New Year Book Review: The Book of You. Various Contributors

Various contributors. (No copyright page or named editor in my edition) (Pub date: 31st December 2015, Penguin) Approx 400 pages.

The Book of You

I write this post during the last hour of 2015, with the intention of writing more reviews in 2016. Although, the irony of my repetition in saying so again is not lost on me! 

Yet this review is very fitting for this time year. The Book of You is made up of 365 daily micro-actions, aimed at getting its readers happier and healthier. There can't be a better New Year's Resolution than focussing on one's own healthy, happy, body, mind and soul, can there? 

OK, so perhaps it is a little cliched, but rather than committing yourself to an alcohol-free, twelve month gym membership, whilst employing the costly services of a spiritual guru and disposing of all your material possessions, this book may just be the answer to the old "new year, new me" cliche. 

To quote the book, "A micro-action is small, simple and achievable in a normal day. For anyone. 'Meditate for twenty minutes' isn't a micro-action but 'sit quietly for two minutes' is. 'Run a marathon' isn't a micro-action, but 'take the stairs' is. Simple, but they make all the difference". (p. 7).

So for each day of the year, there is a micro-action, which will be positive or beneficial, and each micro-action will fall into one of four categories; mind, food, move or love. Each category is helpfully colour-coded and written by an expert in that category. Contributors include, Jamie Oliver, Caroline Arnold, Dr Tara Swart, Darya Rose, Dani Stevens and Jamie Sawyer. The book includes beautiful inspiring photography, helpful suggestions and space to write what you hope to achieve. 

It is very much promoting small, manageable changes in order to live a healthier lifestyle. The book advises you to start with the micro-actions chronologically for the first few days, then it's up to you if you continue chronologically throughout the book or mix and match to suit you.

Here are some of the micro-actions featured inside:

So there you have it. A great little book, that enables you to be realistic in your goals for 2016, whilst still bringing the positivity we all crave around this time of year. I certainly plan to use it, and I hope to keep you updated on my results. Although you may need to give me a nudge from time to time.

And as I sit listening to fireworks, singing neighbours and car alarms, and watch the New Year's chaotic count down to 2016, all that is left for me to say is that I wish you all a wonderfully positive 2016.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016!

This book will be published in the UK on 31 December 2015 by Penguin. Mumsnet provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. No payment has been exchanged and all opinions are my own. 

Children's Book Review: Dinosaur Poo by Diane and Christyan Fox

Fox, C &D. (Published 04 Sept 2014, Quarto). 32 pages.

We talk about poo a lot in this house. Poo and dinosaurs. 
This was one of the books that I gave to Little L for his third birthday last week. My reasoning behind it was because he is a fan of dinosaurs and not so much of poo. Well, having a poo at least. I wanted to show him that everything poos! Even dinosaurs did it. 

This book is a complete winner! Little L loves it. Really loves it. We read it every night before bed, often more than once.
The story features dinosaur friends who are on 'a big poo quest', searching high and low for the biggest and best poo! With cute and comical illustrations and flaps to lift this book keeps little ones engaged for the whole story. This rhyming tale is great fun and the sassy pterodactyl is definitely our favourite character, just wait for the surprise at the end. 
Ok, so this book doesn't necessarily have a 'moral message' like many children's books tend to have. However childhood constipation is a real problem, with up to one in three children in the UK suffering from it at any one time. It is particularly problematic around potty-training age. Frequently, it is a psychological problem. A child having a painful bowel movement, can make the negative association with having a poo, so anything at all that shows having a poo in a positive light is a plus with us!
Dinosaur Poo is a  great hit here, and definitely makes a great story for toddlers and younger children who burst into a fit of giggles at the very mention of poo!

For more information on childhood constipation visit www.childhoodconstipation.com or the NHS Choices website.

Whilst writing this, I have noticed that this book varies greatly in price from different retailers. I bought my copy from one of my favourite retailers: The Book People.

Feel free to leave me any comments and let me know your child's favourite reads.

Children's Book Review: Legs by Sarah J. Dodd, illustrated by Giusi Capizzi

Dodd, S.J. (Pub. 21 Aug 2015) 17 pages.

This is a beautifully illustrated tale of a young meerkat named Miki who inadvertently goes on an adventure in the big wide world outside of his zoo.

From Miki's point of view, it seems like the world is full of legs! Some legs frighten him so much that he finds himself outside of the zoo, only to be faced with even more legs. 
Thankfully, the friendly zookeeper rescues Miki, and shows him that the world is also full of faces, and eventually he finds his way back to his favourite face of all; Mama's!

My son (aged nearly 3) loves this story and we've read it again and again. He calls it his 'morning story' as we read it each morning. It certainly makes you appreciate how daunting the world can be for little ones.

This book will be published in the UK on 21 August 2015 by Lion Children's books. NetGalley provided with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. No payment has been exchanged and all opinions are my own. 

Book Review: The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne

Tremayne, S.K. (Pub. 2015). HarperCollins 384 pages.

If I'm honest I wasn't expecting a great deal from this psychological thriller. I have been reading a lot more literary fiction these days and thought this story from an unknown author would be a quick easy read to give me a break from the intensity of university study. But can I just say... Wow! This is easily my favourite book of the year so far.

Following the death of Lydia, one of their identical twin daughters, Sarah and Angus make the decision to move to a remote island off the coast of Scotland, which they've inherited from Angus' grandmother. Angus has lost his job due to a violent flare-up with his boss as he struggles to come to terms with the loss of his daughter. The couple face financial ruin if they do not take drastic measures, so with the intention of a fresh start, and a project in renovating their new home, they sell up and head North. 

Their surviving twin, Kirstie is clearly traumatised by the death of her sister, especially as she was present when her sister fell from their grandparent's balcony to her death. Sarah and Angus pin their hopes on the move to Scotland being a positive one. Of course there would be no story if this was the case. I have decided not to give any spoilers away on this review, because if you do read The Ice Twins, you'll be amazed by the plot twists right up to the end.

Sadly the family spiral into a depressive decline as the story progresses. The bleak but beautiful backdrop of the island of Torran, completely complements the characters' crazed state of minds. Both Angus and Sarah have their secrets, and the lack of trust between them becomes a gaping pit of hostility and hatred. The death of Lydia completely tears their family unit apart, with each parent harbouring doubts about the other. Communication between the couple becomes dysfunctional, and the effect on their remaining daughter Kirstie is heart-wrenching. Faced with her sister's face every time she sees her reflection, Kirstie is confused about her identity and Sarah begins to wonder which of her daughter's actually died in that tragic accident. 

Tremayne cleverly foreshadows early on in the story to the final plot-twists. As a reader, I felt dismay, sympathy, anger, sorrow and hatred for all the main characters at one point or another. As the story reached its conclusion, and all the secrets were unravelled, I was left with such a feeling of sadness for the whole family. The poignant message of how tragedy can destroy lives, but also where there is life, there is hope.

The story is quite intense and creepy at times, and a great tension builder. You are left guessing right up until the end. I really cannot recommend this book enough. It is an easy read, but that does not mean it lacks quality. Quite the opposite. I believe The Ice Twins was S.K. Tremayne's debut novel. I cannot wait to read more from this author. This book was a wonderfully atmospheric, intense and realistic story.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book free of charge from Mumsnet Blogger's Network for review purposes. However all opinions are my own. No payment was made in exchange for this review.

Silent Sunday: Harry Potter Series.

Our family's Harry Potter 'for reading' collection.

Book Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Flynn. Gillian, (Pub. 2013) 496 pages.

Ok, I know, I know, I'm a bit late to the party with this one. I've never been one to catch on immediately! It's usually around a year or so later that I catch on to a particular trend; and getting involved in the hype surrounding this brilliant novel, is the perfect example. However for those of you who haven't yet read Gone Girl then please do! From looking at the reviews on Goodreads, this is a bit of a Marmite novel. You either love it or hate it. I definitely fall into the former camp. 

The story begins when Nick's beautiful wife Amy disappears from their home after what looks like a struggle in their living room. Each chapter alternates between Nick and Amy's point of view, Nick's being narrated in the first person, in the present day. Amy's epistolary diary entries date back three years, giving the reader a background to the story of their marriage. 
The book is divided into two parts. The first part gives Nick's thoughts and actions as he deals with the fallout of Amy's disappearance. His increasingly strange behaviour and secretiveness, set alarm bells ringing, not only for the police, but also for Amy's parents and Nick's closet ally; his twin sister Margo. Nick slowly but surely becomes the number one suspect in Amy's disappearance. Yet through the voice of her journals, Amy comes across as the perfect wife, willing to do anything to make her marriage work. Why on earth would Nick want to hurt his beautiful, intelligent, adoring wife? As the story progresses, the reader is taken on a journey of Nick's infidelity with a young impressionable student, along with his resentment of Amy's lifestyle and wealth and the couple's increasing financial difficulties. But is Amy all as she appears to be? She is an American Sweetheart; a national treasure. Her parents were the authors of a series of books, based on their daughter, featuring 'Amazing Amy' as their protagonist. She is certainly the beautiful, intelligent girl that everyone looks up to, but is she really as perfect as everyone believes?
In part two, the reader discovers what exactly has happened to Amy. I will not reveal this, in case you've not read it, but what I will say is the characterisation of Amy in the second part of the book is brilliant. Simply brilliant. Amy is all of the things that everyone believes her to be but flawed by all the usual worries and concerns that trouble all modern women. The reader gets to delve deep into the psyche of Amy Dunne and it is a deeply scary place: psychologically and realistically chilling. I found myself identifying with some of the warped thoughts (but thankfully not actions!) that go through Amy's troubled mind. The extremes she is willing to go to, for both herself and her marriage evoke both disgust and sympathy in the reader.
There are some highly explicit sex scenes which are quite detailed in the book, and the language at times is very colourful, but it all adds to the realism, and isn't overused for sensational effect.
This book really made me question the reality of any relationship. Whether anyone is truly their self with another person, or if you always put on some form of 'mask' to ensure the highest chance of happiness possible. Nick and Amy, like all good characters are flawed, but it is how far one is willing to accept the other in spite of these flaws that really make this novel great and realistic. 
The day I finished this book, I watched the film. As always, the book was far better than the film, there were far more layers to the characters and many more twists and turns than what is portrayed in the film. For me the film was average, but the book was a winner. If you've seen the film and wasn't a fan, please don't let that put you off reading the book. 
Have you read or watched Gone Girl? If you have please let me know what you thought about it in the comments box.

Book Review: Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle

Paula Spencer. Roddy Doyle. Pub.2006. (277 pages).

I first encountered the character of Paula Spencer in Doyle's earlier novel 'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors'. (1996).

The book was recommended to me by my literature tutor, as a good example of working class fiction, which stood out largely due to Doyle's creation of Paula Spencer, an ordinary housewife and mother, who endured years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of her husband Charlo. She was also an alcoholic. 

I enjoyed this book so much so that I chose it as the subject of one of my literature modules for my course.  

Therefore, when I discovered there was a sequel to 'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors', set ten years later, I couldn't wait to get reading in the hope that Paula had blossomed after Charlo's death.

The book begins on Paula's 48th birthday. She has been sober for four months and five days. Life around Paula has changed. Dublin is now home to coffee shops and delicatessens. She still works as a cleaner, but all of her colleagues seem to be young women from Eastern Europe. Her youngest children Jack and Leanne still live at home. 

The book's main focus is on Paula's daily struggle to remain sober and to rebuild  relationships with her children. Years of dealing abuse and alcoholism has distanced her from them. 

Her eldest daughter Nicola has made a success of her life and is frequently buying her gifts. Nicola was the child that witnessed most of her father's abuse towards her mother and perhaps is not resentful towards her mother because of this. Yet Nicola's generosity and concern annoy Paula, she feels humiliated by the support given to her from her daughter, but she's proud of her too. There is a lot of ambivalence in Paula's feelings throughout the book towards all of her children.

John Paul, her eldest son, left home a heroin addict in the previous book. Paula has been estranged from him for nine years, four months and thirteen days. He turns up at Paula's house, before she had stopped drinking. He's now clean. No more drugs, back from the dead. He asks if she is sober:

''John Paul looked straight at her. And she realised. It made her want to die or kill him-he expected her to answer''. (p.54)

John Paul idolised his father, he had no parent to guide him during his formative years, and the guilt that Paula feels because this throughout the book is overwhelming. Their relationship is very awkward and the sensation of 'the elephant in the room' is ever-present when they meet.

Leanne, her youngest daughter lives with Paula. Their relationship is dogged by skeletons of the past. Leanne was the most affected by her parents relationship. The book documents Leanne's descent into alcoholism, and Paula's subsequent reaction. There is so much anger in Leanne's character towards her mother and at times it can be difficult to understand why, especially as the narration is entirely third person from Paula's point of view. 

''Leanne scares Paula. The guilt. It's always there. Leanne is twenty-two. Leanne wets her bed. Leanne deals with it. It's terrible.

Her fault. Paula's fault. The whole mess. Most of Leanne's life''. (p.5)

The recurring theme of violence rears its head in this relationship, as Paula again becomes victim to a few outbursts from Leanne. 

Her baby, Jack, is now sixteen. Severely repressed, stays in his room, terrified of his mother falling off the waggon. It is clear he is Paula's favourite. She is concerned by his introspective personality, but there are no ambivalent of feelings towards him like there are for her other children. 

The narrative of the book is entirely third person, which I am not sure I like. One of the great features of Paula's characterisation in the first book, was her idiolect and free indirect speech. This still occurs, but there is no first person narrative whatsoever.

In some ways Paula Spencer is quite depressing. Life around her has changed, Dublin has moved with the times, society and culture has changed, Ireland is not such a repressive place as it was during the height of her abuse. Yet Paula hasn't changed, she has adapted somewhat. However, she is still a victim of Charlo's abuse. He enters her thoughts frequently and has left a huge psychological scar. She is the one shouldering the blame for the inadequate parenting received by their children, yet she is also a victim.

I warmed to Paula immediately in The Woman Who Walked Into Doors. In Paula Spencer, I didn't. This may have been Doyle's intention, to realistically portray the inner thoughts of a recovering alcoholic. Her thoughts towards her children, at times, are shocking and seem unloving, but considering her life are perhaps realistic. Likewise, the children's attitudes towards their mother, who was abused horrifically by their father seem to lack empathy. The blame appears to be all apportioned to her. Perhaps this is just due to the way the book is written from Paula's third person point of view and her perception of it? Or it could be because she was an alcoholic and 'absent' from them for a large period of their lives, that they cannot trust her?

A positive relationship, that remains, is the one with her sister Carmel. Carmel has been there for Paula through everything and remains firmly by her side. There becomes a point in the book where it is Paula's turn to be a rock for Carmel, which I believe she does. The sisterly bond is arguably the most enjoyable relationship throughout this book.

Whatever the reason for the awkwardness and difficulties in rebuilding the relationships with her children, one thing that is missing from this book is a resolution. I found myself turning each page, believing an almighty showdown would surely occur. It definitely was needed by the family, too many things had been left unsaid. Yet it never occurred. And I think that is the beauty of the book. Like its predecessor, the realism is solid. The atmosphere created between the characters is thick with tension that never really gets resolved. They're just getting on with life as best they can, hoping that each day will be less of a struggle, and that each day takes them a step further from the past.

I must admit, I was slightly disappointed in the characterisation of Paula this time round. I also desired more for her. I wanted her to have turned her life around following Charlo's death. I guess that's what all readers want for a good protagonist. But I do believe Mr Doyle has given his readers a slice of real life. Paula will never have a fairy tale life, like many of us, she is just getting by, taking each step as it comes.