Synopsis:

Katherine and Michael meet at a New Year’s Eve party. They’re attracted to each other, they grow to love each other. And once they’ve decided their love is forever, they make love. It’s the beginning of an intense and exclusive relationship, with a future all planned. Until Katherine’s parents insist that she and Michael put their love to the test with a summer apart…”Forever” is written for an older age group than Judy Blume’s other novels for children. It caused a storm of controversy when it was first published because of its explicit sexual content. It was a book ahead of its time – and remains, after thirty years in print, a teenage best-seller. America’s No. 1 children’s author has written some of the best books of our time about real-life issues – family stress and pressures, what happens when your parents divorce, the problems of growing up and sexual awakening, bereavement – with insight, sensitivity and honesty. The response of readers all around the world continues to make her one of the best-loved writers ever published.

Well I can see why this book would have shocked Judy Blume’s younger readers! I loved her books when I was 10 and 11, but never came across this one. The one’s I remember are full of innocence and fun…this one is full of sex! I think I’m glad I didn’t discover it when I was reading her books, I was too young to know about sex and love! This is definitely a novel for older teens, but I think it is a good book for those who are starting to explore life and relationships.

The story is mainly about Katherine. She is young and eager to experience life. She meets Michael at a party and they start dating. Soon they believe themselves to be in love and think they will be together forever. When Katherine thinks she is ready they start to have sex. Yet they are both sent away for the summer and during that time Katherine meets someone else who she feels attracted to. It is also whilst she is away that her Grandfather dies. Katherine had a close relationship with him and is devastated. Through the time away, the grief and the infatuation she feels, Katherine matures and has to find out if “forever” with Michael really is “forever”.

I liked how this was written. Katherine didn’t rush into sex and she asked lots of questions to help her make a decision. She also was sensible and used contraception, even going to see a specialist to find out about all the ways to stay safe. Personally I believe in no sex before marriage, but that is not a common view and I think Blume explored all options well. Her writing was wise and informative, as well as a fun read. Sex is not the only thing explored in this book but it is the main idea. Katherine has to learn how to deal with death and grief – something else Blume did delicately and realistically; and Katherine learns about romantic relationships. She is young and hopes her and Michael will stay together forever, but her parents don’t want her to tie herself down to the first guy she dates. Blume explores the idea of first love, marriage and forever in a great way, that gives advice and options to teenagers.

I liked Katherine. She had a good head on her shoulders. She asked questions, sought advice and didn’t rush any big steps in her relationship. She was a realistic teenager who had mood swings and had to learn to grow up. Michael on the other hand I didn’t like. I felt he was pushy, and although his feelings for Kathy seemed genuine, his main focus seemed to be sex. While they are both away for the summer he often makes reference to the fact what he is missing most is sex. It just made him a bit sleazy and I felt his intentions were wrong. I liked the authority figures Blume wrote. Kathy’s parents and grandparents are wise and honest – but also firm and just want the best for her. They are not scared to over rule her and help her do what is best. I thought they were vital to the story and very good characters.

This is a good book for older teenage girls who are thinking about sex and growing up. Blume is open in this book and looks at the act from many different angles and gives some sound advice. It didn’t take long for me to read and I can see why this is a teenage classic. There were elements, such as Katherine going forward with the sex and the character of Michael I didn’t like, but I don’t think that will put others off the book. I give this 3/5.

I love my friends! I love their parents too – one of whom has given me a box of books

The ones I have decided to keep are:

• Anthony Trollope: Barchester Towers
• Patrick Redmond: The Wishing Game
• Leslie Marshall: A Girl Could Stand Up
• Joanna Trollope: The Choir
• Susan Hill: Mrs de Winter
• Barbara Michaels: Switches in Time
• John Boyne: The House of Special Purpose
• Nigel Williams: Hatchett and Lycett
• Susan Hill: The Risk of Darkness
• Arturo Perez-Reverte: The Flanders Panel
• Shona MacLean: The Redemption of Alexander Seaton

A nice bunch there, I’m a very lucky girl!

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Through the Post:
Review books:

Beyond the Dead Forest by Steve Groll

E-Books:
Review books:

• The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
• I’ll Become the Sea by Rebecca Rogers Maher
• No One Lives Twice by Julie Moffet
• The Sergeant’s Lady by Susanna Fraser

Library Books:

• Last Chance by Sarah Dessen
• That Summer by Sarah Dessen
• The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
• Husbands by Adele Parks

Not as many as last week, but still great What did you get? Do leave a comment!

As promised: the interview with author Andrew Oberg and the review of his superb book Randolph’s One Bedroom.

Interview:

1.       Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m originally from the state of Minnesota in the U.S., but have been living in Japan since 2001 (with a short break in 2003). I teach at two universities here and am basically waiting for my chance to get a full-time job at one of them (my application is being processed as we speak…). My wife is a photographer for a prefectural magazine, and we have no children yet but are planning to try very soon. I’m also a huge fan of the Grateful Dead.

2.       Tell us about Randolph’s One Bedroom

“Randolph’s One Bedroom” is a bit like watching TV, I suppose; all the stories revolve around one central character and setting, but are not necessarily related to each other. The book has been described to me as, “Coffee shop stories short enough for one latte” and “Kind of a cross between ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Twin Peaks’”. I think both of those descriptions are great and wish I had come up with at least one of them.

3.       Where did the idea and the characters come from? Did any of these stories actually occur?

No! (lol) Thankfully none of the stories actually happened. The setting is based on a real job I had years ago and the neighborhood I lived in at the time. Winter is a strong element in the book, as it is in Minnesota–and believe me, it really does get that cold–so in some ways I guess the reality of what very long and harsh winters do to people was a point of inspiration for me.

4.       Who was your favourite character to write?

I’d say Dave was the most fun. He’s pure id, constantly reacting to the world around him with no forethought whatsoever. A bit like Homer Simpson, really. And who doesn’t love Homer?

5.       Which story was the most fun to write and your favourite?

Probably “A Discovery”. The whole idea is just so ridiculous, and I love the interaction between the characters in that one, too.

6.       I would class this as comedy fiction, how would you classify this book and is this the genre you favour when reading?

I’d say comedy fiction as well. Most of what I read is actually non-fiction, though. I tend to go for Eastern religion, Western philosophy, history and anthropology books. I am a massive nerd!

7.       How did you get into writing?

I’m not sure. I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, and my preferred way to do so is through writing, so I guess I’d say I just naturally fell into it.

8.       Is there anything else in the pipeline?

I’ve just started a new novel on one man’s journey through metaphysics. It’s still very much in the early stages, but I envision it developing along the lines of Hesse’s “Siddhartha”, Huxley’s “Island”, and the “Bhagavad Gita”. Ideally, I’d like it to be a blend of the feel of those three great works while effectively communicating my own thoughts.

I also have a graphic novel about the medieval Norse settlements in Greenland for sale on my site, and am hoping to find an artist soon for an Old West themed graphic novel that I’ve got tucked away.

Review:

This is a book that consists of 20 short stories, all of which revolve around Randolph. They are random and quirky, but funny! The stories are not all linked in one linear story line, they are just glimpses or episodes in Randolph’s life. He works in a coffee shop, so a lot of what occurs take place in that setting, although some of the stories are set in his home. Randolph lives in a place where it is winter for the majority of the year. This means people are trapped indoors and weird things happen as people suffer from cabin fever.

I liked Randolph. He seemed like an ordinary bloke that just comes across strange things – such as the Neanderthal man buried by the rubbish bins outside work. He smokes, swears, drinks and dabbles in drugs – but these aren’t the main things about him. He is a funny guy – he has wit and he isn’t afraid to say what he thinks, even if it is inappropriate.

My favourite character wasn’t Randolph however. As the majority of the book is set in the coffee shop there are other regular characters. My favourite was Dave – the new assistant manager who got his position by sleeping with his superior. He is not all there, a bit odd, struggles under pressure and is nosey. He was so funny to read. His actions and words just made me laugh, and I can see why Oberg enjoyed writing him the most. The other character I loved was the Pastor. If he didn’t get his way or didn’t like something he damned everyone to hell. He just made me laugh!

I don’t think I have a favourite story, I liked them all. The crazy lady who lived upstairs was funny, as were most of the scenes in the coffee shop. Anything that involved Dave was great – especially when the shop was being robbed and even then he couldn’t do what was being asked of him!

This book is not long, and neither are the stories. They are funny and enjoyable. I didn’t like the swearing or the pot smoking but other than that this is a great book. I read it in one day – I just couldn’t put it down. This comedy fiction at its best and I recommend it to everyone.

4/5

Synopsis:

A fast-paced, wickedly funny tale of office back-stabbing and corporate intrigue that unfolds in a succession of escalating e-mails.

Carla Browne-1/5/00, 3:05 pm
to: All Departments
re: I’m leaving now . . . but before I go there are some things you should know . . . !!!!

Set in a London ad agency desperate to land a coveted big account, e follows the bureaucratic bungling, cutthroat maneuvers, and outrageous sexual antics of a group of Miller-Shanks employees as they scheme, lie, lust, and claw their way up (and down) the company ladder.

Written by a former advertising copywriter, this hilarious, dead-on-target novel marks the debut of a hip and exciting new voice in contemporary fiction. With the click of a mouse, Matt Beaumont brings the novel of letters into the twenty-first century, turning his merciless, unerring eye on today’s Machiavellian corporate culture-with uproarious results.

Rachel Stevenson, Personnel-1/5/00, 3:09 pm
to: Chandra Kapoor cc: David Crutton
re: Urgent: Please delete Carla Browne’s ID from e-mail with immediate effect. Thank you.

This book was recommended to me as a friend who loved this book. However, I didn’t enjoy this book very much. The story is told through e-mails so you do not really get a chance to get to know the characters for who they are. What the reader does see is an office where people do not like each other very much and are all out to make themselves look the best. There is the boss who can’t send emails without sending them to everyone who works for the company, even though who work abroad; the secretaries who all back-stab each other and sleep around and the head of department who stole ideas from others.

This book is full of lies, swearing and disaster. The company is trying to launch a new campaign but the staff don’t appear to be very good and the ideas being used are stolen from some students and being passed off as their own. We see disaster abroad with models falling sick and their implants exploding on aeroplanes. There were some funny moments in this book, but this is not a story that portrays humans and office work well. Are people really this horrid? I found some of it hard to believe – some of the characters were extremely two-faced and others were just idiots.

It didn’t take long to read this as the story is broken up into emails, most of them short. There wasn’t a character I liked the most, I just carried on reading to see what would happen to this horrendous company. I don’t have much to say about this book. I didn’t think it was that good and probably would not recommend it. I would only give this 2/5.

On Saturday I will be posting my interview with author Andrew Oberg and posting a review of his new book Randolph’s One Bedroom, which I loved! Do come by and check it out!

This is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading.

Here is what we do:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Page 74:

“It’s kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and say your name. And it gets to a point where none of it seems real.”

What is your teaser? Do leave a comment!

This book is on the Rory Gilmore reading list.

Synopsis:

Friends – and enemies – reunited! They say your school days are the best days of your life and Tracey Mortimer would agree. Sixteen years ago she ruled! She was the most popular girl in school, had her own gang and was dating the cutest guy in her year. Now she’s 32, stuck in a dull marriage that’s only tolerable because her philandering builder husband is rarely at home. And though Tracey loves her two kids, a daily diet of alphabetti spaghetti and the Tweenies, isn’t exactly thrilling…Then Tracey spots an ad from a TV company wanting to make a reality-style show on a perfect school reunion. She jumps at the chance to relive the ‘good old days’. Only some of Tracey’s classmates don’t remember their schooldays as fondly…Suzanne Sharp is more interested in revenge than a reunion. Tracey made her teenage years a misery and what better way to lay the past to rest than to get payback on national television. Especially as there are a few old school secrets that Tracey probably wouldn’t want broadcast on national TV, not least of which is Tracey’s affair with her old form tutor…

This is the second Kate Harrison novel I have completed, and I really enjoyed it. I read it in a day as I was eager to know what was going to happen. The protagonist, Tracey, is looking for more enjoyment in her life. Stuck at home with two small children and a husband who is often away, and often playing away from home. When a chance to get on TV and host a class reunion comes up Tracey jumps at the chance. Her memory of school is different from others – she remembers being popular and cool, whilst others, like Suzanne Sharp remember her as a bully, and Gary remembers having his heart broken by her when he discovers that she has an affair with her form tutor.

This is an interesting book in that I didn’t favour any of the characters, but I liked the story and kept reading for that reason. It was a book I couldn’t put down – what a great storyline! It makes me wonder how people I went to school with remember our time there. Mind you – I was just a normal girl with a close group of friends, I wasn’t bullied in secondary school and I wasn’t the most popular. Tracey however, seemed to be both popular and the bully. I was interested to see how her memories differed from others. Gary didn’t want to see her and Suzanne wanted revenge. Watching the story unfold was great! It was like watching reality TV! I felt a bit sorry for Tracey when things started to crumble, but I wasn’t too gutted for her because she wasn’t the best character.

I found it fascinating reading how different people think they are received, and how they actually are. Tracey bugged me if I’m going to be honest. When she realised how she treated people she seemed to find excuses. She blamed her friend Melanie – if she hadn’t hung around with her Tracey would have been nice. I didn’t know what to make of Suzanne. She was lovely with the children but I wanted to tell her to “get over it”. She was holding onto a grudge that I thought she should let go of. I didn’t like Dave, Tracey’s husband. He cheated on his wife and didn’t really like his children. I got angry reading his character – he was just a horrible man. Although I didn’t have a favourite character, I did have feelings towards to the characters and engaged with them, which makes for a good read.

The ending was not a whole surprising but I liked how Harrison played out the reunion. It seemed realistic enough – with people remembering events and people in different ways. It was a fascinating read and an interesting look at society. There were some parts of the story that could have been focused on more, such as Tracey and her form tutor, and I think Harrison took the easy route there. Overall, however, this was a good read. This is fun chick-lit and I enjoyed it. I would give it 4/5 and will be reading more of her books in the future.

Today’s Reading:

• Audiobook: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Finished: Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
• Reading: The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (for dissertation)
• Reading: The Mermaid’s Mirror by L. K. Madigan

Library Activity:

• Reserved: That Summer by Sarah Dessen
• Reserved: Last Chance by Sarah Dessen

Blog Activity:

• Review: Candide by Voltaire
• Post: Books Galore!
• Added a poll to the site – do check it out and vote!

Waiting on Wednesday – or WoW – is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The book I can’t wait to be released is:

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

The second book in Philippa’s stunning new trilogy, The Cousins War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series – The White Queen – but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses. The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England. Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth’s daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.

I loved The White Queen and cannot wait for this to be released, I have already placed a reservation at the library for it!

Released: 19th August 2010 (UK)