Virgin Earth - Philippa Gregory

This book is part of a two parter really, even though the story kind of stands on its own, it is the follow up to Earthly Joys. Where the first book follows the John Tradescant the Older in his career as gardener to the King, this book follows his son who inherits his father collection of plants and also his love and skill with the.  John however gets to travel to America in search of new plants where he meets native Indians and falls in love with their lifestyle. 

 As usual Philippa Gregory writes with style and grace, and I found myself falling into the story and living the adventure.

Bridal Jewellery ~ Clare Yarwood-White

This is a really really useful little book, it's not huge , only 96 pages but well worth its size for the amount of information packed into it. I was expecting a book of designs but whilst there are some designs to get you thinking and trying ideas out there is also a wealth of information about gems, names, settings, design consideration, matching accessories and how to work with a bride during a very stressful time... and a whole section on building a bridal jewellery business, including market research, business planning and pricing.  

So if you are thinking along those lines this book is well worth getting.

Book Review : The Land Of The Painted Caves

Have you ever been gagging for a book to come out?  I have and this was the book, I have read all the previous 5 in the series and loved them, loved them so much I had re-read them several times and I had always hoped that this one would come soon, pleeeeease let it come soon. I think you are getting the drift on my desire to read this book.

Anyway finally the book comes out and like an avid child in a sweetshop I rushed to buy it... I even bought it in hardback because (a) I knew I would have to wait for the paperback and I'm not good at waiting and (b) I thought oh I know I will read it more than once so I can justify the hardback price.

So I save this to take with me on holiday and settle down in the sun for a good read... after about 100 pages though I was just about ready to cry.... with disappointment! 

After waiting all this time for this book I couldn't believe just how bad the book was.  I mean the characters are the same, the same people I felt I had been getting to know throughout the previous 5 books, so my attachment to them should have been the same.  It wasn't a lack of emotional investment or interest on my part.   It was just the book... I don't know what happened to Jean M Auel but this book just didn't have the same oompf that the others did.  It was like she just ran out of steam, the book was so repetitive.. by page 100 I was literally screaming "ok already I know people find her freaking accent unusual... shut up about it!!!"

But I am stubborn and as it was the ONLY book I brought on holiday with me I felt compelled to finish it.  I did... barely... almost chucked it in the sea a couple of times and the disappointment I felt at the repetition in the book wasn't salved by a strong ending... no it was the wishy washiest ending to an epic story I have ever seen.  Now this could have been because I was already so annoyed with the disappointment of the body of the story or it could just have been because the ending was rubbish either way that's several hours of my life I won't be getting back. The last time I saw a plot this wet it involved Bobby Ewing being in a shower and it all being a dream in Dallas.

And to top it off, I almost left the book in the hotel room, I was that disgusted with it, but no, I thought I will take it home and stick it on the bookshelf only to get charged for excess baggage on the way home... if I had left the book behind that would have been a chunk of weight we didn't end up paying for.

The editors of this books should have gone through it with a big red pen and marked "repetitious" on every page.

Book Review: Dreaming The Eagle

I've always been fascinated by strong female characters, specially historical ones, obviously all we can ever do is look back, extrapolate from whatever historical evidence is available and conjure up a story from that, unfortunately time travel isn't an option... how cool it would be if it was!  In modern times women's role in society is back up on the rise after several centuries of being denied a role, being held back by the male dominated elite... it's almost hard to believe that once upon a time women were warriors, seers, religious leaders and played important parts in the history of humankind. 

Boudica or Boadicea as she is often known as is a character that has been of great interest to me, so Manda Scott's series of books on Boudica were a definite "must read" for me and I wasn't disappointed. Although this is historical fiction, it is believable historical fiction.  

Manda Scott managed to bring to life a largely unknown portion of English history, there is very little written evidence from this time, just at the point that England is invaded by the Romans and the turning point in history from the British Isles, if the Romans hadn't come how different a country could this have been. Boudica is the Queen of the Iceni, one of the many tribes that occupied England and leads a revolt against the Romans. 

This book is one of a series and I would highly recommend the whole series. If you like series style stories in the vein of "Clan of the Cave Bear" or "Lord of the Rings" then this series will have you enthralled. 

 

Touch

Adding Touch to our list of must watch programmes.  I thoroughly enjoyed Tim Kring's previous serious Heroes so Touch already had my attention.

Having watched two episodes now I have to say I am hooked.  

Touch follows the story of Martin Bohm, a man widowed during 9/11 and left to care for his autistic son Jake, whom he is devoted to but unable to connect with or really understand.

I'm not a massive Keifer Sutherland fan and I am struggling to find him terribly believable as the devoted father in touch but the story itself has me so captivated I can let that pass.

The young male actor chosen to play Jake is one of the most beautiful children I have ever seen, his eyes seem to portray all the emotion that as an autistic child he is unable to share. So if he's good as a child when he reaches adulthood his career is going to be worth following.

What drew me to this series originally was the ideas behind it... that there are these tiny moments in time that seem so unimportant, like tiny ripples in a pond, they mean nothing to us but that those ripples radiate outwards and connect us all in ways we can't see or appreciate.  It's made me wonder does coincidence actually exist or is there a plan?  Are there really invisible strings that draw us all together and does everything we do, everything we say, every call we make or thought we have connected and important?

The other aspect of the show that has captured me is the love,  I wasn't expecting that.  The absolute unconditional love this man has for this child who does not connect with him, who cannot say I love you dad and cannot bear to be touched, who doesn't "give back" to this parent all the moments we parents cherish and yet, this man fights to keep his son, fights to understand him and is prepared to take the leap of faith to follow the map his child is setting him. 

If you haven't seen the show, I would recommend that you find it and watch it.  But be prepared, having tissues because you will cry... ok maybe you won't, but I blubbed like a baby. 

Catch Touch Tuesdays 8pm on Sky 1

Review - The Shadow Line

BBC2's The Shadow Line has been  an incredible visual ride.   Written by Hugo Blick this is an incredibly dark journey into the shadowy underbelly of the drugs world and even darker world of corruption within the police force.  

Right from the start you are never quite sure who is on who's side. 

Starring:

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Christopher Eccleston 

Richard Lintern 

Robert Pugh

There isn't a single "filler" episode or time wasting moment, it's a non stop rollercoaster of a series that shocks you at every single turn.  Just when you think you know who the baddies are and why they have done what they have done... someone who appeared to have been a thoroughly "good guy" turns out to to have been a "right wrong 'un". 

This series was a real jolt to the system, the acting was excellent, the story very hard hitting and deep and although the body count was quite high by the end of the series, none of the violence was there just to shock, even though it did shock.  

I got the sense of the shadow that the title of the series speaks of, the struggle that a good cop has to stay a good cop when all around him the people who are supposed to be colleagues and on his side are quietly working on their own agenda's.  

Watch it, Watch it!  Watch it!!!!