Books for life...

Hello lovely readers as I said I am back again but I am weaning my self in to blogging again slowly so i thought i would do a piece all about my favorite books. I think I have mentioned before I am a very fussy reader and I really struggle to find books to read and sometimes even if i find a story I like I still struggle to read the writing style. I do how ever love to read, I love getting absorbed in a book and I really think the old saying that a good book is like a good friend is true. Most of these books I have just read once but left a lasting impression on me. So here are my top ten reads they include series and single books.....

10. In The Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami and Ralph McCarthy

This book is not for the faint of heart or any one who does not posses a strong stomach. I will say it now it is very disturbing, strange and sickening. However much like the Dexter series it get inside the mind of a killer. It is horrific and shocking and very Japanese but I liked it cause i wasn't bored by it and it left me thinking about the characters and the events for ages afterwards. Like I said it is very graphic and if your not in to gore and such then there is no point even picking it up but if you are looking for something different then give it a go. My husband couldn't get on with it but I couldn't put it down and was always on the edge of my seat wondering what could possibly come next.

9. The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas

Bit of a mind flip this one, think Inception, matrix, thought experiments, Donnie Darko and you are in the right so of playing field. Once again not every ones cup of tea but it fascinated me. One girls story intertwined with a book from the past, is it real, what is going on? There were some bits the were a bit slow but it kept me reading and page turning.


8. Flowers For Algernon (Gollancz S.F.) by Daniel Keyes

This is just brilliant, narrators writing speech changes as he changes. The whole book is slightly sad and very poignant. Charlie the narrator becomes the subject of a new and complicated brain surgery that can change the subjects IQ, the story deals with the emotional challenges faced by charlie and how liberating and difficult it can be to change. It is a very believable story with all the technological advances it is a story that I could see happening with any medical trial to a certain extent.

7. Memoirs Of A Geisha by Arthur Golden



Simply put this is completely and utterly beautiful. So detailed and filled with emotion. A real roller-coaster of wonderful highs for terrible lows this book is an imprint of a life that is so thought out and carefully drawn you would think it was real. Every character is so real and it feels like you are in the streets Kyoto with them learning their ancient ways and customs and it is hard not to fall in love with the world and become enthralled by the complicated at times dangerous and secretive lives of the geisha's and their customers.

6. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall

Another mind bending inception type story. What is happening? What is real? Strange and tense this novel i think is a bit of a marmite book. Personally I loved it, my mind was working and racing along with the plot and the mysterious characters. Eric the main character wakes up with out any memory to speak of. His quest to find out who is his turns out to be dangerous and confusing. Dark powers are nipping at his heals at every turn. A lot is left for the reader to decide so if you like conclusive ending with everything laid out neatly for you, then this will frustrate you. If you like to draw your own conclusions and interpret stories with your own theories you will love it.

5.The Beach by Alex Garland
Cult fiction at it's best. Lots of people have read the book or seen the film. Again you might need a strong stomach but this is thrilling and full of twists and turns. Everything seems to be paradise, but is paradise all it's cracked up to be and can it be sustained when the cracks start to appear. It moves fast and goes bang from the start. I sat feeling shocked and awed at the end.

4. Stargirl: Pink by Jerry Spinelli

I love this book, I first read it as a teenager and it is one of a few books that I have re-read and re-read and re-read only the next few books and two others (charlie and the chocolate factory and the magicians nephew) belong in that category. It tells the tale of a young man who encounters and is completely absorbed by an enchanting and odd new girl at school. The book is poetic and charming. You can't help but love the whimsical star girl and wonder if you will ever meet her.

3. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

I love physics, and although this book was written the year I was born (1988) it is still an amazing and interesting read, there are of course other more recent book detailing newer theories and discoveries but for getting an understanding of Hawkins work and of famous experiments such as schrodinger's cat and the double split experiment it is very good. I also love Everything that can happen does happen by Brian Cox as well.

2.His Dark Materials slipcase: "Northern Lights", "Subtle Knife", "Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

A spine tingling mix of religion, politics, science and fantasy. Just brilliant. This is no mere children's book trilogy. Pullman does not patronise his readers in the least. The characters are well developed and the adventure is big and brilliant. The second book starts a little slow for me but how you can not love these books is beyond me. The trilogy is clever and heartbreaking and breath taking. If you love epic fantasy this is perfect.

1. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

As i have said I am obsessed with Harry's story. I love every thing about it. Hogwarts for me is a second home, I escape there when I am sad and find a display of pretty much every single human emotion possible in this series. I have just come back from the Warner brothers studio tour and it was like coming home walking through the great hall and drinking butterbeer. There is not much more to say that haven't said before!


So what are your fave books? I hope you enjoyed having a read and that you have a lovely week

Looking to the future

Well as usual I have been away for longer than I would like. This year has not been an easy one so far. In fact the last two years have been an almost endless series of tough times and difficulties. So after making some big decisions about what comes next and taking a long break on this blog, and getting rid of my website (for now) I am finally ready to start over. I will not be doing any craft fairs for a little while and over the next few months making a slow return to blogging and then later this year I will be re-launching a slightly new look, new product Wilde Snapdragon on this blog, twitter, facebook and Etsy. You can still expect lots of crafting and baking in fact there will be better how-tos, recipes and articles cause I am gonna give more time and thought to making this blog and my Etsy the very best it can be for you my readers and customers. So don't go anywhere I am just warming up. Keep an eye out cause I am coming back better, bigger and stronger than ever!!! Thank for having a read and I will be seeing you soon....

Jubilee fun and cupcakes

I mighty enjoyed this weekend just passed. It is a fabulous time to live in Britain our whole nation is celebrating and my family is no exception. My mum and dad held a wonderful fancy dress jubilee party, we had hobby horse jousting and my mum made pulled pork and lamb (being pescatarian I had a nice bit of grilled salmon)it was such good fun. I whipped up a batch of red velvet cupcakes and handmade the toppers to join them.

I mean really can any one think of a better way of honoring our monarch than gorging themselves on re velvety goodness? I also dressed up as a modern day Britainia. Here are a few pics of some good old fashion national pride!

Me in my outfit and my husband in his Monty Python black knight costume. He made his (including wooden sword) from scratch!
Thanks for reading today, what did you do over the weekend and what plans have you got coming up! Have a lovely rest of the week

Audrey the star?

Hello lovely readers, how have you been? I have been busy applying for new housing, me and the husband have been told we are moving up country to pastures new.

When this move will take place is as yet no entirely known as it all depends on when a house can be given to us by the MOD. I have to say I am excited for new challenges and a change of scene but I will miss all those at my drama club. Talking of which I am rehearsing with my group for Act 2 for a cabaret performance at the end of the month. All is going well (touch wood) and it has been great fun getting to sing songs from les miserables and other famous musicals.

Also I have just started rehearsing for a stag version of David Copperfield that will be performed at the end of August i have two small parts (both of which i am really pleased at getting) but more excitedly the have asked my for my dog Audrey to be included in the cast! So she is going along for a an introduction session to see if she likes being a theater pup on Friday. I am sure she will get in to character easily as the dog she will play gets lots of cuddles and fuss!

I really hope she gets along well and can be included and doesn't get scared cause if she doesn't like it nothing will be forced, however she is a cutie and I am sure that she won't mind being fawned over once a week for a few weeks! I have a star in the making!! Thanks for reading, hope you are having a good week so far and happy hump day all

Getting Back on my feet after 2 years

Hello,

How long has it been? 2012 so far has been a funny sort of year, I have been doing a lot of soul searching and trying to get back my fight and inspiration after the rubbish year that was 2011. It is already Autumn, time seems to be flying this year. As I have said in the past the Autumn and Winter months are always my favourite. I love hot drinks, pumpkin based foods, warm jumpers and coats, crunchy red leaves, chilly frosts, cosy cuddles and so much more. This year September is bringing a season of new starts and adventures for me. I have moved to Oxfordshire, a beautiful part of the country and a lot nearer to home. I have started gardening again, just a few shrubs an herbs. I have got my bike out of retirement and have lots of autumn rides planned and I have even started on the path to a new career. I incorporating my love of health and working out in to my professional life and taking my first steps to becoming a fitness instructor! I hope to launch a new blog related to that at some point. I have finally got my inspiration back and will be what I have aimed to do all year and actually re-launch Wilde Snapdragon. Life is moving on and I will very soon be 24 but I am finally getting back to me and that is so much better than trying to be someone else.

I have now had this blog for 2 years! For any one who reads anything like regularly then thank you for your support and comments over the last 2 years and I am sorry for my extended absences it has taken me a while, I thought I was ready earlier in the year to get back to blogging and crafting but I was wrong, finally things really are different so thanks for sticking with me and reading my sporadic bloggings.

For any one interested Audrey, my dog, did really well in our production of David Copperfield. It was our perfect swan song to Cornwall. It was a crazy busy week with all the moving stuff going on and nightly performances but in the end it all went well. The move was pretty smooth in the end and we got to spend a couple of days relaxing at home in Shropshire before travelling to our new home in Oxfordshire. We discovered shopping in Waitrose is fun as they have lots of stuff other supermarkets don't they discovered we can only shop there occasionally as it is too expensive, however i will still be popping in for Heston's Popcorn Icecream, Vanilla Chai Latte powder, unusual varieties of veggies and fruit and super yummy bread.

I have also started an Instagram, I have become a bit of an addict lol find my under the name FitnessPixie1, its my life in images, everything from dirty garden hands to all the pictures from me getting back in to baking. There is still a long way to go back I am soaking up my good feelings and trying to spread some positivity. I hope you are all having a brilliant September so far and I hope the new season means some fresh inspiration and new adventures all round.

Thanks for having a read it has been good to blog again.