Top 100 books challenge: 55. A Suitable Boy

1474 pages is the reason that my blog has been so quiet recently!

I have been busy reading A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, on the train, at home....whenever I had a spare few minuets really. As I am so busy (and getting even more so in the run up to Christmas) it has taken me quite a while to finish this book.

I enjoyed it very much! It was nice to escape the UK, and travel to India, where we see the frantic attempts of Rupa Mehr to marry off her daughter Lata to ‘a suitable boy’. ThIs book shows the struggle Lata faces, between marrying for love, or to keep her family happy.

The idea of arranged marriages is one that I cannot really understand. I can see that parents want the best for their children, but I could never marry someone I did not love. For Lata it is a hard choice. She falls in love with a fellow student called Kabir, but he is a Muslim while she is Hindu, and her mother is horrified at the prospect. Here begins her hunt for the perfect man for her daughter, and we see them travel across India to find him.

Along the way we are introduced to Lata’s family, each with their own lives and stories to tell. Lata’s sister Savita was married to Pran, chosen by her mother. She grew to love him, something that Lata has been told will happen to her when she marries.

I felt a bit sad when I had finished the book. When I first picked it up the size of it was pretty daunting. Just carrying it around all day in my bag gave he a sore shoulder! But when I was a few chapters in I got addicted to the family, and felt like I was becoming one of them. Sitting on the train on a dark, dismal ride to work I was transported to a sunlit living room drinking tea with Rupa. Instead of waiting for my car to be fixed at the garage I was walking in the garden with lata discussing which man she should marry. When I finished the book I felt a little lost, as these characters had been with me for a while!

I won’t spoil it and tell you what Lata decides to do. Instead I will leave you with a quote from The Sunday Telegraph, which is printed on the book and sums up the way I feel:

“Make time for it. It will keep you company for a lifetime.”

Rating 10/10

Top 100 books challenge: 99. The Princess Diaries

The film of this book stars two of my favourite actresses, Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway, so I enjoyed watching it. However I had never read the book. I usually like to read the books before I see the film version, because they came first, and so much usually gets changed in the journey from print to screen.

The Princess Diaries is aimed at teenagers, mainly girls who still have the secret dream of becoming a princess. What young girl doesn’t? Growing up I was convinced I would marry Prince William (had to go for the elder brother so I could be Queen one day!) Now that his marriage has put an end to that I am focusing on the younger Royal....well I have never made my love of ginger hair on men a secret!

The story follows teenager Mia, who finds out she is actually a princess, and heir to the throne of Genovia. Understandable this news shocks her, as does the plan for her to begin princess lessons with her grandmother, the Queen of Genovia.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read, which after a long day at work is perfect for the train home!There are a few differences from the film, but not big enough to spoil it for me.

It got me thinking about if I found out I was a princess. You never know, Mr T could be a secret prince in a faraway land! (I do have a very overactive imagination!) If I was Queen here are the five rules I would introduce:

1 Tuesday’s would be cancelled - worst day of the week

2 Jelly tots would be free on the NHS, they cheer people up

3 Peter Andre, Phillip Schofield and Ron Weasley would be given Knighthoods for services to entertainment

4 Instead of a corgi the royal pet would be an elephant called Percy - who would wear a little purple hat.

5 Every month there would be a bank holiday weekend - and it will be illegal for anyone to work on it.

Seriously imagine Queen Laura - I think it would be fabulous darling!

Rating: 8/10

Top 100 books challenge: 27. Middlemarch

Life is too short to read books that you are not enjoying.

This statement applies to this book, and I have to admit that I only got half way through before giving up. I just could not bring myself to read anymore of it. I am the sort of person who always tries to finish books, and hate the thought of leaving one half read. However on this occasion I was bored and confused, and could read no more of it.

The main problem I found was the amount of characters that flit in and out of the story at various intervals. The characters first names are used once, then they are referred to as Mr so and so, and Miss so and so. This made me blur them into one, creating confusion as to who was who, and who was related to who.

The prose is quite long and winding. I have nothing against that usually, indeed some of my favourite novels are written in this way. But I found the writing in this book long winded. I found my attention drifting off while reading it.

Now for my confession....I never knew George Elliot was a woman! I had heard of the author, and had said I needed to read one of the books, but always assumed it was a man. It was only while googling the name for this review that I realised the author was a woman!

So there you go, I may not have finished the book, but I learnt something I never knew about the author!

Rating: 2/10 (based on only reading the first half)

Top 100 books challenge: 93. The Colour Of Magic

One word springs to mind to describe this book...disappointing!

I was quite excited when I looked at the Top 100 list to see quite a few Terry Pratchett books on there. I liked his books as a child, even acting in a play of The Wyrd Sisters (where I played the fool would you believe it?!) It has been a while since I picked one of his books up, and it looks like my tastes have changed, as I did not enjoy this one!

The colour of Magic is the first two Discworld novels and follows the exploits of Rincewind, a wizard who is expelled from Unseen University, who is forced to act as a guide for Twoflower, a property insurance salesman and the Discworld's first tourist. They visit many strange places, and meet random people along the way.

I found the plot very random, and my attention began to drift. I found it hard to concentrate on the story, and was constantly checking how many more pages I had to go until I reached the end. I was determined to finish the book, as I have vowed to read all of the books on the list. One of the only good things about this story is that it is short, at about 250 pages.
I enjoyed some parts of the book, for example the bit in the dragon cave, but there were too many parts I didn’t like. I enjoy fantasy books, but I found this one hard to get into, with a plot that didn’t interest me. Sorry Mr Pratchett. I only hope the other books you have written on the list are better!


Rating 3/10

Top 100 books challenge: 33. The Pillars of the Earth

The Pillars of the Earth focuses on the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge, England, and is set  in the middle of the 12th century. It gives an account of things that happened at the time, like the sinking of the White Ship, and the murder of the  Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket. However it is told through the eyes of fictional characters.

I loved the way that all the characters in this book were interlinked, and we saw how their paths kept crossing. In the first part we meet so many people, and hear all their stories separately. There was Tom Builder and his family, who move from place to place trying to find work, as Tom is intent on building the most beautiful Cathedral the world has ever seen. Then there are the monks, lead by the determined and clever prior Phillip. We also hear of the evil William Hamleigh, who thinks nothing of murdering innocent people, and the brave Aliena who is determined to avenge her father and carry out his dying wish. Later in the book all the characters are intertwined, and we see who helps who, and who is there to cause distress and problems.

There are some pretty gory scenes in the books, mainly with William Hamleigh, who is an arrogant man who is determined to be named the Earl of Shiring. He destroys anyone who gets in his way, murdering innocent villagers, and raping young girls. I detested William, and was pleased to see that he got what he deserved in the end.

The hero of the book for me was the ginger Jack Jackson, who carried out his stepfather Tom Builder’s wish to build a grand Cathedral and saved the town by building walls when it was under attack from William Hamleigh. I also really liked Prior Phillip, who is a fair and clever man, and also there to offer help and advice to those who need it.

A really interesting read, and a book that I was disappointed to reach the end of! This book is a classic example of good triumphing evil, with the good coming out on top and the evil getting what they deserve in the end.

Rating 10/10

Top 100 books challenge: 72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

I had quite mixed feelings about this book. There are two main aspects to it. The first is the  interesting story, about the lives of working class men during the early 1900’s. The men are  painters and decoraters, and are in an increasingly desperate situation regarding lack of money and work. Work is scarce and competition fierce, and many are often out of employment for months at a time.

The other part of the book is the big political influence, which is prominent throughout. The characters are portrayed as  hypocritical Christians, and workers who think that a better life is not for people like them. They throw themselves into back-breaking work for poverty wages in order to generate profit for their masters, and believe that there is nothing better for them out there. Their only purpose in life is to be allowed to work, and keep their family from starving, and they believe that what is good enough for them will be good enough for their children when they grow up.

The characters in the book fall on two sides, socialists and libralists. The hero of the book is Frank Owen, a socialist who believes that the capitalist system is the real source of the poverty he sees all around him. He tries to educate his friends and make them see his views, and often gives long, preaching speeches to them. However many jeer him, and refuse to listen. They believe that they are not worthy of better things, and distrust their own views, preferring to rely on those who are their ‘betters’.

I enjoyed finding out more about the lives of the men and their families. It was quite hard reading about their struggles to put food on the table as, although this is a fictional book, it is based on true events and situations. Sometimes the political part took over too much, with pages and pages of socialist/libralists arguments. This was too much, and for me spoilt the book as I found myself drifting off. It was good to know the background, but the book went into to much detail, which succeeded in boring me.

Rating 4/10

Moving house - managing to arrive in one piece!

It feels like it has been a long time since my last blog (that wasn't a book review) so I thought it was about time I gave everyone an update of what has been going on in my life! For those that are interested, make a nice cup of tea and read on :)

The major thing that has been going on (and the cause for my drawn out cold, and stress) is that Joe and I moved into our new house! It is our first house together, as I don’t count the flat that we were living in before. Most of you will know about the problems we had with our neighbours, but it is fair to say that they made the whole 10 months we spent in that flat a misery. Excessive complaints about noise and banging on walls I could cope with, but what sane person superglues someone's lock shut? Or rings every two hours through the night? It is hard for me to believe that there are people like that in this world, and I have come to the conclusion that they are mental! It was upsetting for both Joe and I, as we couldn’t understand why they took such a dislike to us, and that they put so much effort into pushing us out of the flat. But I have now resolved to no longer talk or think about them. We spent most days moaning about them, worrying what they were up to, or stressing about what they would do next, so now I finally feel we are free! I do just want to say a hug thank you (and sorry!) to everyone who I contacted in tears about them, or moaned to. The sympathy and disbelief you expressed helped me to realise that it was not anything that we were doing wrong, we are nice people who did not deserve this abuse. Also, thanks for all the revenge ideas, even though we will not carry any of them out, they did entertain us both when we desperately needed a laugh!

So, on to the new house, which we love! It is so nice to come home from work and relax in a stress free environment. I still can’t believe that it is all ours, and we are free to do as we want! The move went well, which considering Mr T helped is a miracle! He has a habit of ‘helping’ and actually hindering. Two examples of this both rest with my sister and her moves. The first was when we both came home from University. Jodie and I went to the same one (big up Worcester Uni!!) at the same time, and so Mr T had to move two girls and all their stuff home. So I suppose it is no wonder that the poor guy had an ‘incident’. While packing our stuff into the car he put Jodie’s in the roof box and mine in the car, to avoid confusion over what belonged to which daughter. Genius you say?! Mr T using his head?! Well that would have been the case if he remembered to lock the roof box. The result is that all of the Christmas presents Jodie bought her friends were lost somewhere on the M5 between Clevedon and Worcester. It ended with some cow in a field probably wearing a brightly knitted scarf, and Mr T having to pay to replace everything lost. So did he learn from his mistake? Nope! A few years later when Jodie and her boyfriend Ben were moving into a flat together in Bristol the ever helpful Mr T was keen to get involved. They set off in the car with all their possessions, but less than an hour later I received a call from the very long suffering mothership asking if there were any drawers for the chest at home. Mr T had pulled up at the flat with the chest of drawers....minus the bottom two. When I said they were not at home the only other suggestion was that they had somehow come off the chest and ended up in a field by the motorway. How no-one in the car noticed is still a question we ask today!

So with his track record it was with a somewhat wary heart that I accepted Mr T’s offer of help. But *fan fare and trumpets* there were no accidents or damages!! There was the odd scrape on furniture, but apart from that, all arrived in one piece. It is true that we only moved 5 minutes down the road, but it is still impressive! The only casualty of the day was Mr T himself, who cut his finger. But he manages to cut himself on an almost daily basis, so we just handed him the plasters and let him get on with it!

The house move has kept me busy, what with packing, unpacking and general tidying/sorting. I have also been suffering from a cold and cough for more than 2 weeks! I have been feeling run down, and lacking in energy, which probably hasn't helped. But I have started drinking this new green powder, which looks gross but actually tastes ok! My friend Ams recommenced it, and said she felt amazing after about 2 weeks. I am on day 6 of drinking it now, so hoping to see the results soon! I will keep you posted.

Apart from that I have been busy organising Sunshine Radio’s birthday celebrations. The station turns 35 next month, so look out for a post on that!

Top 100 books challenge: 62. Memoirs Of A Geisha

Wow, this is such a good book! It gives such a detailed look into the life of a geisha  popular geisha district of Gion in Kyoto.

The story follows Chiyo Sakamoto, who is taken from her home at the age of nine and sold to an okiya (geisha boarding house) to become a geisha. We follow her progress, from first wanting to run away, to her meeting with the chairman and becoming determined to be a geisha. 

I found it really fascinating to learn all about geishas, and the training the girls take to become one. The characters in this book are fictional, but the things that happen really did happen to young girls in Japan. The life of a geisha can be portrayed as glamorous  attending many parties, and meeting wealthy, important men. However as we see from Chiyo's story the reality is quite different.

Geisha have to forget their past, and change who they are. This starts with their name, Chiyo is called Sayuri. She then has to lean how to act, and how to treat men as a geisha.

Through Sayuri we watch a possible career path of a geisha, from the innocence of youth to the life of a geisha, where every move you make is analysed for fear of how it could appear to the clients. 

Sayuri is taken under the wing of Mameha, who nurtures her talents and grooms her to become the most sought after geisha in Japan. She is the one who renames her Sayuri, and starts a bidding war for the right to take her 'mizuyage', her virginity. 

I did feel quite sickened by the fact that girls as young as 13/14 were forced to lose their virginity to much older men. And also the fact that they have to flirt with them, in order to find a wealthy 'danna', a man that would fund a lavish lifestyle for them in exchange for 'favours'. But as you see in the book this is the only option for the girls, without their life as a geisha many would be on the street. If Sayuri couldn't bring in enough money she would have been left as a maid in the house, or even worse thrown out onto the streets. 

As it is she goes on to become one of the most successful geisha in Japan, making enough money to support herself.

Rating 10/10

Top 100 books challenge: 41. Anne Of Green Gables

Many people were quite surprised when I said that I hadn't read Anne of Green Gables. Especially as it was also a popular television series. Like many other books it had been on my ‘to read’ list for a long time, and I am pleased that I finally got round to reading it.

Like most people I am sure I fell in love with the orphaned Anne (spelt with an ‘e’ don’t ever forget!) The way she sees joy and beauty in everything around her was so lovely, and her vivid imagination and talkativeness meant that I could really picture Green Gables.  Anne takes much joy in life and adapts quickly, thriving in the close-knit farming village and her adopted family of siblings Matthew and Marilla. Her talkativeness initially drives the prim,  Marilla to distraction, although Matthew falls for her charm immediately. Anne says that they are 'kindred spirits'.

I loved the way Anne looked for kindred spirits everywhere, and her silly mistakes also made me giggle. In particular when she serves her friend wine, thinking it is raspberry drink, and ends up getting her drunk. Anne gets into many scrapes, but this brings life and laughter to Green Gables, and soon Matthew and Marilla can’t imagine life without her.

Anne of Green Gables reminded me of my childhood, when I could make dens, and play games with friends using my overactive imagination. I also got into many scrapes, much to the despair of my mum, which is why I love Anne so much.

I really enjoyed living Anne’s life with her. Throughout the book you go on a roller coaster ride, and experience the ups and downs with Anne. When I go to the end I felt sad that it was over, until I realised that there are more books in the series.

I also really liked Gilbert Blythe! Especially when he gave up the school so Anne could have it and stay home to look after Marilla. Poor Gilbert, Anne held one massive grudge against him, for the carrot comment! When writing this blog I googled Gilbert Blythe, and found this list of why no man will ever live up to him. Have a look and see if you agree.

Rating 9.5/10

*12 Reasons No Man Will Ever Live Up To Gilbert Blythe*
1. He is cocky and confident. It annoys Anne at the beginning, especially when he teasingly calls her “Carrots.”

2. He’s persistent. Throughout the entire first book, he continuously shows his regard for Anne, even as she coldly rebuffs him.

3. He’s heroic. He rescues Anne from a pond.

4. He’s not only very smart, but he also respects Anne’s intelligence. The two compete for scholarships, good-naturedly, on his part.

5. He’s selfless. When Anne’s father-figure, Matthew, dies, Gilbert gives up his teaching position in Avonlea so that Anne can work close to home.

6. He’s patient, even when, during college, Anne is refusing to recognise the fact that she is in love with him.

7. He is ardent. When Anne refuses his proposal, he says: “Your friendship can’t satisfy me, Anne. I want your love.

8. He is hard-working. After Anne rejects him, instead of throwing himself into a rebound relationship  he instead concentrates on work and wins a scholarship to attend medical school.

9. He is a good communicator. Anne and Gilbert spend a few years apart after getting engaged, and he writes her long letters.

10. He grows up to be an excellent doctor and everyone in the community admires and respects him

11. He is an amazing father, kind and patient and attentive to all of his children.

12. He is affectionate throughout his entire marriage to Anne, calling her “Anne-girl” and buying her flowers.

(Slight spoiler alerts

for the other books - but I am excited to read them!)

Bath Half Marathon - almost giving up!

At the weekend I hit the wall. Not literally (though that wouldn’t surprise many of you who know who accident prone and uncoordinated I am). No, I hit the runners wall. The mental block where I couldn’t get past a certain amount of miles. I despaired, vowed to quit and flopped on the sofa with a tub of icecream.

Hang on, I will back up a bit, and fill you in on the half marathon training and gym sessions so far!

I had been feeling pretty pleased with myself, as I thought training was going well. I could comfortably run three miles, and at the end felt I could carry on a bit. I was not setting any records for speed, completing my nice safe little route along the sea front in about 35 minutes. But I felt good, and positive that I would be able to complete the demanding 13 miles with more training.

Gym seemed to be going ok as well. Though I now understand people that have told me running on a treadmill is really boring. When I first started training for the half marathon I thought I would prefer to run inside on the treadmill, away from cars, pedestrians and the unpredictable British weather. However 40 minutes later I had listened to almost all the songs on my iPod and I was bored! This taught me two things - 1. I need to buy more songs for my iPod, and 2. I needed to run outside.

Along with cardio training and weights at the gym I went to my first Legs, Bums and Tums class with my friend Ams. To be honest I don’t really know what I was expecting, maybe a relaxed class with some funky moves and a bit of stretching? Well, couldn’t be further from the truth! This class was hard...with a capital H! But I found myself enjoying it (while sharing painful looks with Ams when the flexible instructor showed us what to do!) Afterwards I hurt, but it was a good pain, and I knew I had done a good workout! I plan to go to this class every Wednesday now, to work on strengthening and toning.

So we come to Sunday, when inspired by my recent workout success I decided to put myself to the test and complete a further run. Four or five miles will be no problem - I thought. I also decided to mix it up a bit, and follow a completely different route. I set off, and was keeping a good pace. I started to flag about half way round, and thought this must be because I had passed over the three mile mark. However, on checking my pedometer I was annoyed to see that I had actually only run three miles! I felt very down heartened, and sat on a bench for a rest, quickly deciding that I would never be able to do it, and what was the point?!

After walking home my mood went further downhill. I felt gutted that I had not been able to run far, and also annoyed about the amount of training I had put in at the gym. My main goals when joining the gym were to get fit, and to tone up. I couldn’t see any difference in my figure or fitness, even though Joe insisted it was working. In my mind nothing had changed, and I was putting all this effort in for nothing.

The next day, when I had time to calm down and think rationally I decided that I was not a quitter and I would complete the half marathon! A quick stop at a sports shop to buy pretty new running clothes and a pep talk from London marathon runner Sarah helped boost my mood, and I am now more determined than ever to do this!

So my aims for the next few months of training are:
*Do one (two if I have the time) short run in the week, of around three miles, following my nice little route along the seafront so I build up confidence.
*Do one longer run at the weekend, slowly building up the distance.
*13 miles is a long way, but it is also a long way off. Focus on the 10k run I am doing in July, and train for that first (thanks Sarah for tip!)
*Don’t beat myself up if I need to stop for a rest on the way round the longer runs, or walk for a bit. I will still be covering more miles.
*Carry on with cardio training and building up strength in the gym. Legs, Bums and Tums each Wednesday and trying some new classes. Ams has already got me booked in to try TRX and kettlebells (gulp).

So there you go! Wish me luck and keep following my progress here!

Top 100 books challenge: 86. Vicky Angel

I have always been a massive Jacqueline Wilson fan. I loved the Tracy Beaker books when I was younger, and also the Girls in Love series. I was even lucky enough to meet Jacqueline Wilson a few years ago, when she appeared at the Bath Children's Literature Festival, and I interviewed her. She was so lovely! I even waited in line with girls aged 9 and 10 to get her to sign my old battered copy of Tracy Beaker! But I had not read Vicky Angel, and when I saw it on the list I was excited to embrace my inner child, and read it.

The thing I like about Jacqueline Wilson is that she is not afraid to cover issues like death in her books. She may be writing for children, but death affects them too. Children view death in a different way to adults, and this book shows how a child copes.

Vicky Angel is the story of Jade, who loses her best friend Vicky in a tragic road accident, which she believes is her fault. She wishes that she could see Vicky again, and lo and behold she does, as she appears as a ghost. However she is always there, stopping Jade from getting on with her life and making new friends. Keeping the guilt that Jade feels alive.

The idea of ghosts is really interesting. Some people believe in them, and feel people once they have passed away. Some scoff at the idea, and believe once you are dead that is it. Vicky Angel is told from the view point of a child in year nine at school. It shows that Jade is so desperate not to lose Vicky. Whether Vicky is there as
a ghost, or whether she is just a fragment of Jade's mind is never revealed. You are left to make up your own mind.

I enjoyed this book. It was easy to read (probably as it is a children's book!) and I finished it in a day. It was also nice to take a trip down memory lane with one of Jacqueline Wilson's books. The style is so familiar.

Rating: 8/10

Top 100 books challenge: 8. Nineteen Eighty-Four

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, just never seemed to get round to it. So I was pleased to see it on the list, and keen to get stuck in. And, I wasn't disappointed.....I loved it!

Nineteen Eighty-Four is a world where Big Brother controls everything. Your every move is watched by the telescreens, and the Thought Police are on hand to make sure you don't step out of line. No one can be themselves, they are told what to think and believe, and whatever Big Brother says is true. It is crazy to think of a world like that. For me the craziest thing is that there is no freedom of speech, and that newspapers and books are altered, depending on what Big Brother wants, and which place the country is at war with.

The story follows Winston Smith, whose job it is to rewrite articles, so that the current historical record supports the party lines. He has dreams of rebelling against Big Brother, and living his own life free from dictatorship. This happens when he meets Julia, but he is captured and 'reeducated' by the Ministry.

The world in which Nineteen Eighty Four is set is a scary place, where you must follow what the party says, and not step out of line. Those that dare think for themselves, or disagree with what is said meet a sticky end....with many being vaporized. These people just disappear, and all evidence of them is wiped from records.

Through this book I found out what Room 101 is - a scary place where they use your worst nightmare against you, to make you confess to crimes you haven't committed, and commit to worship and love Big Brother. Winston's biggest fear is rats. Mine would be singing cherries (only some of you reading this will get this!) Imagine being in a room full of singing cherries *shudder*. I would confess to anything to get away from them!!

I loved this book, found it hard to put down. That is why I am awarding it the best score yet out of all the books on the list!

Rating: 9.5/10

Top 100 books challenge: 85. The God of Small Things

I really enjoyed this book, and read it in a few days. It was nice to find a book I couldn’t put down after I was disappointed by Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.

The story is set in India and follows twins Rahel and Estha. We see their experiences, and the book interchanges from when they are seven and never apart, to when they are 31, and reunited. They were separated after an incident that happened to them, and don’t see each other again until they are adults.

I really enjoyed reading about the twins lives, and seeing the differences from childhood to adulthood. At first I thought that the interchanging chapters flitting from them at seven to them at 31 would be distract from the story, and be hard to follow. It wasn't at all, and in fact actually enhanced the story.

The main theme of the book is love, and the Love Laws, which say who should be loved and how much. It focuses on the small things that affect people’s behaviour and lives.

We see this with the difference in the twins between the two ages. Estha is particularly affected by events that happened at the age of seven, when the twins cousin Sophie Moll dies. What happens after this tragic incident ultimately results in the death of an innocent man, and the twins being split up. It shows how one night can change the rest of your life. The twins are marked by the events in their past - with Estha silent and Rahel with a haunted look in her eyes. Neither have been able to keep a relationship, and find that there is no one who can understand them.

It was also interesting to get a glimpse of life in India in the 1960’s, where social discrimination and class relations are high.

I found that I couldn’t put this book down, as I was so keen to hear what happens to the twins. Some parts were hard to read, for example the twins mother being beaten by her father and husband, and an incident when Estha was sexually assaulted. But these were key elements to the story, and it wouldn’t have stood up with out them. They contributed to the fall of the twins, and explained their behaviour as adults.

Rating 9/10

Top 100 books challenge: 19. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

It seems like it has taken me ages to read this book. The fact is it has, and that is due to the fact that I didn’t enjoy it much, and was not motivated to read it.

I really struggled to get into the story, as it was really slow. It wasn't until I was gone halfway through that I started to become more interested. This was a shame as I had heard good things about it, and fully expected to love it. But it wasn't to be.

I did enjoy the story of  Pelagia, and finding out about her life with her doctor father Iannis. In particular I liked reading about the relationship between Pelagia and Antonio Corelli, an Italian captain with a love for music and life. It was interesting seeing her initial hate and distrust of him turn to love, and when they were separated I felt her pain. This relationship for me summed up the feelings of women during the war, the fear of your loved one going off to fight and never returning. It also had a kind of Romeo and Juliet feel to it, as he is an Italian soldier positioned on the Greek Island during the war, and she a Greek woman forced to accommodate him in her house.

However the chapters focusing on Pelagia and Antonio were mixed in with chapters focusing on other characters, including soldiers fighting in various places. I found this distracting, and wanted to be back with Pelagia’s story.

The last quarter of the book was my favourite, because it stayed with Pelagia, telling us what happened to her and her family. We saw her grow older, adopt a child and open a bar. The ending was sweet, but I did feel resentment for the lost years of Pelagia and Antonio. I won’t spoil the story by revealing what happens though.

All in all I think the most amusing thing about this book was that I kept calling it Captain Corelli’s Manderin by mistake.

Rating 4/10

And it's GOLD for Sunshine Radio!!

 Sunshine Hospital Radio are celebrating winning Gold at the National Hospital Radio Awards.-

Presenter Laura Tremelling was thrilled to take the top prize in the Female Presenter of the Year category at the ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool.
Organised by the Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA), the awards invite entries from over 200 stations and is aimed at recognizing and rewarding the very best in hospital radio over the last year.

The Female Presenter of the Year category focuses on the diversity of presentation and listener awareness.

Laura, who has been a volunteer with Sunshine Radio for five years, presents a news show every Monday evening called Talk of the Town.
She said: “I am over the moon to have won, and still can’t quite believe it.
“The competition was very strong, and the other nine people shortlisted were very talented.
“To win gold is such a wonderful feeling, and it is all down to the support I have received from the amazing people at Sunshine.
“The award is just as much for them as it is for me, and honours the tireless work we all do to make patients stay in hospital a little bit easier.
“Hospital radio is so important, and I am proud of every single person who gives up their time to do it.”

Hailed as hospital radio's highest honor, The National Hospital Radio Awards are the leading national award honoring excellence in hospital broadcasting.
Many popular radio and television presenters began their careers in hospital radio including Phillip Schofield, Scott Mills, Ken Bruce and the late Jill Dando who was a volunteer at Sunshine Hospital Radio.

Sunshine Radio Chairman, Jo Newey said "We're all very proud of Laura's achievement which she thoroughly deserves. This has come at a perfect time as Sunshine Radio is celebrating 35 years of broadcasting and Laura is a great role model for new volunteers."

You can hear Laura’s winning entry online at www.hbauk.com.
To find out more about Sunshine Radio, in Weston General Hospital, visit www.sunshinehospitalradio.co.uk

Bath Half training - gym and first proper run!

Training for the half marathon has begun, and so far so good! I am a pretty determined person, and when I say I am going to do something I will give it 100%. Even though the thought of running 13.1 miles (don’t forget the .1!) terrifies me I am determined to finish it in one piece. I don’t want to not put my all into training, and then look like an idiot on the day and not be able to complete it.

The first step of my training was a session with one of the trainers at the gym I go to. Dave was the person who did my induction when I first took the big leap of joining the gym and he is a really nice guy! Not scary and shouty as was my idea of what a personal trainer was like (see blog on joining the gym) He told me that I would be fine, and that a whole year to train was plenty of time. He then proceeded to show me how to work the treadmill properly, as the only other time that I have used one I managed to fall off the back! The plan for me is to incorporate some treadmill running, with longer outdoor runs, and cardio work at the gym, including cycling and the cross trainer. I also have to continue with the weights for my upper body, as it will give me strength when I use my arms to propel myself forward. I felt good after a 15 minute run, 10 minutes on the cross trainer and weights (thought I promptly undid all my hard work by having a Chinese and a few glasses of white wine that evening!)

The following Sunday was the day. The big day when I would head out on my first proper run since school. I admit I was excited, but also slightly worried. Would my legs still work? Is it possible to forget how to run?! And the most important fear - would I fall over and injure myself?! Well, I am pleased to report that it went really well! Joe came with me for moral support, and we ran down to the sea and back again. I was so proud of myself for running all the way there and back (with a little rest when we got there). I find it so much easier running with someone, as there were times when I wanted to walk, but Joe encouraged me to carry on. He told me to work through it, and that I may feel like walking at this point but it would get easier. And do you know what? He was right! (Don’t tell him I said that!) We thought we had run about 2 miles, but when we got home Joe looked on the map and we had done 3 miles! So a good start for a novice runner! My muscles have been aching badly though, and it was painful! Though I have been assured that this is not because I am unfit, but because I am not used to it (and also because I didn’t stretch properly before and after.)

The last thing to tell you is that I have my training plan, put together by Dave. He said he couldn’t give me a plan for the half marathon yet, as it is still a year away. So he has written me a 10k plan, as he said I need to work towards that and then build up. It doesn’t look that scary, and is a help as I like having a plan to follow. That way I know I am doing it right! Also by ticking off the days as I do them I am encouraged to keep at it, as I feel guilty if I have missed a day!

Also I have signed up to do the race for Life 10k in Bristol on July 6. It will be good practice for me! So....let the training begin!

Bath Half training: soundtrack to running

Many people who run have told me that one of the keys to success is to have music to listen to. This is supposed to help me through the pain, and keep me going when I am just about ready to give up. It will also help to drown out the voice in my head telling me to head to the nearest pub and have a nice plate of chips instead. So, as part of my Bath Half preparation I downloaded iTunes, and have created the perfect running soundtrack on my iPod.

Firstly, I will say something surprising and admit that I have never used iTunes before. Can you believe it?! I seemed to have been stuck in the dark ages, and must be one of the only people I know who actually goes out and buys CDs! Well not anymore. After downloading iTunes onto my pretty temperamental laptop I have arrived in the 21st century! And what an arrival it was! Faced with any music I could wish for, I was pretty spoilt for choice! Joe was delighted (hmmmmm....) as the evening consisted of me finding lots of cheesy 90’s songs, reminiscing about times gone by, throwing a hissy fit when I couldn’t figure out how to get the songs on my Ipod and constantly asking for help. But we survived!

So my iPod now includes songs by B*Witched (remember them?!), Spice Girls, Boyzone, S Club 7, and the one and only Peter Andre. I am hoping that these classic songs will keep me going through the pain! Now I just need to buy one of those arm band things to put the iPod in.

One of the songs to inspire me while running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvjLgjtJKsc

Yes you heard right - I am running the 2014 Bath Half Marathon!

So.....in a moment of madness I have pledged to run the Bath Half Marathon next year! Now I have one year to kick my butt into shape. I need to go from complete novice who just about runs to her car when it is raining to stop her hair from going frizzy to someone who can run 13.1 miles around the streets of Bath. I accept this (daunting) challenge, and for the amusement of all of you I will be blogging about my progress!

If you would have told my teenage self that one day I would be doing a half marathon I would have laughed hysterically and thrown my barely used trainer at you. I was the girl who faked notes from my mum to get me out of PE, and when I was rumbled and forced to participate I would mess around and chat with my friends. The worst day of the school year for me was the dreaded cross country day, when we were made to run around the school field - a pointless activity in my opinion! If my PE teacher Mrs Fox could see me now, embarking on a training regime for a half marathon she would laugh. That or be stunned into silence! The reaction I expect that a lot of you are having!

So, I expect that many of you are wondering why I have suddenly decided to do this. Have I gone mad? Going through a mid life crisis early? Or fallen and hit my head, waking up believing I am the female Usain Bolt? Well, it is none of them. The truth is that for a while I have wanted a challenge. And what could be a bigger challenge for me than this? Also, I was so inspired after the Bath Chronicle Pride in Bath awards. I met some amazing people there, who do so many good things, and it made me want to do something! I have also admired people who run a half marathon, but thought I would never be able to do it. But I have been writing about people doing the race for four years now, and people in all shapes and sizes do it! I think that with (a lot of) training I can do it! And I am looking forward to the achievement of crossing that finishing line!

One great thing about doing the Bath Half is that my brother Jon is running it with me. He has done it before, and is also planning to do the Bristol Half this year. I know that running with him will keep me going when I want to give up, and he has promised to help me train. Another thing that will keep me going is the fact that we have decided to raise money for The Stroke Association in memory of our granny. She had a series of strokes, and it was horrible to see. She was reduced to not being able to do anything for her self, which was awful to watch. When she died I vowed I would raise money for The Stroke Association in her memory. So if by struggling around the 13.1 miles I raise lots of money to help others in that position then the pain will be worthwhile!

Over the next year I have devised a plan to help me kick the half marathons butt:
* Join a running club
* Keep on at the gym 3 times a week, incorporating the treadmill
* Go on runs in the evening gradually building up the distance, with a longer run at weekends.
* Do the Race for Life and Clevedon Boxing Day Run to get experience

So wish me luck!!

11 random questions

1: If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I would give myself better coordination as I am so clumsy! I trip over thin air, drop most things I try to carry, and constantly injure myself. Life would be a lot easier if I had even a small bit of coordination (though would be a lot less funnier for all my blog readers!)

2: If you could be anyone else for the day, who would it be?
Hmmmm....interesting question! I think I would be the Queen! It would be fun to see inside Buckingham Palace, and also to wear the pretty jewellery and tiaras! So Queenie, if you need someone to do your job for a day, I am free. Maybe we could job swap?! I would love to see her writing stories at the Chronicle!

3: What's your favourite thing about blogging?
I enjoy blogging as I can write about anything I like! I love writing, and I am also quite a random person. So for me the best bit is having a space to put all my thoughts, which (hopefully) people read and have a little smile. I like entertaining people and making them laugh. Hopefully my blog achieves this!

4: What's your favourite hobby to do besides blogging?
Radio! I have been with Sunshine Hospital Radio for 5 years now, and I love it. It is so lovely to be able to spread a little cheer to someone in hospital - an often scary and isolating experience.

5: Do you have any pets? If not, what would you have if you could?
I have only had four pets in my life. First was my little Russian hamster when I was eight. He was called Cement (or to use his full name Cement Concrete Tremelling) Hey, don’t laugh, it is a perfectly logical name! He was the colour of cement! Then came my goldfish, Paddington and Philip first (named after Paddington Bear and Phillip Schofield) and after they died it was my little Weasley (after Ron Weasley). So the one thing I have learnt from my pets is that I pick weird names for them! The pet I want is an elephant. Joe won’t let me, apparently it is not practical!? So I would settle for a seahorse or a parrot. Joe - make your decision now! ;)

6: What's been your favourite age to be and why?
This is a tricky one, but I think I would say 21. I was in my last year of Uni, which was stressful as it was dissertation time. But I lived with a great bunch of people, and had some wonderful friends (many who are still in my life today). It was also the age that I went to Africa for a month, which was one of the best months of my life! 21 was a good age, as I was just finishing my degree and was all excited about what lay ahead, and what I could end up doing as a career.

7: What mobile phone do you have and do you like it?
I have a Blackberry, and I hate it! I have had one for years, and loved it at first. However when Blackberry went weird, leaving us without internet or text for a few days it all went downhill, and now I can’t wait to get a new phone! My contract is up in July, and I am trying to decide what to get. Current favourite is HTC, but still not 100 per cent sure.

9: What's your idea of the perfect day?
It would be a summers day, and would start with a lie in (as I wake up at 5.30am for work normally which sucks!). Would have a nice breakfast, and then do a spot of shoe shopping in Jimmy Choo (oh yeah, I have lots of money so can buy what I like). Then would go to the beach for a picnic with lots of my favourite people before going to the zoo to see the elephants. Then I would have an Indian take away (my favourite) before catching a musical at the Hippodrome.

10: Sum yourself up in three words.
Crazy, funny, blonde

11: If you could be any type of animal which would you be?
Elephant! Everyone knows that they are my favourite animal, and I have so many elephant items dotted around the flat! I just love them! I would be an elephant as they never forget - something that I constantly do! I have to leave myself little notes everywhere prompting me to do things, and I would be completely lost without my diary!

Top 100 books challenge: 4. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

If you ever wondered I can now finally tell you - the answer is 42. Ok, it may not actually answer anything at all, but it does let you know that I have finally read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - and I thought it was great!

I have been meaning to read this book for years, and now that I am working my way through the challenge I have. And I really wonder what took me so long to pick it up, as I really enjoyed it! The mere through of Ford Prefect hitching lifts on space ships and visiting planets to compile the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy really appealed to me. Arthur Dent is the ‘alien’ from planet Earth who gets dragged along on the adventure after Earth is destroyed and he is saved by Ford. And the manically depressed robot Marvin is a stroke of genius - well he is a Paranoid Android! This book made me laugh, in particular when depressed Marvin links up to a spaceship to talk to it - and leads to it committing suicide. Very handy when the two men from the spaceship are trying to kill Ford and the others.

The Heart Of Gold is a ship that I would really like to travel on, in fact the book made me want my own ship, so that I could explore the galaxy and find new planets. It shouldn’t be that hard to control as the computer system, which is annoying cheery but effective, does all the hard work. Well, until they are under attack from a hostile planet when Arthur saves they day.

The book is full of adventure and humour and makes you think differently about the Universe. It offers a different look on the planet Earth, for example how it is run by mice who are experimenting on the humans. Definitely worth a read for kids and big kids!

Rating: 9/10

Top 100 books challenge: 84. Gormenghast

To start with I was pretty daunted by this book, I mean it is 953 pages and very thick! It could be used as a weapon against someone, and carrying it around all day in my bag did not do my shoulder any good! 
It is in three parts: Titus Groan, Gormenghast, and Titus Alone. I think for the challenge I only had to read Gormenghast, but I am glad I read all three as it gave me a better understanding of the characters, and I was able to follow the story better.

Gormenghast is a fantasy, set in the castle of Gormenghast, home to the Groan family. In Titus Groan we are introduced to the family, Lord Sepulchrave: the 76th Earl of Gormenghast, his wife the Countess Gertrude, their daughter Fusha and a host of servants. Titus's birth signifies the next in line, the heir to Gormenghast. Book two follows him growing up, and seeing changes in the castle, while in book three he rebels against his position and leaves the castle.

Throughout the books there are a whole host of interesting characters. In particular the ambitious Steerpike, who starts off as a kitchen boy but worms his way into the hierarchy of Gormenghast for his own personal gain. He is highly ruthless, and will do whatever it takes to advance his position, even killing. We also see Doctor Prunesquallor, nicknamed Dr Prune, who plays an important part in defeating Steepike.

A major theme throughout the book is freedom, with the inhabitants of Gormenghast feeling they are trapped. Titus, who we see as a baby through to a young man, is to become the next Earl, and cannot escape his duty. Steerpike wants to escape his dreary life as a kitchen boy and become a more important part of the castle, Fusha, who dreams of escaping the castle and running free to be who she wants, and Irma Prunesquallor, sister of Dr Prune, who wants to find a husband and be free of her brothers house.

I really enjoyed the first two books, but I felt a bit let down by the third. This may have been due to the fact that Titus Alone was printed from a typescript prepared from Mervyn Peake's note books. It was not complete and so was finished by another author. I felt the story was lacking something, and struggled to finish it. However the first two books were great, and I could picture the intimidating set up of Gormenghast castle.

Rating: 6/10 

Five years at Sunshine Hospital Radio

This year I will have been volunteering at Sunshine Hospital Radio for five years. I have also been shortlisted for the first time in the National Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) awards in the Female Presenter of the Year category. And to top it all off 2013 marks Sunshine’s 35th anniversary. So I thought I thought I would look back on how I got involved with Sunshine, some memorable moments, and what the future holds for us.

I first joined Sunshine Radio in March 2008. I had finished University the July before, and had just got my first job as a journalist. I had wanted to join the station earlier, but I was working shifts in a petrol station while I looked for a job, and so couldn't commit one specific evening a week. So when I started my new job, and had my evenings back I was quick to fill out the form. I have always been interested in radio, and as those of you who know me will agree I am pretty talkative! So volunteering at a hospital radio station seemed a great idea, and also the chance to meet new people and learn new skills.

Weston Hospital in particular appealed to me as it has a connection with my granddad  When I was little he had his own building company, and worked on a number of projects in the area. Weston used to have three hospitals, and in the 1980’s it was decided to build one hospital and bring them all together under one roof. My granddad was the site manager on the project, and oversaw the building of the hospital in Uphill. A lot of changes have taken place there since he worked on the original building, but I love the fact that he was responsible for the place where I volunteer. If he was alive today he would be straight on my show, Talk of the Town, to talk about the construction of the hospital! Ironically Weston Hospital was also where he was treated before he died, and so I feel that by volunteering on Sunshine I am close to him.

The moment I walked through the doors of the studio I felt right at home. The volunteers were lovely, and I was fascinated by the recording equipment. This marked the start of my 12 week probation period. During this time I was shown how to take requests from patients, find them on the system, and then play them on the wardround request show, which is on between 8 and 9 every weekday night. Talking to patients and asking them for song requests is just so lovely. You meet some wonderful people, with some very interesting stories to tell. Having a song played, or simply just talking to them can mean the world to patients. You could be the only visitor they see, and chatting to you can really lift their spirits at what is a difficult and often frightening time. Over the years I have met many lovely people - too many to list them all here. I will never forget the lady in her 80’s who asked me to play ‘You're the First, the Last, My Everything’  by Barry White as it reminded her of her husband who died two months before. The following week I returned to the ward to find she had sadly died, and the nurse said she had such a big smile on her face when we played the song. I like to think she is with her husband, who she said was her first and only love. I also remember the old man in his 90’s who requested ‘some of that modern dance music stuff’ as it made him laugh, the lady who named her newborn baby Adele as when she was trying to decide on a name she listened to Sunshine and we were playing Adele, and more recently the old man who asked me to play ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’ and then sang it to me at full volume. Being able to spread a little joy and cheer to patients is what Sunshine Radio is all about!

In 2010 I took the next step forward and took on my own show. At Sunshine members are able to do shows that reflect their interests and hobbies. As a journalist I am interested in news, and what is going on around me. So this inspired me to create a news show every Monday from 7 - 8. Talk of the Town was born. Since the first show I have had many guests in talking about events in Weston, including the mayor, MP John Penrose, representatives from different charities, and local musicians. There have been too many to pick a favourite, but a special mention has to go to The Wrinkly Wrappers, Weston’s own rap group made up of women in their 70’s. They were great to interview, and every recorded a new jingle for the station! They gave me the nickname of Laura Shizzle Dizzle Tremelling, and let me rap for some of their songs! For this show I have also been out and about recording pieces, including interviewing the witch of Wookey Hole Caves (where I tried....and failed...to cackle), watching Sooty turn on Weston’s Christmas lights, dancing behind a Chinese dragon at the Your North Somerset cultural event, and going round and round on the Weston Eye!










This same year I became fundraising officer for the station, a job I love! As a charity we receive no funding, and so we need to raise money ourselves to pay for licences and equipment updates. This is a challenge I readily take on, and I can often be found badgering members to take part in bag packs, and cake sales! My experience as fundraising officer has enabled me to do two things that were on my bucket list - a sky dive and an abseil. The sky dive was fantastic! Though Mike (who I roped in to do it with me) may not agree! The feeling of jumping out of a plane at 12,000ft was incredible, and I enjoyed every minute of it! However the same cannot be said about the abseil! I was the first one down (as the organiser I had to show willing!) and stepping backwards over the cliff was terrifying! I also lost my footing halfway down and ended up spinning round and round. Don’t worry though, when I eventually reached the bottom a lovely thorn bush broke my fall!






Through Sunshine Radio I have also been lucky enough to cover T4 on the Beach, and got to interview all the bands backstage! This was the day where I met Peter Andre! I cannot begin to describe how amazing this was! I have been a fan since I was 9!

During my time at Sunshine I am proud to have been awarded both the Jill Dando award and the Karen Radford Award. The Jill Dando award is for the best show contribution. it is named after television presenter Jill who used to volunteer with Sunshine before her TV career took off. The Karen Radford Award is for best all round member. It is in memory of Karen, a volunteer who sadly lost her life in a car accident. To have won both of these awards is great.

This year for the first time ever I decided to enter the HBA awards for best female. I didn't for one minute think I would be shortlisted, as it is open to all hospital radio stations in the country. For this I had to put a five minute entry together showcasing the variety of my skills, and my awareness of patients. This was a stressful few weeks, as I had to shift through a years worth of logs to find the clips I wanted and put them together. Special thanks to Steve for keeping me sane (and buying me a hot chocolate) and Marcus for his awesome editing skills putting clips together! I am so chuffed to have made the shortlist and am now very excited for the award ceremony which takes place on March 23 in Blackpool!

Last year the very talented Nick made a film on the volunteers at Sunshine. Have a look!

This year Sunshine radio turns 35. The station has come a long way since it was put together on a portable piece of equipment in the bedroom of president John Jiggins. Membership has grown, and we attract people from students to adults in their 70’s. Talks are already in place as to what we do to mark this event, and I am looking forward to it!

I have loved every minute of being a member of Sunshine Hospital radio, and have made many good friends. Joining the station five years ago was one of the best things i have ever done, and I look forward to many more enjoyable years as a member!