A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Landon Carter is one of the popular kids at school, plenty of friends, son of successful parentsgood home in a small town in 1950s America. Jamie Sullivan is the daughter of the local preacher, seen as a bit strange at school, more interested in charitable works at the local orphanage than hanging out with other teenagers. When they start spending time together while rehearsing for the Christmas play they become close, but all is not destined to run smoothly.

In some ways this is a predictable book, but still a delightful little read. The story is told very simply, and I found that I couldn't help feeling the characters' emotions along with them. I admit, I did have a tear in my eye at one point despite anticipating the turn events would take.

I have included this in the four month reading challenge - a book with a four word title.

Life is good

Life is good. The weather has changed for the better, the sun is shining, the birds are singing outside my window and I'm happy.

I am married to a fantastic man, I have three sons who I love more than they will ever know, I have a wonderful family.

I have a roof over my head, plenty to eat, clothes to wear and shoes for my feet.

I am healthy, literate, I live in a country where I can express my opinions without fear of repression or repercussions.

For all these things, and many more, I am grateful.

Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Good old chick-lit, sometimes it hits the spot!

Kate Hollis has never forgotten the boy she fell in love with back at high school. How could she forget him when he's a successful musician, playing over the radio wherever she goes. When she hears that he's back in their hometown for Christmas she decides to confront him about the song she thinks is about her.

Predictable, maybe. Sometimes I don't care. Sometimes I want pure escapism, and this book delivered that.

The four month reading challenge, read a book by two authors.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

This was our book group selection for May, and a very popular choice.
Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist, recently convicted of libel against a leading Swedish businessman. When he is hired to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl over forty years previously he finds himself entangled with dark secrets and even darker characters. He enlists the brilliant but troubled Lisbeth Salander to help him with his search for the truth, bringing unique and often unorthodox talents with her.
There has been a huge amount of hype surrounding this book and I found that it lived up to this hype. In some ways it has been done before - corporate crime, crusading journalist, misfit sidekick, disfunctional family with dreadful secrets, extreme sexual violence and depravity, cryptic clues hidden in biblical references - but the whole is greater than the sum of the parts in this case. The backdrop of small town Sweden brings a refreshing element to the story and an atmospheric bleakness underlying the narative.

As this book is a substantial 644 pages long I am counting this toward the Four Month Reading Challenge - read a book with over 500 pages.

Cell by Stephen King

This book starts with such promise. The basic plot is that someone (who is never revealed) tampers with the mobile phone signal affecting the minds and behaviour of all who use one. This leads to the population being split between those affected (phone crazies) and those unaffected (normies). Cell follows the fortunes of a small group of normies trying to understand the events unfolding around them and their attempts to survive in a world where they don't know the rules anymore.
i started by saying that the book starts with promise, sadly it doesn't end that way. Part way through I found my attention drifting, no longer caring what happened to the characters. By the end I didn't care whether they lived or died, surely not the author's desired result. The ending I found to be especially weak, I won't go into details but the words "cop-out" sprang to my lips.

Why can't I keep up?

We all have them in our lives - overacheivers! There's a lovely woman in my life, a friend (but not a close friend) who can do everything. We met through a mutual hobby for which she has a real talent, she's really good. Okay it may help that she can spend much more money on supplies, classes and all the paraphernalia that surrounds creative endeavours, but that's no excuse. She also creates beautiful examples of other crafts effortlessly (can you tell I'm being slightly vague? She would be mortified to know I see her as a rival), bakes wonderful cakes and has a beautiful home which she keeps spotless and clutter free. Did I mention that she always looks effortlessly elegant? No? Well she does.

My son calls her my nemesis because she brings out the worst in me, I become dissatisfied with myself, but not in a positive way that makes me throw out all the clutter, work out to shift those extra inches, learn new skills. All I see are my shortcomings. Why can't I be more naturally creative? Why are my family so untidy? Why do I find it so difficult to get myself organised so that I can make the most of my life? Why can't I be more outgoing and vivacious?

I'm sure there are things about me that make her envious, or so my husband says. I love my life, but I know it could be so much better if I could clean up my act (and my house), lose some weight, make the most of my appearance - generally move my life up to the next level. Is it really hard work for everyone, or do I just not yet have the skills to make it all look so easy?

Catch up!

Eep! I haven't blogged for a whole month! So what have I been doing?

Reading - as usual. Since my last post I have read Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult, December by Elizabeth Winthrop, and probably something else which has slipped my mind.

Crafting - I've been getting back to scrapbooking, which I'm enjoying very much. I'm trying to incorporate different techniques into my work which is making the whole process so very satisfying. I've also been knitting, mainly flower brooches using the pattern I used for the poppies in an earlier post, to be sold in aid of a very good cause which is a hospice located in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Like all such facilities they are always in need of extra funds, and the ladies there make some lovely things to sell to raise money.

Work - same old, same old! I enjoy my work but like everyone I occasionally feel like a change. I'm starting to consider looking for new oportunities.

So that's been my month in a nutshell!