This photograph makes me chuckle.

Best Christmas present to myself EVER!

I was out shopping for last minute bits and bobs for Christmas when I stumbled across this beauty in a charity shop. Santa Claus The Movie is my favourite Christmas film of all time and I watch it every year without fail. I have literally grown up with this movie as a constant part of Christmas. I didn't even know that this record existed but as soon as I saw it I quite simply had to have it :)

This is the front cover. Isn't it gorgeous. That picture explains everything about the film and for as long as I live I will always picture this guy as the man in the big red suit. 

This is the back cover. I'm sorry its a bit blurry but it basically has pictures from the film as well as a list of the songs on the record. 

I am so thrilled with this buy. It is the best 99p I have ever spent. I would show you a picture of the record itself but it is currently in my record player getting me in the Christmas mood. I'm certain this record will continue to play and give me hours of enjoyment for years to come. 

 

 

RIP Little Angels

Words cannot describe the sadness I am feeling at the news of the elementary school massacre in Connecticut. I read the news this morning with tears streaming down my face. Those children were sent to a place they viewed as safe and was as familiar to them as home. I can't imagine the fear they experienced or the horror of the adults who in that moment knew they had to protect not only themselves but a school full of vulnerable children.

I recently began working in a school. I assist in a class of nine year old children, these children are the same age as the children locked in a closet by their music teacher during the shooting. It really hit me because we also have a closet in our classroom and I couldn't imagine having to gather all those children in that enclosed space in an attempt to save them. Children are such a blessing and I can fully understand how the teachers lost their lives trying to protect them. I know I would do everything I could to protect the children in my classroom and I hope to God that I never have to.

Schools should never be targeted this way and I always struggle to understand why it keeps reoccurring. Every once of my moral compass and heart tells me children are to be protected. I have a wonderful niece  and nephew and during the times I have them in my care my protective nature goes into overdrive. The same at work, you constantly watch for moments when the children could fall on the play ground or from the jungle gym. It is instinctual to protect them from harm. Therefore I simply cannot imagine what kind of person it takes to walk into a school and turn a gun on people, but especially the children. All I can think is they must be extremely ill. As always I pray that this is the last time we hear of a news story like this. Please let people learn this time and don't let these teachers and children die in vain.

RIP to the students and children of Sandy Hook Elementary School

It's Christmas (almost)

The 1st of December has been and gone which means we are now well on the way to Christmas! I love Christmas and essential to my festive overload is Christmas music. This is my all time favorite Christmas CD,  Snowed In by Hanson.  It is cheerful, cheesy and yes Mr P hates it. However he does kindly put up with it because he knows I love it so much. This year I even had the joy of listening to it while putting up the Christmas tree.  It is perfect for a family as it is written by kids for kids. I love it and know I always will.

 

Believe it or not this picture is in focus, the album cover is designed that way.

(It took me a few photos to figure that out haha!) 

I was given this album on Christmas Day 1997 by my late Grandad Charlie. Due to his own love of music we were always advised to send any musical gift requests his way. If I remember correctly I placed this request very late in the month of December after seeing it advertised in a magazine. I really shouldn't have got it at such a late date but I was truly spoiled that year. I can honestly say I have listened to it every year since then and it has become my strongest connection to my Grandad whom I miss dearly. I am thrilled that I still have the original CD, case and cover he gave me and it remains as good as new.  It goes to show that sometimes its the smallest gifts that hold the strongest memories. I'm sure of all the gifts he gave me over the years he never expected it to be this last minute CD that I would hold so dear.

Wonderfully cold and frosty winter morning.

I was walking home from the village early yesterday morning and found the images around me breathtaking. We live in a very rural area and when the frost comes in tends to stay all day. We also seem to live in a small bubble, separate from the rest of the country. At the moment everyone else is experiencing snow, while we simply have a wonderful layering of white frost. It is raw beauty!

Smile!

Smile to change the world.
                        
                               Don't let the world change your smile.

 

I loved the book Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl when I was growing up, especially the part where Danny and his father put sleeping powder into the raisins. We recently moved to the country and live in a village in the middle of a forest. I still get excited every time I see a deer wander past or watch the rabbits and squirrels playing around the trees. Today was the first time I've seen pheasants! I looked out the window and found eight of them having a Sunday stroll. The picture isn't the best as it was taken on my phone from a distance but aren't those two so cute. I was instantly reminded of Danny the Champion of the World,  in fact seeing them has made me want to dig the book out and read it all over again.  I love living in the country!

Book Review Blog.

My book reviews can now be found here.

http://myreadinglifebookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Please feel free to swing by and have a mooch around.

Sickness...

Last week Mr P came home with the sniffles. Now usually when he gets a cold I barely give it any thought because where colds and flu are concerned I am strong as an ox and tend not to catch anything more than a sore throat. Ha! My body betrayed me.  It started with that bunged up feeling that we all know so well. You don't necessarily feel sick but you don't feel well either, I like to call this feeling ugh! I figured with my ox like tendencies that would be as bad as it got. No such luck. Over the next few days my symptoms increased.

Last night I figure was that wonderful day when it peaks and you know that it is onward and upward from there. As I was snuggled up on the day bed with my book, surrounded by sheets of menthol easy breathers, a hot mug of tea and my book I felt content for the most part.  Yes my head was banging like I had a team of Riverdance in there and my stomach had that weird feeling where you can't quite decide if you are going to be sick or are actually hungry but I figured that I was nearly over the worst. Wrong. I had the pleasure of waking up this morning to the same symptoms as last night as well as finding my glands swollen to a painful level. Hence I returned to my place upon the day bed for another pity party.

To be honest it is probably the safest place for me to be. While I was sending Mr P off to work this morning at 6am I stood on the cat, burnt his bagel (Mr P's not the cats), lost my phone because I made the bed and it somehow got mixed in with the sheets, and scolded Mr P while he was in the shower because i was so preoccupied with the above mentioned bagel that I'd forgotten not to use the taps in the kitchen until he was out of the shower (that is until the screams of pain). So overall I do think that it is probably safer that I stay away from any machinery, cooking gadgets or living things until the day is over. I am honestly a danger to oneself. Mr P doesn't know how lucky he was to get out, sadly the poor cat has no choice but to take his chances although at this point he looks to be taking it all in his stride.

We've all had days like this right? Nope? Probably just me then.

A Day for ME!

Today I woke up with a list of things to do. In my head I had the whole day planned out, not one minute was to be empty. However as I sit here now at 5pm waiting for my partner to get home from work, I have to admit half of my list remains undone.  Oh I've completed all the essential tasks such as hoovering, tidying the kitchen, doing the laundry and making the beds etc but everything else has fallen to the side.

What did I find so important that it pushed my schedule so far off track you may ask? Well that's the thing... it was doing nothing! That has put me here in this chair with a cup of tea and Netflix for company.  That's right. Once my essential jobs were done I found myself revelling in the fact I am completely alone for the first time in six weeks.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not a hermit and I do, despite how it sounds, enjoy people and their company. However I am also the kind of person who needs some quiet time now and again. Time alone to watch bad television, escape into the pages of a book or even just stare out of my window lost in thought. Today I finally did that and feel so much better for it.

My list for tomorrow may have doubled in size but I hold no guilt. In fact I am going to make sure I enjoy this evening to the fullest, happy in the knowledge that I'll get to the rest tomorrow.

Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid

Hephzibah - You've no idea what it's like having a freak for a sister. Rebecca Born first, prettier, Hephzi's always been the more popular one. The Father - When he was busy with his bottle we were usually safe. Usually. The Mother - Her specialist subject was misery and lessons of painful silence...Hephzibah and Rebecca are twins. One beautiful, one disfigured. Trapped with their loveless parents, they dream of a normal life. But when one twin tragically dies, the other must find a way to escape. Because if she doesn't, she'll end up like her sister.

This was a heartbreaking book and the storyline really cut to the core of my soul. I find the subject of child abuse upsetting but circumstances where one parent stands by, allowing another to harm their child I think is deeply disturbing.  The story within this book is just that and although it was a hard read, I also found it a very rewarding one.

The story focuses on twin sisters Hephzibah and Rebecca. Their father is a deeply religious man and rules is home with an iron fist. Going to school is something that the girls had to fight for and he sees it as a freedom they do not deserve. During the opening chapter we find out that one of the girls has died and from that moment on we follow the remaining twin on her journey to free herself from her family.

It was a gripping book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing style was very descriptive and I felt this really helped to heighten the suspense and mystery contained within. The characters both had a wonderful depth to them and were very well written.
It is a book that left me thinking about the characters and the story long after I'd put it down. I would recommend this book to older teen readers as the subject matter is adult in parts and should only be read by the more mature reader.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

I'm currently reading...

The Haunted by Jessica Verday. 

Abbey has spent her summer trying to forget Caspian; the boy she fell in love with, the boy who she knows must not exist, cannot exist, because he is dead... But summer is almost over, and now Abbey has to return to Sleepy Hollow and face the ghosts of her past. 

At first she throws herself into schoolwork, perfume making and her emerging friendship with cute and funny - and very much alive - Ben, who she hopes might help her get over Caspian once and for all. But when Caspian reappears in her life, Abbey realizes that moving on might not be an option: for Caspian is a Shade and Abbey is his destiny. And destiny is something you can't run from, no matter how hard you try...

The captivating sequel to The Hollow.

Book Review - Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles.

 

 

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created "perfect" life is about to unravel before her eyes. Forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, Brittany finds herself having to protect everything she's worked so hard for - her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend and, most importantly, the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But the closer Alex and Brittany get to each other the more they realise that sometimes appearances can be deceptive and that you have to look beneath the surface to discover the truth.

 

 

I really enjoyed this book and read it in a day. it was very well written and had a wonderful flow to it. I especially liked the fact that both of the lead characters were shown to be real people, living in difficult situations an making the best out of the lives they lead. I had a soft spot for them both but especially for bad boy Alex. As the story progressed I was desperate for him to find away to live his dreams. While with Brittany I simply wanted to give her a hug and tell her to relax.

 

The chemistry between the characters was electric and it practically jumped off the page at you. As I have never been in a gang or known someone in one it really opened my eyes to that kind of life and made me realise that what may seem a simple solution to me may not be to someone on the inside of that world. The writing style was vert discripted and i was instantly transported into the the worlds of Alex and Brittany, it was a very exciting, fascinating, and entertaining book to read.

 

I would highly recommend this book, as it was a page turner. I was hooked from the first chapter and plan to read more Simone Elkeles books in the future.  In terms of audience I believe Perfect Chemistry is suitable for older teenagers due to the older storyline  and contents,  but especially due to the sexual elements it contains.

 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

 

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A never ending to-be-read list.

As an avid reader I always have a list of books on my to-be-read list. This is snippet of my reading choices for October 2012. 

• Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
• L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
• My Secret Diary by Jacqueline Wilson
• The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
• The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
• Insurgent by Veronica Roth
• The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
• Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter
• Never Have I Ever (A Lying Game Novel) by Sara Shepard
• Looking for Alaska by John Green
• XVI by Julia Karr

I'm currently reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

Finding my innner artist.

I loved art and drawing as a child but haven't sat down and done either in many years. Last night I decided to give it a go and these are the results. I'm not skilled or trained so understand I'm not claiming to be some kind of Michelangelo. I simply had some fun and this is what I ended up with.

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

I love this video! It makes me smile everytime I watch it.

I'm currently reading Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens.

 

William Dorrit is a long-term inmate in the debtors' prison, Marshalsea. He must stay there until his fortune improves and his debt is paid. For her entire life so far, his daughter Amy has faithfully nursed him in jail. Trying to keep herself out of debt she works as a seamstress for the stern Mrs Clennam. When Mrs Clennam's son, Arthur, returns home from years abroad working for the family business, Amy's life begins to change. As some shocking truths emerge, and as the fortunes of the Dorrits and the Clennams rise and fall by equally dramatic means, it is clear that no one is safe from Marshalsea.

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I am 204 pages into the book and absolutely love it. I have fallen in love with Little Dorrit and can't wait to find out how her story unfolds. It's been a pleasure to read so far and the mystery sounding William Dorrit's misdeeds has me hooked. Even though I am less than a third of the way through, the story has already taken many twists and turns. It is one of those books which instantly transport you into the story and the rest of the world ceases to exist. At first the writing style was difficult for me understand and I had to read certain passages over again in order to fully grasp their meaning. However, now I have battled my way through a number of pages I am reading with ease. My mind has become accustomed to the old style of writing and it is a pleasure to read. I'm so very glad I persevered because Little Dorrit is turning out to be a fantastic read.

Books

 

I love nothing better than a good book. To snuggle up and get lost within its pages is one of the greatest pleasures. It doesn't matter what the weather is like, it could be raining, snowing or a heatwave but it is of no importance. Once a comfortable spot has been found then I swiftly leave this world and I'm transported into a different one. I could be a detective, a lawyer, a child crime genius, a vampire, an alien or a privileged lady from times gone by. 

A book holds endless possibilities within its cover, each chapter has the ability to pull you deeper and deeper into the story and who knows where that could lead. Authors have an amazing gift of making a unique jumble of words into a fresh and exciting story. I also believe they are very brave. Any writer can put pen to paper, write a story and place their inner most thoughts on the page. I have done the same myself on occasion. However it takes someone very brave to even attempt to publish that story. Having spent many hours writing in order to send the fruits of your labour off to be reviewed and criticised must be hard. Especially when considering how many authors go on to be published compared to those who are told their work simply isn't good enough. I doubt I myself could cope with the rejection knowing how much love and time would go into writing any given story.

Therefore I thank all the wonderful authors for their bravery.  An act which ensures I can continue to snuggle in a comfy spot similar to the one above and enjoy journeying into worlds of the authors making.  I couldn't imagine my life without a book and so in turn couldn't imagine a world without authors.