get my books from and how you can save money on your next read. Purchasing Books Brand New: Dymocks This is a bookstore that I usually like to go into just to browse or purchase a book with a gift voucher because the books are relatively expensive and as much as I love the feeling of a new book, it isn't always necessary to spend a lot of money just for a shiny cover. Book Depository This online shop sells brand new books with free postage. They have a huge range and reasonable prices which I find perfect for buying books as gifts or if I am looking for something specific. Purchasing Books Secondhand: Op Shops and Garage Sales (Meaning "Thrift Store...

Genuine Fraud is a YA mystery and thriller by E.Lockhart. This twisting and suspenseful novel tells the story of two friends trying to deceive each other. It is a deep tangle of events which I found quite difficult to untie. A complex story filled with master of disguise, action heroes and high school dropouts creates a clever, but confusing plot line. Julia West Williams is a liar, a  fraud  and a criminal. Imogen Sokoloff is a runaway, a rich daughter and the perfect friend. Jules drinks up Imogen's attention. Imogen is unaware of Jules' dark past. They become the best of friends until their relationship takes the darkest of turns. Genuine Fraud was told in chronological order, but backwards. This created some unpredictable plot twists and suspense with more layers being added to the mystery. The only problem with this sequencing of events was the added confusion since I did not understand that time was going backwards until about halfway through the no...

At first, this novel just looked like another cliche dystopian book but I read it because I was intrigued by the unique concept. Unfortunately, in the end it was very similar to other novels I have read of the the same genre. In school, I was taught that when narrative writing to "show not tell" but I found that "A Thousand Pieces of You" used very basic language which told the story instead of using more adjectives and metaphors to depict events as they happened. The idea behind the novel was original and had the potential to create an awesome story, but a few things prevented me from really loving it. Marguerite Caine is the daughter of two brilliant physicists who have made a discovery which will change the world forever. She is encouraged to imagine the impossible and is surrounded by wild, scientific theories until one day, her father is murdered. All of the evidence points towards Paul, one of Marguerite's parent's students who has used their ...

At this time of the year for students in Australia, we are getting ready to go back to school for a new year. This means that there are books to buy and there is holiday homework to finish. With a new year of school comes the opportunity to improve and implement some new study habits. In this post I am going to outline a few study habits I am going to work on this year and hopefully you will join me! Keep a Diary  There are many different ways to keep track of due dates and to do lists but my advice for you is to just choose one. For me, a paper diary works best but other people prefer to use the calendar on their phone and there are some very good apps (such as "The Homework App"). It is just as effective to use a digital diary as a paper one as long as you consistently write down ALL dates. This way you can be prepared and organised for whatever 2019 wants to throw at you. Neat Notes When writing paper notes, you want a simple system that is clear to re...

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...