Stories & Songs #3

Today it's my birthday so I'm here with another installment of one of my personal favourite posts, Stories & Songs! You can find the previous posts here and here, and all of the songs mentioned can be found in this playlist!

Frenchman's Creek

by Daphne du Maurier

"Legendary Lovers"

Katy Perry

Take me down to the river

Underneath the blood-orange sun

Say my name like a scripture

Keep my heart beating like a drum

Legendary lovers, we could be legendary

La la la la la

Legendary lovers, we should be legendary

La la la la la

Go down in history

Go down together,

Into infinity,

Forever

Your Cleopatra

Your blushing Juliet

Anything for your love

Scarlet

by Marissa Meyer

"Cosmic Love"

Florence + the Machine

And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat

I tried to find the sound

But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness,

So darkness I became

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out

You left me in the dark

No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight

In the shadow of your heart

I took the stars from my eyes, and then I made a map

And knew that somehow I could find my way back

Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too

So I stayed in the darkness with you

Carmilla

by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

"Sinéad"

Within Temptation

I've gotta try

It's not over yet

No signals of love

Have you left

My heart is bleeding just for you

Bleeds only for you

And it hurts to know the truth

Are you looking saviours

Chasing a dream

Love turned to hate

Now I'm crossing the border

See then I fade

But I'm not afraid

Oh Sinéad,

For the first time

Life is gonna turn around

I'm telling you

You will like it, I know

Oh Sinéad,

It's the first time

Only you can set it free

Oh Sinéad

Come break away with me

Blackout

by Mira Grant

"Read All About It, Pt. III"

Emeli Sandé

At night we're waking up the neighbours

While we sing away the blues

Making sure that we're remembered, yeah

Cause we all matter too

If the truth has been forbidden

Then we're breaking all the rules

So come on, come on

Come on, come on

Let's get the TV and the radio

To play our tune again

It's 'bout time we got some airplay of our version of events

There's no need to be afraid

I will sing with you my friend

Come on, come on

I wanna sing, I wanna shout

I wanna scream 'til the words dry out

So put it in all of the papers,

I'm not afraid

They can read all about it

Read all about it, oh

Corrag

by Susan Fletcher

"Wild Child"

Enya

Ever close your eyes

Ever stop and listen

Ever feel alive

And you've nothing missing

You don't need a reason

Let the day go on and on

Let the rain fall down

Everywhere around you

Give into it now

Let the day surround you

You don't need a reason

Let the rain go on and on

What a day

What a day to take to

What a way

What a way

To make it through

What a day

What a day to take to

A wild child

Top Ten Tuesday | Character Driven Novels

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find out everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Books For Readers Who Like Character Driven Novels', so let's dive in!

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson: A gorgeous book that not enough people have read. The story is narrated by a former pornographer who survives a car crash, brought on by drunk driving, that leaves him horrifically burned. It's stunning, please read it.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins: One of my favourite classics, and believed to be the very first English detective novel. The Moonstone's dense, but it's worth getting through; it has a brilliant array of characters, some you'll love and some you'll hate, who really drive the story forward.

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë: Another of my favourite classics which, like the majority of the books on this list, has a spectacularly ordinary story. There's nothing groundbreaking about the plot, but Agnes brings this story to life. Highly recommended!

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood: For the most part this book tells us a story that we already know - or at least one that we think we know - but what makes it so fun to read is Penelope's narration. A great read for any lovers of Greek mythology.

Persuasion by Jane Austen: Honestly I'm not a big fan of Austen, but there's no denying that in terms of plot Persuasion is probably the weakest of her novels. The story is very basic, but many Austen fans still love this novel dearly because of its character development.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: If you ignore the odd twists and turns in the plot of Jane Eyre, it's actually a fairly ordinary story. What makes this novel so popular is Jane herself.

Corrag by Susan Fletcher: Another horrendously underrated novel. This book is beautifully written and stars one of the most endearing heroines I've ever come across in historical fiction. It's slow and unassuming, but it's so worth the read.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: I'm currently reading Rebecca for the first time, and even though I'm only around 20% of the way through it's already a quiet, claustrophobic read. It's up to the reader to decide which character is driving this novel: is it our narrator, or is it Rebecca?

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: Just like Agnes Grey and Jane Eyre, when you strip Wuthering Heights down to the bare bones there isn't all that much to it plot-wise. It's a story that can be easily summed up in a few sentences, but what makes it fascinating to read is its unapologetic protagonists, Cathy and Heathcliff.

The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown: I have a lot of bookish friends, and through the blogosphere I know readers all over the world too, and yet I've never met a single person who's read this book. It's a traditional fantasy book; there are knights, witches, dragons and unicorns, and I love it. While it is a story about a quest, it's not a quest to save the world; the only thing at stake is the protagonists' happiness. If you're a fan of traditional fantasy then I highly recommend this book!

Which books made your top ten?

Jess Suggests | Halloween Reads!

Halloween is on its way, so it's time to crack open the spooky and creepy reads on our shelves. Here are just five books I recommend reading at this time of the year!

Carmilla

by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

Living a lonely existence in a remote schloss in Styria, on the border of Austria and Hungary, Laura and her father play host to an unexpected guest, the beautiful young Carmilla. Her arrival is closely followed by an outbreak of unexplained deaths in the area, while the young women's growing friendship coincides with a series of nightmares and mysterious nocturnal visitations, and a gradual downward spiral in Laura's health. A chilling tale of the un-dead, Carmilla is a beautifully written example of the gothic genre. Believed to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker's gothic masterpiece 'Dracula', written over twenty years later, Carmilla stands out as an all-time horror classic.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

by Robert Louis Stevenson

'All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil'

Published as a shilling shocker, Robert Louis Stevenson's dark psychological fantasy gave birth to the idea of the split personality. The story of respectable Dr Jekyll's strange association with damnable young man Edward Hyde; the hunt through fog-bound London for a killer; and the final revelation of Hyde's true identity is a chilling exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil.

The Silence of the Lambs

by Thomas Harris

A serial murderer known only by a grotesquely apt nickname-Buffalo Bill-is stalking women. He has a purpose, but no one can fathom it, for the bodies are discovered in different states. Clarice Starling, a young trainee at the FBI Academy, is surprised to be summoned by Jack Crawford, chief of the Bureau's Behavioral Science section. Her assignment: to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter-Hannibal the Cannibal-who is kept under close watch in the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

Dr. Lecter is a former psychiatrist with a grisly history, unusual tastes, and an intense curiosity about the darker corners of the mind. His intimate understanding of the killer and of Clarice herself form the core of The Silence of the Lambs-and ingenious, masterfully written book and an unforgettable classic of suspense fiction.

Affinity

by Sarah Waters

"Now you know why you are drawn to me – why your flesh comes creeping to mine, and what it comes for. Let it creep."

From the dark heart of a Victorian prison, disgraced spiritualist Selina Dawes weaves an enigmatic spell. Is she a fraud, or a prodigy? By the time it all begins to matter, you'll find yourself desperately wanting to believe in magic.

Set in and around the women’'s prison at Milbank in the 1870s, Affinity is an eerie and utterly compelling ghost story, a complex and intriguing literary mystery and a poignant love story with an unexpected twist in the tale.

Following the death of her father, Margaret Prior has decided to pursue some 'good work' with the lady criminals of one of London's most notorious gaols. Surrounded by prisoners, murderers and common thieves, Margaret feels herself drawn to one of the prisons more unlikely inmates – the imprisoned spiritualist – Selina Dawes. Sympathetic to the plight of this innocent-seeming girl, Margaret sees herself dispensing guidance and perhaps friendship on her visits, little expecting to find herself dabbling in a twilight world of seances, shadows, unruly spirits and unseemly passions.

The Haunting of Hill House

by Shirley Jackson

Four seekers have come to the ugly, abandoned old mansion: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of the psychic phenomenon called haunting; Theodora, his lovely and light-hearted assistant; Eleanor, a lonely, homeless girl well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the adventurous future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable noises and self-closing doors, but Hill House is gathering its powers and will soon choose one of them to make its own...

What are you reading this month?

Reading Wrap-Up | August + September 2014

After a little hiatus my reading wrap-ups are back, and today I'll be sharing with you what I read in August and September. Considering I was finishing up my MA portfolio and just generally stressing out throughout both of these months I got more reading done than I expected!

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

by Katherine Howe

My Rating: 

Connie Goodwin should be spending her summer doing research for her Ph.D. dissertation in American History. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she's compelled to help. It's not long before the time she's set aside for research is instead spent sorting through her grandmother's ancient possessions, discovering a woman she barely knew. One day, while exploring the dusty bookshelves in the study, Connie discovers a key hidden within an old bible. And within the key is a brittle slip of paper with two words written on it: Deliverance Dane. Along with a handsome steeplejack named Sam, Connie begins to dig into the town's records, looking for references to Deliverance Dane. But even as the pieces begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the witch trials so long ago, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past than she could have ever imagined. 

The first book I read in August was a re-read for me. I first discovered The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane in my local library and enjoyed it that much that I had to get my own copy. It had flaws in places - the villain was a little too obvious and the ending felt a little rushed - but I enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it. Connie's a very relatable heroine and I love her mother, too. Not to mention Sam, the love interest, who I certainly wouldn't kick out of bed.

Even More Terrible Tudors

by Terry Deary

My Rating: 

Want to know:-- who invited Queen Elizabeth I to visit his brand new toilet?
- what you get when you sew the front of a chicken to the back of a pig?
- how to catch jail fever if you've never been to prison?

Read on for amazing information about the good times and the gory - from the fabulous fun of the great goose fairs and the harmless horrors of Shakespeare's plays, to the vicious variety of painful punishments and the terrible trickery of the ruthless royal family.

History has never been so horrible!

I grew up on the Horrible Histories books, they might be non-fiction but this series was one of my absolute favourites when I was little and I devoured them. Over the past few years it's garnered a whole new fanbase following the success of the show on CBBC and new, bright editions of the books have been released for a whole new generation of kids to enjoy. But I will always love the editions I grew up with which I sadly lost some years ago (I have a feeling my Mum donated them to charity), so when I discovered an entire box of the books in the editions I grew up with on a market stall there was no way I was walking away empty-handed. They were only 70p each, so I ended up picking up some of my favourites, including this one! One night I couldn't sleep, so I read this and it was really comforting. I love these books.

Deadline

by Mira Grant

My Rating: 

Shaun Mason is a man without a mission. Not even running the news organization he built with his sister has the same urgency as it used to. Playing with dead things just doesn't seem as fun when you've lost as much as he has.

But when a CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, but the conspiracy is far from dead.

Now, Shaun hits the road to find what truth can be found at the end of a shotgun.

The last book I read in August was the second book in Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy. As expected, it was amazing and I loved it and I had to start the third book, Blackout, straight away. I haven't had much of a chance to really get into the third book yet, but I'm hoping to complete the trilogy this month! If you haven't picked up this series yet then frankly I don't know what you're doing with your life.

Frenchman's Creek

by Daphne du Maurier

My Rating: 

The Restoration Court knows Lady Dona St Columb to be ripe for any folly, any outrage that will relieve the tedium of her days. But there is another, secret Dona who longs for a life of honest love - and sweetness, even if it is spiced with danger. Dona flees London for remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds there the passion her spirit craves - in the love of a daring pirate hunted across Cornwall, a Frenchman who, like Dona, would gamble his life for a moment's joy.

In September I finally read my first Daphne du Maurier book! I was going to read Rebecca, but I've heard such amazing things about it that I didn't want to read Rebecca first and ruin du Maurier's other books for me. Being the lover of historical fiction that I am I decided to pick up Frenchman's Creek instead, and I really, really enjoyed it; it was just the kind of fun adventure/romance story I needed after finishing up my MA, and now I can't wait to read more du Maurier!

Blood Sinister

by Celia Rees

My Rating: 

Ellen Forrest is sick, she feels as if the life is being sucked out of her. The doctors think that she is suffering from a disease of the blood, and she has been sent to her grandmother's house to rest, but she seems to be getting worse, not better. Can it have anything to do with the diaries she has found in the attic? Diaries written in Victorian times by her great great grandmother. Diaries that describe an encounter with a handsome young Count who comes from the Land Beyond the Forest. 

Ellen likes a vampire story, who doesn't? The difference is that this one just happens to be true…

I wanted to cross at least one book off my Autumn TBR in September, so considering Blood Sinister isn't even 200 pages long it seemed like the perfect choice. It was okay. It wasn't the worst book I've read, but it wasn't particularly special either, although it was fun to read about people watching videos - you just can't beat the '90s! If you're in the mood to read something easy this Halloween then I recommend you pick it up, but don't expect to be wowed.

What have you read recently?

Top Ten Tuesday | Books That Were Hard to Read!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Books That Were Hard For Me To Read'. So, without further ado, here are my ten!

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: I love the Brontës, always have and always will, but when it comes to their novels it's Emily's I've always struggled with. I think the main reason I struggle with Wuthering Heights (and often find the book a little boring!) is because of the narration; first we're told the story through Heathcliff's lodger and then it's Nelly. Personally I'd have found the book a lot more enjoyable if I could read from Cathy or Heathcliff's POV.

The Withered Root by Rhys Davies: To be fair I didn't read this book properly. I had to proof-read an edition of it in the summer during my publishing internship and I despised it. If I hadn't had the enjoyment of correcting all the little mistakes (yep - that's how boring the actual story was) then there's no way I would have read it to the end.

Green Rider by Kristen Britain: I tried reading this book earlier this year and I'd like to give it another try in the future. I bought it a few years ago because it had a pretty cover, and while I enjoyed it when I initially began to read it, it quickly began to drag. Maybe one day I'll try again!

Eragon by Christopher Paolini: I'm sorry Eragon fans, but I hated this book. I managed to get through about two thirds of it before I had to put it down and I have no intention of picking it up again. It was so boring. And before anyone tells me 'the second book is when it gets really good', I shouldn't have to wait until the second book in a series to enjoy the story.

Kim by Rudyard Kipling: This book was on the reading list for my Victorian Popular Fiction module at university. I tried to read it - I really did - but I had to give up after a few chapters. I found the writing style so difficult to read and I wasn't all that interested by the story either.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: I liked this book a lot and I did finish it, but gosh it was a challenge. It's not even a very big book, but it's so description heavy, even though the description is beautiful, that reading a couple of pages felt like reading a chapter. Finishing this book felt like an accomplishment, and while I did enjoy and I do think it's gorgeously written, I think it's pretty over-hyped.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: I tried reading The Count of Monte Cristo at the start of the year, but it's one of the few books I own that intimidates me with its size. I really want to read it, though - I've heard great things about it and I think it could become a favourite of mine if I could just get into it. If any of you are interested in reading The Count of Monte Cristo with me I'm going to host a read-a-long starting November 1st - there's a group that you can check out here if you're interested!

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin: This is another book I'd like to try reading again one day. I tried reading it last year and I was very excited by the premise; I love historical fiction and historical crime is a lot of fun, so the prospect of reading a historical crime novel with a female lead sounded fantastic to me. Unfortunately I found the book pretty disappointing; for a book set during the reign of Henry II there were a lot of modern ideas and terms being thrown about which threw me off a bit, so I felt more like I was reading a book about people in historical costumes rather than people in Medieval England.

Dante's Inferno: I enjoyed this read and I'm glad I can say I've read it, but it was hard work! It wasn't so much the language I found a problem (though it wasn't easy!) but the inclusion of people from Dante's life; I had to look at the footnotes a lot to understand the significance of various scenes, but it was worth it!

Persuasion by Jane Austen: This is another book I'd like to try reading again some day, but I first had to read this book when I was in sixth form and I really, really didn't like it. I had to force myself to finish it so that I could use it in my English coursework, and since then I've disliked Austen's novels. Now that I'm older, however, I'd like to give her another try - it's just hard to talk myself into reading the an author whose books I associate with boredom!

Which books made your top ten?

My Top Fifteen Songs From Musicals! (Part One)

I love musicals, though sadly I don't get to see them as often as I like. The best place to see musicals in the UK is London, but it's just so expensive. That doesn't stop me from listening to the music, though! And I listen to it a lot.

I was going to make a top ten list of my favourite songs from musicals, not only to share my love of musicals but also to try and showcase some of the lesser known musicals out there, but as I was compiling my list I realised I couldn't narrow it down to just ten songs, so instead I have fifteen! 

This post is the first of three, so without further ado, here are the first five of my top fifteen songs from musicals!

(These are in no particular order, I just love them all!)

Home - Beauty and the Beast

I mentioned a little while ago that Beauty and the Beast is my all time favourite film, and the music from the Broadway production is just gorgeous. Sadly I've never seen the musical, but I'd love to. If I'm perfectly honest I love pretty much all the songs from this musical (in fact I love pretty much all the songs from all the musicals I'll be mentioning!) but this one in particular is very special to me.

People Will Say We're in Love - Oklahoma!

Contrary to what I just said, this is probably the one musical on this list whose soundtrack I've never listened to in its entirety. I should really get on that! This song is so much fun, and to be honest it's on this list purely for Hugh Jackman the lyrics: "Don't stand in the rain with me; people will say we're in love", which I think are beautiful.

The Cat and the Moon - The Lord of the Rings

This is a really, really fun song! If you're a fan of folk music that gets people dancing and you haven't listened to this song then you need to listen to it right now. Now, go on!

Shadowland - The Lion King

This is the one musical in part one that I have actually seen! My parents took me to London when I was ten years old, which was very exciting for someone who'd never been before; while we were there we decided to see a show and my parents let me pick one, so, being the Disney lover that I am, I obviously chose The Lion King. And it was amazing. In fact I really want to go and see it again. 

This song is gorgeous - I love that there's more of Nala in the musical than there is in the film - and it's stunning live, too. If you ever get the chance to see this show then you have to see it!

Some Things Are Meant To Be - Little Women

We finish part one with a more melancholy song, but it's still beautiful. I love the story of Little Women, and it's just as great in musical form!

I've always had a fondness for Beth because I played her in an amateur dramatic production of Little Women when I was eighteen, but a lot of the time I think she's seen as a tool for Jo's story (which, in some ways, she is). I love this musical because each of the sisters is given a voice, and this song in particular does a wonderful job of expressing the love that Beth and Jo feel for each other. I have two sisters myself, and this song just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and sad.

I'll be back soon with the rest of my list!

J.

Banned Books Week!

This week it's Banned Books Week, so, just like last year, let's celebrate our freadom!

Why not read one of these famous classics which are, or have been, banned:

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

When George Orwell completed Animal Farm in 1943 no publisher would print it because of its criticism of the USSR, Britain's ally during the war. When it was finally published it was banned there and in other communist countries. In 1991 a play adapted from the book was banned in Kenya because it criticised leaders, and in 2002 the book was banned in schools in the United Arab Emirates because it involved a talking, anthropomorphic pig which goes against Islamic values. Today Animal Farm is still banned in Cuba and North Korea, and is censored in China.

"Scenes of blood and cruelty are shocking to our ear and heart. What man has nerve to do, man has not nerve to hear."

During the American Civil War, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin was banned in the Confederate States because of its views on slavery. In 1852, it was banned in Russia during the reign of Tsar Nicholas I because of its ideas regarding equality and because it "undermined religious ideals."

"Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted."

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World was banned in Ireland in 1932 and in Australia from 1932-1937 because of its references to sexual promiscuity.

"I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other."

In 1955, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was banned in South Africa because it was believed to contain "obscene" and "indecent" material.

What have you been reading this week?