Skinny Bitch | Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin | Review

Friday, 12 April 2013

Skinny Bitch | Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin | Review

 'And when all feels hopeless, remember that you are in charge of what goes into your body, you don't answer to anyone, and you are allowed to eat anything you want. Often just knowing we can eat whatever we want is enough to keep us from eating whatever we want. We're so rebellious.'

- Rory Freedman, Skinny Bitch.

Skinny Bitch is arguably one of the most well-known 'diet books' to have hit shelves in the past decade or so; famed for being a 'no-nonsense wake up call' for women everywhere, the Skinny Bitch franchise has expanded so much since the initial release in 2005, with titles that now include a cookery book, a guide for new mothers, and a men's book, it's impossible not to be drawn in by the hype that surrounds each of Rory Freedman's releases, and, being on my new-found healthy, clean-eating kick, I decided now would be the perfect time to finally find out what the fuss was all about. 

Skinny Bitch is definitely not what I expected it to be - it's not your stereotypical 'diet book' - there are no real rules, no special techniques or exercise plans, just...well, common sense and some worrying facts about the US food industry (a lot of which applies to the UK market, too)...and essentially, preaches, somewhat, on the behalf of veganism.

Just for the record, I'm a pescetarian (meaning I eat fish and seafood, but no meat), and try to eat clean at least 80% of the time (meaning no processed or fast food), so, in hindsight, I'm not 100% sure if I'm the real 'target market' or not, as its primary focus is cutting meat out of your diet, but I still found it to be an interesting read, regardless. 

Honestly, I think Skinny Bitch is going to be one of those books you'll either love or hate - if you have an open mind about changing your eating habits, or want to know more about the food industry generally, it's seriously worth giving it a read. If, however, you don't like being made to feel you're being told what's 'right' and 'wrong' when it comes to your diet, this might be one to skip. 3/5 stars

This review was written by regular reviewer Francesca, get to know her here.
Photo © goodreads, available here.

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Being A Book Blogger | Interview With Maria aka I Believe In Story

Thursday, 11 April 2013

Being A Book Blogger | Interview With Maria aka I Believe In Story

Since interviewing a couple of booktubers I thought it would also be nice to feature some fellow book bloggers in a new series: Being a Book Blogger! Today I'm talking to Maria who writes a lovely blog named I Believe In Story - here's what she had to say...


BB: For those who aren't regular readers of 'I Believe In Story' could you tell us a little bit about the girl behind the blog?

Sure! My name is Maria and I am a literary agent intern. I also offer freelance copy editing and design services (mariavicente.com).

I Believe In Story is my literary/lifestyle blog. The blog features a variety of posts that are somehow inspired by the world of literature. I also have an Etsy store of the same name (etsy.com/shop/ibelieveinstory) with literary prints and vintage books.

I'm a proud Canadian, currently living in Ottawa. I'm addicted to coffee and spend most of my spare time searching thrift stores for vintage books, fairy tale collections, and unicorn figurines.

BB: Where does your passion for reading come from and how did you get into reviewing?

I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't passionate about reading. I'm an only child, so I've spent many hours at home alone with a book. English was always my favourite class in elementary and secondary school and I went on to study English literature in University. I also have a teaching degree. I've always been serious about sharing my love of reading with others.

Reviewing books comes naturally to me. I've always kept track of the books I've read (I'm one of those people who write in the margins) and it seemed like the right time to start sharing my thoughts online.

BB: I love reading your 'The Sunday News' posts where you share a variety of literary links each week, but what are your favourite posts to work on/write?

The Sunday News is fun because I get to collect the articles/videos/whatever throughout the week. I enjoy reading them just like everyone else! My literary fashion posts are really visual and fun to put together and it seems to be a well-liked series. I also love writing a review after reading a book that I truly loved.

BB: Which three underrated authors would you recommend for our readers to check out?
This is a really difficult question! I've chosen three at random and have also included a recommended book by each author.

1. Ivan E. Coyote (Loose End)
2. Tricia Dower (Stony River)
3. Erick Setiawan (Of Bees and Mist)

BB: What are your favourite reads of 2013 so far?

For books published this year: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki is absolutely wonderful.

A couple other favourites that I've read in the past three months (but were published in previous years): A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway and The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes.

BB: If you could be best friends with any fictional character who would you chose and why?

Elphaba! Always. Elphaba (from Gregory Maguire's Wicked) is a fictional character very important to me. I think she's incredibly complex and intelligent. She's also extremely loyal to the ones she loves.

BB: Lastly, which fellow book blogs would you recommend that our readers subscribe to?

I'm a big fan of My Pen, My Voice (mypenmyvoice.com). Vanessa has a great review style that makes you think about issues beyond the books she's talking about.

I also love The Book Chat, a weekly link-up hosted by Jessica at Sweet Green Tangerine (sweet-green-tangerine.blogspot.ca). It's a great way to find new blogs, discover new books, and talk about all things bookish.

You can find Maria's blog here & Goodreads page here

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I'd like to say a huge thank you from all of us here at BB to Maria for taking part in this interview.

If you are a booktuber or book blogger and would like to be featured in a similar post we'd love to hear from you - just email us at bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com for information!

Interview & post by Erin  
Book cover images from goodreads.com

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The First Days | Rhiannon Frater | Review

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

The First Days | Rhiannon Frater | Review

“Well," Jenni said with a wry smile, "at least we live in Texas, where people actually own guns and hunt.” - Rhiannaon Frater, The First Days

The First Days (As The World Dies) by Rhiannon Frater is the first book in the As The Wold Dies series. Yes, that's a pretty dramatic title right there...as the world dies. In this book we get to know Katie and Jenni, two totally different women who end up in the same car fleeing from a city infested by zombies. It's a pretty classic zombie roadtrip  about Katie's and Jenni's journey to find safety and a new life in a pretty messed up world. The main theme like in most zombie novels is survival but it's also a story about a friendship that probably would never exist under different circumstances. 

Well, you all know me (you probably don't, but lets pretend), I love my apocalyptic zombie stories. I've always just been a bit too fascinated about how people get on when the world falls apart (especially if the falling apart part contains some flesh eating people). And yes, The First Days did fulfill my need of action, excitement and apocalyptic survival. This is a pretty classic zombie novel. Some people in a car who has to learn to use dangerous weapons and raid supermarkets (I just always enjoy the parts in apocalyptic stories when they get to raid a supermarket). I would say that it reminded me a lot of The Walking Dead (and that's a good thing because I'm a The Walking Dead fan, no surprises there).

But...Yes, there is a but, there was something missing for me to completely fall in love with this book. I never felt the urge to run home from work just to read another page. I think my main concern was that I never really cared that much for any of the characters.  I guess I found the characters a bit too stereotypical for my taste. The author made some desperate tries to make them original and surprising, but they never really surprised me. My other concern with this book was that I didn't find the story original enough. Yes, there's a few key elements that a zombie story has to consist of and they were all there but I also like a zombie novel to consist of something new. An original twist, a surprising fact or something that throws me off my feet and this book doesn't really have that. 

So my final verdict is that The First Days gives you that exciting and action filled ride you expect from a zombie story and it does that part pretty good, but that's pretty much it. I just wish there was something different or that the characters had more depth to them or...because I did enjoy this story and it had a lot of potential and I will most probably give the sequel a go sometime in the future. So, I give The First Days by Rhiannon Frater 3/5 stars.

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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The Rough Guide To Europe On A Budget | Rough Guides | Review

Monday, 8 April 2013

The Rough Guide To Europe On A Budget | Rough Guides | Review

A couple of years ago I was on the hunt for a good travel guide, as I knew we were planning on doing a few trips to different places in Europe. I wanted to be able to just buy one which was pretty much guaranteed to cover any of the places we were going to visit, rather than buying one each time.  I took a chance on this one, I flicked through it and it had lots of places I was interested in so I decided to give it a go.

Now a few years on I’ve used this for 3 different trips to different places in Europe. It is slowly becoming one of my most used books.

Now what I really love about this guide book is that it covers basically everything, how to get there (airports, train stations, coach stations, driving), where to go, what to see, where to eat, where to stay, currency, medical information, emergency information, culture and etiquette, phrases, maps, shopping and entertainment. There is so much information it’s almost like talking to someone who has lived in that place for years. This guide seems to answer all of my questions and isn’t just useful for finding out about where you’re going but has helped me decide on where I want to go too.  You know when you’re at that point where you can’t decide between place A or place B – I turn to this guide for aid.

The only issue I have is the size, which I know I shouldn’t complain about because it has to be that big to fit in 35 countries. It might be practical for at home when you’re researching and planning but not for when you’re actually on your trip (I don’t want that weighing down my luggage when I have more clothes to fit in!)

I’d recommend this guide to anyone who wanted to find out some information of the places around Europe before they jet off on a holiday, as there is so much useful information you’ll forget what the internet is!

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
*Photo © Laura

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Jenny Pox | J.L. Bryan | Review

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Jenny Pox | J.L. Bryan | Review

Recently, I purchased a Kindle. This isn't a post about that, don't worry. But ever since I got it, I've been downloading free e-books like a maniac. Jenny Pox, by J.L. Bryan, was one of those books. Because it was slightly a 'oh-hey-look-a-free-book-that-has-a-weird-title' book, I didn't really know what it was about, or even what genre it was. All I knew was it was free. Sad right?

Turns out it was actually a good book! It follows the story of Jenny Morton, a teenage girl living in Southern America who has a secret: one touch from her, and you will die. She has 'Jenny Pox', a nick name so given to her by her own hate-club, Ashleigh, the school head cheerleader and all around horrible person. Jenny and Ashleigh had an encounter when they were little, and Ashleigh, though people said she made it all up, hasn't forgotten about it. If Jenny touches someone, blisters and boils and all things puss-ridden cover them and quickly eat away their flesh. If she doesn't control it, people die. Turns out it's kind of a horror story. Jenny barely gets through each day of torment at school, being bullied and called names because of the gloves she always wears to ensure she doesn't touch anyone and kill them (it's actually quite considerate, really). She can't even touch her own father, who has to cover up completely to give her a hug. Basically, her life is void of all human contact and has been since the day she was born.

That is, until, she discovers there is someone she can touch: cue boy and love-interest of the story. Seth is the only person Jenny can touch without killing...and it's because, he too, has a secret. Dun dun dun! I won't tell you what it is, but the story follows Jenny and Seth trying to be together and staying away from Ashleigh (who was actually Seth's ex-girlfriend). As well as this seemingly normal love story element, Jenny Pox is a bit of a supernatural-horror-fantasy sort of genre, but at the same time, I'm finding it a bit difficult to pin down one specific genre. Some people around the internet have said it's young adult...but I would be hesitant to label it as so. It's probably not really suitable for readers under 18, though...but then again, I don't know what people are reading these days.

Written in third person, but jumping between the three main characters' perspectives, it's well written and Bryan has done a good job creating a crazy world that is hard to get out of. With supernatural/paranormal powers, evil and manipulative characters, a three-legged dog (or is he?), a loving father, a couple of sex scenes that probably weren't needed (and were a bit explicit for me...be wary if this isn't your thing!), a town full of highly religious southerners and an ending that I did not expect, Jenny Pox was a quick read and an un-put-down-able one. I read it in about 3 hours, and am really looking forward to the next three books (all of which are under £4 on the Kindle store and I've already bought). 

I haven't read much horror or paranormal novels, so I can't think of novels that are similar, but if you like a bit of supernatural romance, or paranormal with blood and guts and a bit of love, then you'll probably enjoy this!

This review was written by regular reviewer Anjali, get to know her here. 
Image from GoodReads. 

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Battle Royale | Koushun Takami | Review

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Battle Royale | Koushun Takami | Review

"Battle Royale, a high-octane thriller about senseless youth violence, is one of Japan's best-selling and most controversial novels. As part of a ruthless program by the totalitarian government, ninth-grade students are taken to a small isolated island with a map, food, and various weapons. Forced to wear special collars that explode when they break a rule, they must fight each other for three days until only one "winner" remains." Source


This week I’m discussing another book with a concept often compared to that of The Hunger Games centred around the controversial theme of kids killing kids. Of course the difference is in this case is that it was The Hunger Games that was labelled a ‘rip-off’ of the Japanese novel published nine years earlier, now deemed ‘the original survival game’.

Battle Royale tells the story of the 42 students of Third Year Class B from Shiroiwa Junior High who are forced to participate in ‘the Program’, an experiment put in place by the Japanese government where the teens must fight until there is only one survivor. The class are unaware that they have been selected to take part in the program and are gassed whilst on route to a school trip. They awake in a classroom of an unfamiliar school located on a deserted island with metal collars fixed around their necks and are greeted by Sakamochi who proves that this really is no joke by revealing the dead body of former Class B teacher Mr Hayashida. With the first four students killed within the next 30 pages, this definitely isn’t the book for anyone who can’t stand reading gore or violence!

The students are released one by one out onto the island with a basic map and a mystery weapon. From then on its all about the action as we follow the students on each of their journeys to survive either emerging as the winner or possibly the lucky ones who beat the system and find a way to escape. Of course there are varying approaches with some students teaming up, some hiding out and others even turning on their so-called friends. Alongside this, interesting information about their backgrounds unfolds through conversations and flashbacks adding in details here and there and helping the reader get to know the students.

Back when I first watched the film adaptation I found the whole idea fascinating even though the thought that something like this could really happen is truly terrifying. The film was visually striking and as those of you who have seen it will know it sticks with you for a long time afterwards. This is in fact what led me to pick up the original novel in the first place as I wanted to explore how a film that’s success relies fairly heavily on visuals to portray the action and violence was created from the words and how descriptive those words had to have been. My main issue with the novel which is unfortunately an unavoidable one is that at times the text felt a little disjointed and didn’t flow properly. I do believe this is down to the fact that it is a translation rather than being a reflection on Takami’s writing style but it was still slightly disappointing. When it comes to the content the fact that there are 42 students in Class B means there are clearly a lot of names to keep up with and I did get a little confused trying to remember who was who at times. Aside from that I can’t find much to fault Battle Royale on, sure there were a few things here and there that didn’t make sense to me and I did find the ‘last wishes’ of some students implausible and repetitive but overall the good outweighed the bad.

Clearly this novel isn’t for everyone, with the controversial ideas played out through violence and gore it has been widely criticised however it is certainly an interesting and action-packed gripping read with a fitting ending.

This post was written by regular reviewer Erin, get to know her here.
Photo © Erin Elise

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