Scan barcode
misslexisaurus's reviews
78 reviews
Love Hurt Repeat by Vivyan Lynne
5.0
Oh my god! After the minor drama of the first book the sequel is the definition of "that escalated quickly!"
The whole feel of this book is darker than the first with each small moment building to culminate in...that ending. For the entirety of the final 2 chapters I was muttering "holy shit" to myself.
I absolutely loved hearing Damian's side of things in this book. The switching between main characters really added to the frustration at both of them and showed how people can view the same situation so differently and why communication is so important in any relationship.
This book kept me turning the page, even as I cursed the characters and became increasingly frustrated with their terrible, immature attitude to relationships.
As frustrating as it was to read, I felt it accurately portrayed the kind of thought processes and drama that happen in late teen/early adulthood. That frustration that I'm sure many parents feel watching their kids go through first relationships and life mistakes is, I'm sure, similar to what I felt reading Love, Hurt, Repeat.
I really enjoyed the book, although enjoy feels like the wrong word in this instance! It had a powerful, underlying message and was very well written.
The whole feel of this book is darker than the first with each small moment building to culminate in...that ending. For the entirety of the final 2 chapters I was muttering "holy shit" to myself.
I absolutely loved hearing Damian's side of things in this book. The switching between main characters really added to the frustration at both of them and showed how people can view the same situation so differently and why communication is so important in any relationship.
This book kept me turning the page, even as I cursed the characters and became increasingly frustrated with their terrible, immature attitude to relationships.
As frustrating as it was to read, I felt it accurately portrayed the kind of thought processes and drama that happen in late teen/early adulthood. That frustration that I'm sure many parents feel watching their kids go through first relationships and life mistakes is, I'm sure, similar to what I felt reading Love, Hurt, Repeat.
I really enjoyed the book, although enjoy feels like the wrong word in this instance! It had a powerful, underlying message and was very well written.
Princes, Frogs and Ugly Sisters: The Healing Power of the Grimm Brothers' Tales by Allan G. Hunter
3.0
"Princes, Frogs and Ugly Sisters" is an interesting look at life, families and relationships using the Grimm Brothers' fairy tales and the wisdom they contain. If you have been brought up on the Disney versions of these tales then hold on to your hats when you read this as you'll no doubt be shocked at just how different the original stories are!
Personally, I struggled with this book, I so wanted to love it but I couldn't help but feel cynical and feel that it was, in places, judgmental, middle class and read a little too much into the tales. However, I put these feelings to the author, Allan, and he was very happy to answer my criticisms and questions. I cannot get across just how lovely a man he is and, having discussed my feelings about the book, I will definitely be re-reading it with fresh eyes, after having read the Grimm's tales of course!
My description above of "judgmental" and "middle class" was based on the opinions that are very evident in the book. I, mistakenly, assumed that they were Allan's personal opinions when, in fact, they are the views of the conservative society in which the Grimm Brothers were writing. Allan explains that the Grimms' Tales are "ultimately, 'conservative' in their outlook because they were talking about the concerns of a very traditional bunch of people in the year 1800." Please bear this in mind while reading the book as it is very easy to be distracted by the "oh that's not PC" thoughts that will detract from the wisdom that the book has to offer.
Allan also says that his aim is "not to praise the Grimms' views as unequivocally 'right' but to suggest that before we throw them out and take Disney we need to be sure what we're throwing out." This is a fair thing to ask and it becomes obvious quickly that Allan is more than a little irritated by the "Disneyfication" of the Grimm's tales and as you read you will discover why; the key points in the tales have been totally ignored by Disney for reasons that will remain a mystery to me! Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty or Snow White with the Disney sparkle, but now knowing the true endings I can see how much more I could have learnt had they been left intact. In fact, since reading the book, I have made the decision to read the original tales to my children (when I have them) alongside the Disney films, that way they get the best of both worlds!
If you're a Literature geek (or buff if you prefer!) then you will love this, it looks very deeply into the tales and gives you a lot to think about. It's an ideal companion to have if you are studying the tales for pleasure or otherwise. You can definitely learn some valuable life lessons from the book, and the tales themselves, and for that alone it's worth a read. He has definitely convinced me to read the Grimm's tales and I'm going to give the book a 7/10 with a re-read pending! And now I shall leave you with the man himself giving an interview on the book. His enthusiasm is infectious!
Personally, I struggled with this book, I so wanted to love it but I couldn't help but feel cynical and feel that it was, in places, judgmental, middle class and read a little too much into the tales. However, I put these feelings to the author, Allan, and he was very happy to answer my criticisms and questions. I cannot get across just how lovely a man he is and, having discussed my feelings about the book, I will definitely be re-reading it with fresh eyes, after having read the Grimm's tales of course!
My description above of "judgmental" and "middle class" was based on the opinions that are very evident in the book. I, mistakenly, assumed that they were Allan's personal opinions when, in fact, they are the views of the conservative society in which the Grimm Brothers were writing. Allan explains that the Grimms' Tales are "ultimately, 'conservative' in their outlook because they were talking about the concerns of a very traditional bunch of people in the year 1800." Please bear this in mind while reading the book as it is very easy to be distracted by the "oh that's not PC" thoughts that will detract from the wisdom that the book has to offer.
Allan also says that his aim is "not to praise the Grimms' views as unequivocally 'right' but to suggest that before we throw them out and take Disney we need to be sure what we're throwing out." This is a fair thing to ask and it becomes obvious quickly that Allan is more than a little irritated by the "Disneyfication" of the Grimm's tales and as you read you will discover why; the key points in the tales have been totally ignored by Disney for reasons that will remain a mystery to me! Don't get me wrong, I love a bit of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty or Snow White with the Disney sparkle, but now knowing the true endings I can see how much more I could have learnt had they been left intact. In fact, since reading the book, I have made the decision to read the original tales to my children (when I have them) alongside the Disney films, that way they get the best of both worlds!
If you're a Literature geek (or buff if you prefer!) then you will love this, it looks very deeply into the tales and gives you a lot to think about. It's an ideal companion to have if you are studying the tales for pleasure or otherwise. You can definitely learn some valuable life lessons from the book, and the tales themselves, and for that alone it's worth a read. He has definitely convinced me to read the Grimm's tales and I'm going to give the book a 7/10 with a re-read pending! And now I shall leave you with the man himself giving an interview on the book. His enthusiasm is infectious!
Sign Here, Here and Here! . . . Journey of a Financial Adviser by Keith G. Churchouse
5.0
I'm not getting divorced (though I am partial to Wedding cake), in fact I have never been married, but I was really interested by this book. I suppose it is best described as a layman's guide to divorce in the UK: you can flip to the section that you need advice on or read through it and get a handle on each stage of the process. I have already recommended it to several friends who are divorcing because I really think it will help them.
The whole book is simple to understand even if you have no idea, as I did, of the divorce process. It is full of helpful advice but does not claim to be the all knowing oracle, instead it points to experts who can help in each field. There are, wisely, many suggestions of counselling to help you to get through the process and for any children who may be involved. I thought it was very sensible, and somewhat refreshing, to see the mental effects of divorce approached so candidly and talked about seriously.
The one part of the book that I struggled with was the pensions chapter, it blew my mind! Having said that it seems like an incredibly complicated topic and I think the author did his best to make it as clear as possible.
The tips given out throughout the book are very useful, for example letting us know who wont accept photocopied documents, and would be invaluable to anyone going through the process. The fact that the author has also experienced divorce himself means that he is very understanding of how tough it is and this certainly comes across, the book feels supportive yet firm, almost like a close friend trying to get you back on your feet.
If you, or someone you know, is getting divorced I would definitely recommend this book, it covers not just the legal issues but every aspect from knowing the marriage is failing to moving on after.
The whole book is simple to understand even if you have no idea, as I did, of the divorce process. It is full of helpful advice but does not claim to be the all knowing oracle, instead it points to experts who can help in each field. There are, wisely, many suggestions of counselling to help you to get through the process and for any children who may be involved. I thought it was very sensible, and somewhat refreshing, to see the mental effects of divorce approached so candidly and talked about seriously.
The one part of the book that I struggled with was the pensions chapter, it blew my mind! Having said that it seems like an incredibly complicated topic and I think the author did his best to make it as clear as possible.
The tips given out throughout the book are very useful, for example letting us know who wont accept photocopied documents, and would be invaluable to anyone going through the process. The fact that the author has also experienced divorce himself means that he is very understanding of how tough it is and this certainly comes across, the book feels supportive yet firm, almost like a close friend trying to get you back on your feet.
If you, or someone you know, is getting divorced I would definitely recommend this book, it covers not just the legal issues but every aspect from knowing the marriage is failing to moving on after.
Love Hate Repeat by Vivyan Lynne
4.0
An easy read but one that kept me interested and invested in the characters who are wonderfully human and equally flawed.
I found the repetitive routine of college classes to offer a grounding feel, keeping both me and the book in reality. I appreciated how it was used to also offer a clear opposite to the whirlwind romance we follow through the book. The feeling of being so swept up in love (or lust!) is clearly portrayed and, while Kellen certainly doesn't find the college time grounding, it offers the reader an opportunity to view the relationship with more perspective and figure out how they feel.
I found the repetitive routine of college classes to offer a grounding feel, keeping both me and the book in reality. I appreciated how it was used to also offer a clear opposite to the whirlwind romance we follow through the book. The feeling of being so swept up in love (or lust!) is clearly portrayed and, while Kellen certainly doesn't find the college time grounding, it offers the reader an opportunity to view the relationship with more perspective and figure out how they feel.