Sula's bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 06 Apr 2025 14:25:40 -0700 60 Sula's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Diary of a Provincial Lady]]> 683264 Librarian's note: There are Alternate Cover Editions for this edition of this book here and here.

Behind this rather prim title lies the hilarious fictional diary of a disaster-prone lady of the 1930s, and her attempts to keep her somewhat ramshackle household from falling into chaos: there’s her husband Robert, who, when he’s not snoozing behind The Times, does everything with grumbling recluctance; her gleefully troublesome children; and a succession of tricky sevants who invariably seem to gain the upper hand. And if her domestic trials are not enough, she must keep up appearances. Particularly with the maddeningly patronising Lady Boxe, whom our Provincial Lady eternally (and unsuccessfully) tries to compete with.

Also published here are the three enchanting sequels to The Diary of a Provincial Lady: The Provincial Lady Goes Further, The Provincial Lady in America, and The Provincial Lady in Wartime.]]> 562 E.M. Delafield 0860685225 Sula 0 currently-reading 4.00 The Diary of a Provincial Lady
author: E.M. Delafield
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Blackfoot (Two Monarchies Sequence, #2)]]> 35264848
Annabel has never wanted a cat. She certainly didn’t want a secretive, sarcastic black cat who takes over her pillow and makes remarks that no one else ever seems to hear. Despite that, Blackfoot manages to slink into her life like a small, furry shadow.

Now Annabel and her friend Peter are being over-run by cats. More and more arrive each day, turning up at the old castle ruins where Annabel and Peter spend most of their time. And some of those cats aren’t as…friendly…as Blackfoot.

When someone tries to kill Annabel and a spell goes very badly wrong, they find themselves trapped in the castle ruins, which are now growing back at an alarming rate. Even more alarming is the fact that the person who tried to kill Annabel is rapidly gaining control over the magical ruins.

Worst of all, Blackfoot knows more than he’s telling, and what he’s not telling could be enough to get them all killed.]]> 318 W.R. Gingell 099433253X Sula 4 childrens-fantasy, fantasy Diana Wynne Jones-esque! As I hoped, this is a stronger book than the first, Spindle, and I hope as I carry on the series to see the author further develop.

With the story mainly taking part in one setting, a magical ruined castle, the backdrop felt stronger to this story, rather than covering lots of things with a broad wash. However it still felt the author's sense of setting was quite weak, and lacked description. Unfortunately this is still a significant weakness. Without that the book becomes mainly sassy dialogue, particularly as it takes place in one area in a short period of time. It meant while I did enjoy it, I found it took a while to read despite being short, as it didn't hold my attention that long.

That being said, I miss Diana Wynne Jones's thoughtful magical plots and interesting characters with a spirit, and this does start to fill that hole. ]]> 3.60 2017 Blackfoot (Two Monarchies Sequence, #2)
author: W.R. Gingell
name: Sula
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: childrens-fantasy, fantasy
review:
Again, this is definitely Diana Wynne Jones-esque! As I hoped, this is a stronger book than the first, Spindle, and I hope as I carry on the series to see the author further develop.

With the story mainly taking part in one setting, a magical ruined castle, the backdrop felt stronger to this story, rather than covering lots of things with a broad wash. However it still felt the author's sense of setting was quite weak, and lacked description. Unfortunately this is still a significant weakness. Without that the book becomes mainly sassy dialogue, particularly as it takes place in one area in a short period of time. It meant while I did enjoy it, I found it took a while to read despite being short, as it didn't hold my attention that long.

That being said, I miss Diana Wynne Jones's thoughtful magical plots and interesting characters with a spirit, and this does start to fill that hole.
]]> Part 3 Handbook 56073665 240 Stephen Brookhouse 1859469523 Sula 0 currently-reading 3.00 2007 Part 3 Handbook
author: Stephen Brookhouse
name: Sula
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Nature's Palette: The Science of Plant Color]]> 1168229
Nature’s Palette is the fully ripened fruit of that journey—a highly illustrated, immensely entertaining exploration of the science of plant color. Beginning with potent reminders of how deeply interwoven plant colors are with human life and culture—from the shifting hues that told early humans when fruits and vegetables were edible to the indigo dyes that signified royalty for later generations—Lee moves easily through details of pigments, the evolution of color perception, the nature of light, and dozens of other topics. Through a narrative peppered with anecdotes of a life spent pursuing botanical knowledge around the world, he reveals the profound ways that efforts to understand and exploit plant color have influenced every sphere of human life, from organic chemistry to Renaissance painting to the highly lucrative orchid trade.

Lavishly illustrated and packed with remarkable details sure to delight gardeners and naturalists alike, Nature’s Palette will enchant anyone who’s ever wondered about red roses and blue violets—or green thumbs.]]> 432 David Lee 0226470520 Sula 0 currently-reading 4.13 2007 Nature's Palette: The Science of Plant Color
author: David Lee
name: Sula
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Just Henry 3573187 720 Michelle Magorian 1405227575 Sula 4 Michelle Magorian has captured the setting excellently. For a book that is so rich, and quite long, the plot felt a little contrived and you could see from early on how things could pan out. A young reader might have found it a bit less obvious, but it was a little disappointing given the quality of everything else, and compared to her other books. I also found I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would, mainly because of an incredibly unpleasant character that permeates throughout the whole book, giving everything an unpleasant taste.]]> 3.97 2008 Just Henry
author: Michelle Magorian
name: Sula
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/27
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: childrens-books, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
As usual Michelle Magorian has captured the setting excellently. For a book that is so rich, and quite long, the plot felt a little contrived and you could see from early on how things could pan out. A young reader might have found it a bit less obvious, but it was a little disappointing given the quality of everything else, and compared to her other books. I also found I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would, mainly because of an incredibly unpleasant character that permeates throughout the whole book, giving everything an unpleasant taste.
]]> <![CDATA[Victorian Painting in Oils and Watercolours]]> 3304246 207 Christopher Wood 1851492496 Sula 4 4.00 1996 Victorian Painting in Oils and Watercolours
author: Christopher Wood
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: art, era-victorian-and-edwardian
review:
Full of beautiful artwork, generally large-scale and in colour. Text a little dry and academic than what I was looking for, skimmed the section that was just short biographies of the various relevant artists of the era.
]]> <![CDATA[Handbook of Practice Management]]> 214396926
In print for 50 years, this enduring reference book has been comprehensively restructured and modernised to reflect the latest changes in practice. Aimed at those who are already managing a design studio or setting up a practice, it provides advice on all aspects of practising architecture in the UK and is a core reference book for practitioners and students alike.

Divided into two parts, the first characterises and quantifies the business of designing buildings in the context of the construction industry. It outlines what it means to be a member of the architect profession and considers the trends that seem likely to influence its future direction.

The second part sets out the overlapping activities that together constitute practice management. A chapter on business strategy is followed by seven topic-specific chapters organised

Distinguish between what you must do by law, what you should do to conform to professional codes of conduct, and what you might do to compete in the market Outline the most important management considerations Highlight the tactics and tools available to you Signpost useful resources and sources of more detailed information. A must-have handbook for chartered members of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and ARB (Architects Registration Board) registered architects. The guidance accounts for architects’ duties under ARB’s Architects Code; and chartered members’ duties under the RIBA Code of Professional Conduct and chartered practices’ duties under the RIBA Code of Professional Practice.]]> 288 Matt Thompson 1915722292 Sula 5 architecture 5.00 Handbook of Practice Management
author: Matt Thompson
name: Sula
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/27
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: architecture
review:

]]> Isaac and the Egg 55833904 Heartbreaking and heart-stealing, this bestselling modern-day fable is an unforgettable novel about sorrow, joy, friendship and love.

When Isaac Addy walks into the woods on the worst day of his life and finds something extraordinary there, he already knows he's going to take it home.

A grieving Isaac and his curious new friend are unlikely companions. They don't even speak the same language. But their chance encounter will transform Isaac's life in ways he cannot yet imagine.

And maybe he will finally be able to tell the truth.]]> 288 Bobby Palmer 1472285506 Sula 0 to-read 4.03 2022 Isaac and the Egg
author: Bobby Palmer
name: Sula
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> I Am David 32723374 Alternative Cover edition for ISBN 0749701366

David's entire twelve-year life has been spent in a grisly prison camp in Eastern Europe. He knows nothing of the outside world. But when he is given the chance to escape, he seizes it. With his vengeful enemies hot on his heels, David struggles to cope in this strange new world, where his only resources are a compass, a few crusts of bread, his two aching feet, and some vague advice to seek refuge in Denmark. Is that enough to survive?
David's extraordinary odyssey is dramatically chronicled in Anne Holm's classic about the meaning of freedom and the power of hope.
]]> 191 Anne Holm Sula 3 3.97 1963 I Am David
author: Anne Holm
name: Sula
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1963
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/22
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: childrens-books, era-wartime-and-interwar
review:

]]> Iron Lily 3308978 The Lark and the Laurel.

Cover Illustration by Gareth Floyd.]]> 224 Barbara Willard 0140307419 Sula 4 young-adult, era-medieval 3.78 1973 Iron Lily
author: Barbara Willard
name: Sula
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1973
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/07
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: young-adult, era-medieval
review:

]]> The Lark and the Laurel 29088917 175 Barbara Willard 0140306269 Sula 3 childrens-books, era-medieval 3.78 1970 The Lark and the Laurel
author: Barbara Willard
name: Sula
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1970
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/09
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: childrens-books, era-medieval
review:

]]> Fifteen 59412559 An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here

'Today I'm going to meet a boy, Jane told herself, as she walked up Blossom Street. Today I'm going to meet a boy. If she thought it often enough as if she actually really believed it maybe she actually would meet a boy even though she was headed for the worst baby-sitting job in Woodmont.'

Jane Purdy is fifteen. She lives in a small town in the United States, and she wants to have a boyfriend, and go to parties and stop being shy. At first nothing happens the way she hopes it will, but by the time the summer is ended she has got over the first pangs and miseries of 'growing up'.]]> 175 Beverly Cleary 0140309489 Sula 3 young-adult, era-50s-60s-70s
A couple of interesting things from that time: apparently it is considered good manners for a man to walk nearest the curb, and the woman on the inside! Also the concept of a 'rumble seat' in old cars; I would love to have a drive in a car with one of them!]]> 3.50 1956 Fifteen
author: Beverly Cleary
name: Sula
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1956
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/19
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: young-adult, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
It's charm now lies more in giving us the ability to time-travel back to being a teenager in the 1950s. A very innocent teenage life compared to these days, but many elements such as Jane's insecurities will be relatable to the modern teenager. There's little tension, or much depth beyond the developing romance, but I did appreciate the moment that Jane realises the value of confidence in getting by in life - if you act embarrassed about something people are more likely to laugh at you, whereas if you keep your head up they will laugh with you. For me this made the book that bit more interesting, as you can really see herself develop and not just the romance. I was pleasantly surprised that the characters didn't generally feel quite as flat and undeveloped as many in children's books from this era do. Having said that, I do feel Stan himself didn't have much more to his character beyond being nice. Perhaps it was partly relationships of that era but I didn't really feel they seemed to have much to say to one another.

A couple of interesting things from that time: apparently it is considered good manners for a man to walk nearest the curb, and the woman on the inside! Also the concept of a 'rumble seat' in old cars; I would love to have a drive in a car with one of them!
]]> Nora: An Irish Story 58911242 160 Catherine Mary MacSorley Sula 4 4.00 Nora: An Irish Story
author: Catherine Mary MacSorley
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/03
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: era-victorian-and-edwardian, young-adult, ireland
review:

]]> A Question of Courage 34236123
In Emily, Marjorie Darke has created a robust and sympathetic heroine, and the Birmingham and London of the early 1900's is of compelling authenticity. A Question of Courage adds to Marjorie Darke's growing reputation as an outstanding writer for young people.]]> 173 Marjorie Darke 0722659032 Sula 4 4.00 1975 A Question of Courage
author: Marjorie Darke
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1975
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/17
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: young-adult, era-victorian-and-edwardian
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Greengage Summer (Peacock Books)]]> 65804290 206 Rumer Godden 014047160X Sula 3 3.00 1958 Greengage Summer (Peacock Books)
author: Rumer Godden
name: Sula
average rating: 3.00
book published: 1958
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/29
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: young-adult, era-wartime-and-interwar
review:

]]> Starry Night 22430224 111 Catherine Sefton 024111795X Sula 4 4.50 1986 Starry Night
author: Catherine Sefton
name: Sula
average rating: 4.50
book published: 1986
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/23
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: young-adult, era-50s-60s-70s, ireland
review:
For such a short and light book I was pleasantly surprised by how well various issues were presented and the varying relationships between the characters.
]]> The Peppermint Pig 885350 158 Nina Bawden 0140309446 Sula 4 3.74 1975 The Peppermint Pig
author: Nina Bawden
name: Sula
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1975
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/28
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: childrens-books, era-victorian-and-edwardian
review:

]]> Under The Autumn Garden 2657460 Librarian Note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here

They were studying history at school, and since Matthew was head boy, he felt he ought to do a really good project. He knew that his garden lay over the remains of an old priory, so why not dig it up and see what exciting relics he could discover?

But Matthew's idea turns sour as all kinds of people interfere. He would never even have started if he'd known the obstacles before him!]]> 155 Jan Mark 014031248X Sula 4 3.00 1977 Under The Autumn Garden
author: Jan Mark
name: Sula
average rating: 3.00
book published: 1977
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/06
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: childrens-books, era-50s-60s-70s
review:

]]> Across the Barricades 12503248 This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 0140306374 .

'Funny we should get on so well together,' said Kevin.
'Funny?' said Sadie, but she knew what he meant. In these terrifying days in Belfast, no Protestant girl like herself could go out with a Catholic boy like Kevin without resentment or even murderous violence flaring up around them. They were made for each other, they knew that, but what would happen if they kept on seeing each other?
For readers of twelve or more.]]> 174 Joan Lingard Sula 4 3.36 1972 Across the Barricades
author: Joan Lingard
name: Sula
average rating: 3.36
book published: 1972
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/10
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: young-adult, era-50s-60s-70s, ireland
review:

]]> Into Exile 1612366 173 Joan Lingard 014037213X Sula 2 4.00 1973 Into Exile
author: Joan Lingard
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1973
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/22
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: ireland, era-50s-60s-70s, young-adult
review:

]]> Ghost Girl, Banana 61387385 Set between the last years of the "Chinese Windrush" in 1966 and Hong Kong's Handover to China in 1997, a mysterious inheritance sees a young woman from London uncovering buried secrets in her late mother's homeland in this captivating, wry debut about family, identity, and the price of belonging.

Hong Kong, 1966. Sook-Yin is exiled from Kowloon to London with orders to restore honor to her family. But as she trains to become a nurse in cold and wet England, Sook-Yin realizes that, like so many transplants, she must carve out a destiny of her own to survive.

Thirty years later in London, having lost her mother as a small child, biracial misfit Lily can only remember what Maya, her preternaturally perfect older sister, has told her about Sook-Yin. Unexpectedly named in the will of a powerful Chinese stranger, Lily embarks on a secret pilgrimage across the world to discover the lost side of her identity and claim the reward. But just as change is coming to Hong Kong, so Lily learns Maya's secrecy about their past has deep roots, and that good fortune comes at a price.

Heartfelt, wry and achingly real, Ghost Girl, Banana marks the stunning debut of a writer-to-watch.]]> 400 Wiz Wharton 0063239744 Sula 0 to-read 4.01 2023 Ghost Girl, Banana
author: Wiz Wharton
name: Sula
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Season of Storms (The Witcher, #6)]]> 36628623 The New York Times bestselling series that inspired the Witcher video games.



Geralt of Rivia. A witcher whose mission is to protect ordinary people from the monsters created with magic. A mutant who has the task of killing unnatural beings. He uses a magical sign, potions and the pride of every witcher -- two swords, steel and silver. But what would happen if Geralt lost his weapons?



In this standalone novel, Geralt fights, travels and loves again, Dandelion sings and flies from trouble to trouble, sorcerers are scheming ... and across the whole world clouds are gathering - the season of storms is coming...]]> 357 Andrzej Sapkowski 147321808X Sula 2 fantasy 3.85 2013 Season of Storms (The Witcher, #6)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Sula
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2013
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> Charles Rennie Mackintosh 3532517 128 Fiona Hackney 1856278808 Sula 4 Charles Rennie Mackintosh now, and I think this has been one of the more interesting ones, despite being a lightweight overview, perhaps aimed at the more casual reader. It covers not only his well known architectural work, but also shows his furniture design, some textiles, his watercolours - which vary from beautiful stylised renditions of flowers to distinctive landscapes. This wider overview showing the diversity of his work made it more interesting than other similar books out there.]]> 3.50 1989 Charles Rennie Mackintosh
author: Fiona Hackney
name: Sula
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1989
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/19
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: era-victorian-and-edwardian, history
review:
I've read a few different books about Charles Rennie Mackintosh now, and I think this has been one of the more interesting ones, despite being a lightweight overview, perhaps aimed at the more casual reader. It covers not only his well known architectural work, but also shows his furniture design, some textiles, his watercolours - which vary from beautiful stylised renditions of flowers to distinctive landscapes. This wider overview showing the diversity of his work made it more interesting than other similar books out there.
]]> Rose Windows 229209908 144 Painton Cowen Sula 2 '...the windows posses the power to bring about a change in thinking, to break down the habitual patterns that govern everyday consciousness. They can open the mind to a new reality, and this is often accompanied by a profound inner peace and reconciliation with oneself'. I did like the short section about the production of glass though, and learning about the technique of flashing: building up thin layers of glass for colour, often used for colours that would be too dark at a normal thickness.]]> 2.00 1979 Rose Windows
author: Painton Cowen
name: Sula
average rating: 2.00
book published: 1979
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves: art, architecture, era-medieval, history
review:
Due to its necessary reliance on photographs this has unsurprisingly dated, and the quality of the photographs leaves a lot to be desired, although most are at least in colour. I'm sure at the time it was special! On the whole the text was a bit hippie for me, with sentences such as '...the windows posses the power to bring about a change in thinking, to break down the habitual patterns that govern everyday consciousness. They can open the mind to a new reality, and this is often accompanied by a profound inner peace and reconciliation with oneself'. I did like the short section about the production of glass though, and learning about the technique of flashing: building up thin layers of glass for colour, often used for colours that would be too dark at a normal thickness.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lady of the Lake (The Witcher #5)]]> 37934450
But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher, Geralt, and his companions - and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war.]]> 531 Andrzej Sapkowski 1473211603 Sula 2 fantasy Andrzej Sapkowski writes decent short stories, but as the series progressed to full length stories it became messy very quickly. The male gaze is pretty bad too.]]> 3.99 1999 The Lady of the Lake (The Witcher #5)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Sula
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1999
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
Andrzej Sapkowski writes decent short stories, but as the series progressed to full length stories it became messy very quickly. The male gaze is pretty bad too.
]]> The List of Suspicious Things 224032026 here.

Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.
Because of the murders.
Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn’t an option. So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don’t.
But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible.
What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?]]> 480 Jennie Godfrey 1804942944 Sula 4 fiction, era-50s-60s-70s
The structure did feel a bit contrived, giving it the feel of an allegory. Due to the somewhat repetitive underlying structure, it did feel that possibly a small trim would have been beneficial. I enjoyed the cast of character's but did feel Miv seemed too mature for her age.

The setting was rich, and clearly the setting of the author's childhood, building up a picture of life in Yorkshire in that era.

I found the end a bit unsatisfying. The dark element felt out of place, and not the big, darker incident I thought the plot might build up to. Perhaps this is continuing the allegory/simplified story feel, but the resolution with Miv's mum was incredibly unrealistic. Being a story that focused on all the troubles real people face, to have a make-believe element like that was a bit jarring.]]> 4.20 2024 The List of Suspicious Things
author: Jennie Godfrey
name: Sula
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/12
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: fiction, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
3.5 stars. The blurb suggests this is a mystery/crime book, but at its heart it is a fiction book about people. The mystery of the Yorkshire Ripper provides a driving point for the plot and Miv's enquiries, but the actual story is the people she befriends on the way. They all have their troubles, but because of her, they end up being brought together and happier. There is one dark element to the book, but the ending does have happiness.

The structure did feel a bit contrived, giving it the feel of an allegory. Due to the somewhat repetitive underlying structure, it did feel that possibly a small trim would have been beneficial. I enjoyed the cast of character's but did feel Miv seemed too mature for her age.

The setting was rich, and clearly the setting of the author's childhood, building up a picture of life in Yorkshire in that era.

I found the end a bit unsatisfying. The dark element felt out of place, and not the big, darker incident I thought the plot might build up to. Perhaps this is continuing the allegory/simplified story feel, but the resolution with Miv's mum was incredibly unrealistic. Being a story that focused on all the troubles real people face, to have a make-believe element like that was a bit jarring.
]]> RIBA Job Book 55337389 320 Nigel Ostime 1859469043 Sula 0 architecture 3.50 RIBA Job Book
author: Nigel Ostime
name: Sula
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/10
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: architecture
review:

]]> Cousin Kate 311189
Soon, Kate begins noticing strange things about the manor. Though the guests are few, even family dinners are formal. Unexplained noises and events occur in the night.

Surrounded by her domineering Aunt, handsome but moody cousin Torquil, and cousin Philip, who appears to have taken her in instant dislike, Staplewood soon turns from an inviting stately house to a cold and gloomy mansion]]> 328 Georgette Heyer 0099490951 Sula 4 era-georgian, fiction 3.5 stars 3.45 1968 Cousin Kate
author: Georgette Heyer
name: Sula
average rating: 3.45
book published: 1968
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/09
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: era-georgian, fiction
review:
3.5 stars
]]> <![CDATA[A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)]]> 58407565 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must … and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark’s family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.
--back cover]]> 801 George R.R. Martin 0007448031 Sula 4 fantasy
While high fantasy, I find it interesting that in many ways it is a soap opera. It might be a fantastical setting, with a bit more killing and dragons than most soap operas, but its plot involves perpetual tensions and drama that keep you intrigued, just like soap operas. The plot is perhaps the strongest aspect of the book: it is complex, and has many characters, but George R.R. Martin manages to keep on top of it, juggling many balls at once. At the same time, the skill that keeps the series going, might also be its downfall, as it appears he doesn't know how to tie up the ends satisfactorily after such a long time. Here he could learn from Tolkien, and instead of trying to bring all his main characters to a grand finale, it would be better if he follows something more naturalistic, slowly tying each end off.

He manages a wide range of characters well, and they don't blur into one another. The series follows the book surprisingly closely, and I think because of that I never built up my own distinct images of the characters that I usually would do. As with the TV series, I didn't generally emotionally connect with characters that deeply perhaps because with so many viewpoints it is hard to dig in deep to the characters.

His writing is utilitarian, and I don't mean simplistic like a lot of modern writing. It reads quite well, but I think along with the lack of connection to the characters it stopped me from becoming really engrossed. He's obviously thought out the politics of the world well, but there's no atmosphere of the setting.

My main concern coming to both the book and the TV series, was the grittiness of them. The book wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be, and perhaps is better than the TV series on that front. While he does write with the male gaze, I've definitely read worse. I don't necessarily have a problem with someone writing something gritty and realistic, even if it is uncomfortable, but the characters need to have an appropriate response. For example, the infamous Daenerys situation, while the scene could have been written a lot worse, I was more uncomfortable with how he depicts her response to her situation. Perhaps if she'd been 16 or 18 I could have suspended disbelief, but she's only 13! Her character development in the book is jarring with the actually situation she is going through and doesn't make sense. If that's an important part of your book, take me into her thoughts, the deep complexities of her trauma from both her lack of family, her brother's abuse, and now Drogo's! Then it becomes something realistic and gritty and not just putting it in for spice.

In many ways, I think Sansa has the potential for this most. I know many prefer Arya, who gains more agency and power, and scorns femininity, but I think Sansa, especially in this book where we see her thoughts unlike the show, more realistically demonstrates women in those situations, adapting and doing what she can to the best of her ability. People tend to look down on her, but her response to her upbringing is much more realistic than Arya who falls into the 'real women don't wear dresses' trope that all to comes up in fantasy, scorning anything typically feminine despite the fact it might have actual value.

In summary, I definitely can see there's some good qualities to this series, and it is by no means just the gritty and grimdark as its reputation suggests it might be. He does glory a bit in some aspects of this a bit more than ideal, but compared to a lot of fantasy it is quite realistic and not a glorified as some. The soap-opera nature of the plot is interesting and a bit different. However, I didn't connect enough to the world and characters to want to bother to keep reading this long series. My own personal tastes prefer something to fully engage with the characters if going down the realism route, or to lean toward some kind of theme if straying from realism, such as hope within The Lord of the Rings.
]]> 4.52 1996 A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Sula
average rating: 4.52
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/08
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: fantasy
review:
So for a long time this book has been something I didn't want to touch. My boyfriend convinced me to watch the TV series with him. Having previously tried the first few episodes, I said I'd give it a go, but I might end up having to give up on it if it was too gritty. However, after the initial drama of the first few episodes, I enjoyed the TV series more than I thought I would, and while I didn't deeply emotionally connect with it, it was interesting enough that I kept watching. So I thought I'd give at least the first book a try.

While high fantasy, I find it interesting that in many ways it is a soap opera. It might be a fantastical setting, with a bit more killing and dragons than most soap operas, but its plot involves perpetual tensions and drama that keep you intrigued, just like soap operas. The plot is perhaps the strongest aspect of the book: it is complex, and has many characters, but George R.R. Martin manages to keep on top of it, juggling many balls at once. At the same time, the skill that keeps the series going, might also be its downfall, as it appears he doesn't know how to tie up the ends satisfactorily after such a long time. Here he could learn from Tolkien, and instead of trying to bring all his main characters to a grand finale, it would be better if he follows something more naturalistic, slowly tying each end off.

He manages a wide range of characters well, and they don't blur into one another. The series follows the book surprisingly closely, and I think because of that I never built up my own distinct images of the characters that I usually would do. As with the TV series, I didn't generally emotionally connect with characters that deeply perhaps because with so many viewpoints it is hard to dig in deep to the characters.

His writing is utilitarian, and I don't mean simplistic like a lot of modern writing. It reads quite well, but I think along with the lack of connection to the characters it stopped me from becoming really engrossed. He's obviously thought out the politics of the world well, but there's no atmosphere of the setting.

My main concern coming to both the book and the TV series, was the grittiness of them. The book wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be, and perhaps is better than the TV series on that front. While he does write with the male gaze, I've definitely read worse. I don't necessarily have a problem with someone writing something gritty and realistic, even if it is uncomfortable, but the characters need to have an appropriate response. For example, the infamous Daenerys situation, while the scene could have been written a lot worse, I was more uncomfortable with how he depicts her response to her situation. Perhaps if she'd been 16 or 18 I could have suspended disbelief, but she's only 13! Her character development in the book is jarring with the actually situation she is going through and doesn't make sense. If that's an important part of your book, take me into her thoughts, the deep complexities of her trauma from both her lack of family, her brother's abuse, and now Drogo's! Then it becomes something realistic and gritty and not just putting it in for spice.

In many ways, I think Sansa has the potential for this most. I know many prefer Arya, who gains more agency and power, and scorns femininity, but I think Sansa, especially in this book where we see her thoughts unlike the show, more realistically demonstrates women in those situations, adapting and doing what she can to the best of her ability. People tend to look down on her, but her response to her upbringing is much more realistic than Arya who falls into the 'real women don't wear dresses' trope that all to comes up in fantasy, scorning anything typically feminine despite the fact it might have actual value.

In summary, I definitely can see there's some good qualities to this series, and it is by no means just the gritty and grimdark as its reputation suggests it might be. He does glory a bit in some aspects of this a bit more than ideal, but compared to a lot of fantasy it is quite realistic and not a glorified as some. The soap-opera nature of the plot is interesting and a bit different. However, I didn't connect enough to the world and characters to want to bother to keep reading this long series. My own personal tastes prefer something to fully engage with the characters if going down the realism route, or to lean toward some kind of theme if straying from realism, such as hope within The Lord of the Rings.

]]> Seashore (Collins Gem) 4196834 256 Rod Preston-Mafham 000717859X Sula 0 natural-world 3.88 2004 Seashore (Collins Gem)
author: Rod Preston-Mafham
name: Sula
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: natural-world
review:

]]> Seashore 9726123 256 Ken Preston-Mafham 0007160712 Sula 0 natural-world 4.50 Seashore
author: Ken Preston-Mafham
name: Sula
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves: natural-world
review:

]]> Looking-Glass Girl 24874242 272 Cathy Cassidy 0141357827 Sula 4 childrens-books 4.13 2015 Looking-Glass Girl
author: Cathy Cassidy
name: Sula
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/01
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: childrens-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-First Annual Collection]]> 18404125
The thirty-two stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now. Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including: Neal Asher, Stephen Baxter, Damien Broderick, Karl Bunker, Aliette de Bodard, Brendan DuBois, Greg Egan, Alexander Jablokov, James Patrick Kelly, Jake Kerr, Nancy Kress, Jay Lake, Ken Liu, Ian R. MacLeod, Paul J. McAuley, Ian McDonald, Sandra McDonald, Sean McMullen, Sunny Moraine, Val Nolan, Robert Reed, Alastair Reynolds, Geoff Ryman, Melissa Scott, Martin L. Shoemaker, Allen M. Steele, Michael Swanwick, Lavie Tidhar, and Carrie Vaughn.

Supplementing the stories are the editor's insightful summation of the year's events and a lengthy list of honorable mentions, making this book both a valuable resource and the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination, and the heart.

Content:
“The Discovered Country” by Ian R. MacLeod
“The Book Seller” by Lavie Tidhar
“Pathways” by Nancy Kress
“A Heap of Broken Images” by Sunny Moraine
“Rock of Ages” by Jay Lake
“Rosary and Goldenstar” by Geoff Ryman
“Gray Wings” by Karl Bunker
“The Best We Can” by Carrie Vaughn
“Transitional Forms” by Paul McAuley
“Precious Mental” by Robert Reed
“Martian Blood” by Allen M. Steele
“Zero For Conduct” by Greg Egan
“The Waiting Stars” by Aliette de Bodard
“A Map of Mercury” by Alastair Reynolds
“One” by Nancy Kress
“Murder on the Aldrin Express” by Martin L. Shoemaker
“Biographical Fragments of the Life of Julian Prince” by Jake Kerr
“The Plague” by Ken Liu
“Fleet” by Sandra McDonald
“The She-Wolf’s Hidden Grin” by Michael Swanwick
“Bad Day on Boscobel” by Alexander Jablokov
“The Irish Astronaut” by Val Nolan
“The Other Gun” by Neal Asher
“Only Human” by Lavie Tidhar
“Entangled” by Ian R. MacLeod
“Earth 1″ by Stephen Baxter
“Technarion” by Sean McMullen
“Finders” by Melissa Scott
“The Queen of Night’s Aria” by Ian McDonald
“Hard Stars” by Brendan DuBois
“The Promise of Space” by James Patrick Kelly
“Quicken” by Damien Broderick]]> 705 Gardner Dozois 1250046211 Sula 2 science-fiction 3.85 2014 The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-First Annual Collection
author: Gardner Dozois
name: Sula
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2014
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: science-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[My Neighbor Totoro Film Comic: All-in-One Edition (My Neighbor Totoro: All-in-One Edition)]]> 199525658
Eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer to their ailing mother. Soon, in the woods behind their spooky old house, Satsuki and Mei discover a forest spirit named Totoro. When Mei goes missing, it’s up to Satsuki to find her sister, and she’ll need help from some new—and magical—friends.]]> 584 Hayao Miyazaki 1974746976 Sula 4 4.62 2004 My Neighbor Totoro Film Comic: All-in-One Edition (My Neighbor Totoro: All-in-One Edition)
author: Hayao Miyazaki
name: Sula
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/19
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves: childrens-fantasy, graphic-novels, studio-ghibli
review:

]]> Anita and Me 828354 Opportunity Knocks, Meena wants to roam the backyards of working-class Tollington with feisty Anita Rutter and her gang.

Written with great warmth and fun and just a hint of wistfulness, Anita and Me is a unique vision of a British childhood in the Sixties, a childhood caught between two cultures, each on the brink of change.]]> 336 Meera Syal 0006548768 Sula 4 3.64 1997 Anita and Me
author: Meera Syal
name: Sula
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/15
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: era-50s-60s-70s, fiction, theme-new-motorways, india
review:
An interesting book, looking at the various dynamics and social nuances between the protagonist's Indian family, and the village of 70s Britain, picking up on the evolution of both the protagonist, but also the village itself. This is very rich, and appears to be semi-autobiographical. I had actually watched the film of this first, not knowing it was a book, and later picked it up to try. The film is surprisingly follows the book quite closely. I found the start to be a little weak in terms of a plot picking up as it keeps getting sidetracked into anecdotes, but perhaps that is partly just my taste, and once underway that got stronger.
]]> <![CDATA[The Comfort of the Past: Building in Oxford and Beyond 1815-2015]]> 25855403 208 Steven Parissien 1907372776 Sula 3 3.00 2015 The Comfort of the Past: Building in Oxford and Beyond 1815-2015
author: Steven Parissien
name: Sula
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: architecture, history, era-victorian-and-edwardian, era-wartime-and-interwar, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
A book full of beautiful photographs of Oxford architecture. Text was a bit drier and more academic than I was expecting. It would have benefitted from a map or key showing where all the places are - and I'm saying that as someone who knows Oxford. What would have been really good (although more work) is if this map then coloured-coded the buildings and adaptions by era. The chapter on 'Exporting Oxford' and the discussion on American architecture seemed tenuous, via a 'traditional architecture' connection than any strong connection. If this had been a longer in-depth book on how people keep coming back to traditional styles, this would have perhaps been appropriate, but it didn't suit the context of a book on Oxford.
]]> Baby Love 61028410 496 Jacqueline Wilson 0241567122 Sula 3 young-adult, era-50s-60s-70s 4.28 2022 Baby Love
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Sula
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/12
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: young-adult, era-50s-60s-70s
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Andie's Moon (Historical House, #6)]]> 2694911 185 Linda Newbery 0746073100 Sula 4 3.56 2007 Andie's Moon (Historical House, #6)
author: Linda Newbery
name: Sula
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/25
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: childrens-books, era-50s-60s-70s
review:

]]> Daisy Jones & The Six 53715566 Alternate cover editions for ISBN 9781787462144 can be found here and here.

A gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous break up.

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the real reason why they split at the absolute height of their popularity…until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go-Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Another band getting noticed is The Six, led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.]]> 403 Taylor Jenkins Reid Sula 4 fiction, era-50s-60s-70s
Of course this format means it is telling not showing, but I think it managed to be successful because of this documentary-style format. The problem I did find is that a big aspect of them cannot be shown to us, for of course we can not hear their music. Lyrics to some songs are at the back of book, but to be honest, I found them a little uninspiring and would rather they weren't included and their content left to the imagination. I think this aspect made it hard for me to get into this book at first, for why should I care about these random people. Who would watch a documentary on a band they had never heard of (and couldn't hear their music)? It didn't also help that the two main characters are not likable, and the two least important band members fairly undeveloped.

As I got into it and more invested in the story, this side of things gto easier, and of course the intriguing format helped keep me engaged.]]> 4.29 2019 Daisy Jones & The Six
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Sula
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2022/04/08
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: fiction, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
I wasn't expecting the format of this book - it's essentially like reading the transcript for a documentary someone has made on a band by interviewing members. I really enjoyed this unusual style, and while I'm not an audiobook person, I think this could be great for listening to - perhaps a radio adaption would interesting too (or is that too old-fashioned now?!)?

Of course this format means it is telling not showing, but I think it managed to be successful because of this documentary-style format. The problem I did find is that a big aspect of them cannot be shown to us, for of course we can not hear their music. Lyrics to some songs are at the back of book, but to be honest, I found them a little uninspiring and would rather they weren't included and their content left to the imagination. I think this aspect made it hard for me to get into this book at first, for why should I care about these random people. Who would watch a documentary on a band they had never heard of (and couldn't hear their music)? It didn't also help that the two main characters are not likable, and the two least important band members fairly undeveloped.

As I got into it and more invested in the story, this side of things gto easier, and of course the intriguing format helped keep me engaged.
]]> Songs in Ursa Major 60403465
Jane Quinn is a Bayleen Island local whose music flows as naturally as her long blond hair. When she and her bandmates are asked to play in Jesse Reid's place at the festival, it almost doesn't seem real. But Jane plants her bare feet on the Main Stage and delivers the performance of a lifetime, stopping Jesse's disappointed fans in their tracks: A star is born.

Jesse stays on the island to recover from his near-fatal accident and he strikes up a friendship with Jane, coaching her through the production of her first record. As Jane contends with the music industry's sexism, Jesse becomes her advocate, and what starts as a shared calling soon becomes a passionate love affair. On tour with Jesse, Jane is so captivated by the giant stadiums, the late nights, the wild parties, and the media attention, that she is blind-sided when she stumbles on the dark secret beneath Jesse's music. With nowhere to turn, Jane must reckon with the shadows of her own past; what follows is the birth of one of most iconic albums of all time.

Shot through with the lyrics, the icons, the lore, the adrenaline of the early '70s music scene, Songs in Ursa Major pulses with romantic longing and asks the question so many female artists must face: What are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?]]> 392 Emma Brodie 0008435308 Sula 3 fiction, era-50s-60s-70s Daisy Jones & The Six. Plot-wise it is less complex than Daisy Jones & The Six, and it follows a more traditional narrative rather than the transcript format of the other. While the transcript format is interesting, I think I found this more effective at making one engaged at invested with the characters. It also better managed the difficult task of giving a feel for what her music is like.

Generally its a light book, and when it does try to have some edginess and bite to it, it can come across as a bit cringey. I increasingly disliked Jesse, which made the book harder going. If you want a fairly average, lightweight read, with the atmosphere of the 60s music scene, then this should suffice.]]> 3.81 2021 Songs in Ursa Major
author: Emma Brodie
name: Sula
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/11
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: fiction, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
2.5 Stars. A lightweight, 'beach-read'-style book, with the atmosphere of Daisy Jones & The Six. Plot-wise it is less complex than Daisy Jones & The Six, and it follows a more traditional narrative rather than the transcript format of the other. While the transcript format is interesting, I think I found this more effective at making one engaged at invested with the characters. It also better managed the difficult task of giving a feel for what her music is like.

Generally its a light book, and when it does try to have some edginess and bite to it, it can come across as a bit cringey. I increasingly disliked Jesse, which made the book harder going. If you want a fairly average, lightweight read, with the atmosphere of the 60s music scene, then this should suffice.
]]> <![CDATA[The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London]]> 18336989
Charles Dickens obsessively walked London's streets, recording its pleasures, curiosities and cruelties. Now, Judith Flanders follows in his footsteps, leading us through the markets, transport systems, sewers, slums, cemeteries, gin palaces and entertainment emporia of Dickens' London. The Victorian City is a revelatory portrait of everyday life on the streets, bringing to life the Victorian capital in all its variety, vibrancy, and squalor. No one who reads it will view London in the same light again.]]> 520 Judith Flanders 1848877978 Sula 5 The Victorian House, I had to pick up this when I saw it. Part of me wondered whether it would be too similar or not as interesting, as both are thick books on the same era, but I need not have worried! While a long book, it never becomes dry and academic, and is always fascinating. The streets of Victorian London are really brought to life, with a strong sense of atmosphere. I love a long but engaging book that you can really sink into, and this is one of them!]]> 4.20 2012 The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London
author: Judith Flanders
name: Sula
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: history, era-victorian-and-edwardian, favourites
review:
Having really enjoyed The Victorian House, I had to pick up this when I saw it. Part of me wondered whether it would be too similar or not as interesting, as both are thick books on the same era, but I need not have worried! While a long book, it never becomes dry and academic, and is always fascinating. The streets of Victorian London are really brought to life, with a strong sense of atmosphere. I love a long but engaging book that you can really sink into, and this is one of them!
]]> The Weather Woman 123167263
Neva is born into a world of trickery and illusion, where fortunes are won and lost on the turn of a card. But she is also born with an extraordinary she can predict the weather. In Regency England, where the proper goal for a gentlewoman is marriage and only God can foretell the future, this is a dangerous power to possess.

In order to stand up to the men of science, Neva adopts a sophisticated male disguise, created by her brilliant clockmaker father. But what will happen when she falls in love with a charismatic young man?

'Seductive' Observer
'Wildly inventive' The TImes
'Superb... joyful' New Statesman
'A delight' The Sunday Times
'Beguiling' Mail on Sunday
'Magical storytelling' Heat
'A triumph!' Caroline Lea
'Bold and original' Financial Times
'I was completely captivated' Amanda Craig]]> 464 Sally Gardner 178669526X Sula 1 I, Coriander, I probably would have given it a miss.

The prose is vague and drifting, and not dreamy and beautiful as I think it intends to be. The historical setting was very tenuous. In terms of the plot and characters, as the heroine we have Neva, who is meant to be a woman ahead of her time, but instead is incredibly irritating, and her sole gift is predicting the weather through magicy intuition (there is nothing else fantastical in the story and this has no explanation. Through her the author throws in a good handful of modern attitudes and condescension that glare in with the historic setting. Goodness knows what was going on in the second half of the book, it descended into something like terrible fanfiction.]]> 4.00 2022 The Weather Woman
author: Sally Gardner
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 1
read at: 2025/02/09
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: era-georgian, fantasy, fiction
review:
If I realised this was written by the same person who wrote I, Coriander, I probably would have given it a miss.

The prose is vague and drifting, and not dreamy and beautiful as I think it intends to be. The historical setting was very tenuous. In terms of the plot and characters, as the heroine we have Neva, who is meant to be a woman ahead of her time, but instead is incredibly irritating, and her sole gift is predicting the weather through magicy intuition (there is nothing else fantastical in the story and this has no explanation. Through her the author throws in a good handful of modern attitudes and condescension that glare in with the historic setting. Goodness knows what was going on in the second half of the book, it descended into something like terrible fanfiction.
]]> Once Upon A Time 227831710 Nilima Jha Sula 0 childrens-books, india 0.0 1997 Once Upon A Time
author: Nilima Jha
name: Sula
average rating: 0.0
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: childrens-books, india
review:

]]> Cathedral Cats 456621 96 Richard Surman 0007235631 Sula 4 3.92 1993 Cathedral Cats
author: Richard Surman
name: Sula
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1993
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: humour, non-fiction, animals, art
review:
This looks like it could be one of those tacky gift books, but the writing really is very funny. The only sad thing is it probably needs an update now for the current residents.
]]> Kala 216033321
In the seaside town of Kinlough three old friends are thrown together for the first time in years. They – Helen, Joe and Mush – were part of an original group of six inseparable teenagers in the summer of 2003, with motherless, reckless Kala Lanann as their group’s white-hot centre. Soon after that summer’s peak, Kala disappeared without a trace.

Now it’s fifteen years later. Human remains have been discovered in the woods. Two more girls have gone missing. As past and present begin to collide, the estranged friends are forced to confront their own complicity in the events that led to Kala’s disappearance…]]> 456 Colin Walsh 1838958622 Sula 4 mystery-and-crime 4.10 2023 Kala
author: Colin Walsh
name: Sula
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: mystery-and-crime
review:

]]> The Odd Women 5164636 The Odd Women reflects the major sexual and cultural issues of the late nineteenth century. Unlike the "New Woman" novels of the era which challenged the idea that the unmarried woman was superfluous, Gissing satirizes that image and portrays women as "odd" and marginal in relation to an ideal. Set in a grimy, fog-ridden London, Gissing's "odd" women range from the idealistic, financially self-sufficient Mary Barfoot to the Madden sisters who struggle to subsist in low paying jobs and little chance for joy. With narrative detachment, Gissing portrays contemporary society's blatant ambivalence towards its own period of transition. Judged by contemporary critics to be as provocative as Zola and Ibsen, Gissing produced an "intensely modern" work as the issues it raises remain the subject of contemporary debate.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
]]> 432 George Gissing 0199538301 Sula 4 3.94 1893 The Odd Women
author: George Gissing
name: Sula
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1893
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: classics, era-victorian-and-edwardian, fiction
review:

]]> Curves 15336103 Leapfrogs Insight Series 32 Leapfrog Group 0905531302 Sula 0 dnf 0.0 Curves
author: Leapfrog Group
name: Sula
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> Railsea 13551297
The giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death and the other’s glory are extraordinary. But no matter how spectacular it is, travelling the endless rails of the railsea, Sham can't shake the sense that there is more to life. Even if his philosophy-seeking captain can think only of the hunt for the ivory-coloured mole she’s been chasing – ever since it took her arm all those years ago.

When they come across a wrecked train, at first it's a welcome distraction. But the impossible salvage Sham finds in the derelict leads to considerably more than he'd bargained for. Soon he's hunted on all sides: by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters and salvage-scrabblers.

And it might not be just Sham's life that's about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea.]]> 376 China Miéville 0230765106 Sula 3 science-fiction, fantasy 4.05 2012 Railsea
author: China Miéville
name: Sula
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: science-fiction, fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels, #1)]]> 60808841 Cecilia Bassingwaite belongs to a very prestigious circle of women: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels.

But this is no ordinary Victorian lady's society - as it's full of pirates, thieves and ne'er-do-wells.

These women spend their days pickpocketing and blackmailing their way around the country all before it's time to sit down for tea.

But when Cecilia meets Ned Lightingbourne her world is set to change forever.

Because he's a paid assassin and she's his next hit.

Under the employment of the dastardly Captain Movath - who wants to rid the world of these Lady Scoundrels - Ned knows he has one job to do.

But when he lays eyes on the feisty, beautiful Cecilia he can't help but fall for her. So the two agree to team up and take down the scoundrel, Movath, together.

But soon it becomes clear there is more than their lives at stake.

Their hearts . . .

Bridgerton meets Peaky Blinders in this swashbuckling tale of scoundrels and society, crime and crumpets. As these enemies turn to allies and might just fall in love along the way . . .]]> 324 India Holton 1405954930 Sula 3 fantasy 3.55 2021 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels, #1)
author: India Holton
name: Sula
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: fantasy
review:
Well it's certainly better than the sequel that I happened to pick up first; the flaws manage to be a bit more charming, and less immature. It reads more like a comedy skit than bad writing, and perhaps as a short story it would be more palatable. However, as a whole book the very staged, trying to be funny, story wears a little thin.
]]> <![CDATA[London Labour and the London Poor]]> 448459
London Labour and the London Poor originated in a series of articles, later published in four volumes, written for the Morning Chronicle in 1849 and 1850 when journalist Henry Mayhew was at the height of his career. Mayhew aimed simply to report the realities of the poor from a compassionate and practical outlook. This penetrating selection shows how well he succeeded: the underprivileged of London become extraordinarily and often shockingly alive.]]> 544 Henry Mayhew 0140432418 Sula 0 to-read 4.03 1861 London Labour and the London Poor
author: Henry Mayhew
name: Sula
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1861
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[London and Londoners in the 1850s & 1860s]]> 11398115 310 Alfred Rosling Bennett Sula 0 to-read 3.74 1924 London and Londoners in the 1850s & 1860s
author: Alfred Rosling Bennett
name: Sula
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1924
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House]]> 58591642 'Jones's atmospheric debut has a multiracial, multigenerational cast who are brilliantly and even-handedly portrayed' Sunday Times

'Rare is the first book that reveals the writer fully formed, the muscles and sinews of her sentences firm and taut, the voice distinctly her own' Washington Post

'A hard-hitting and unflinching novel from a bold new writer' Bernardine Evaristo

'A bright new star. Cherie Jones draws us with skill, delicacy and glorious style into a vortex of Bajan lives on the edge' Diana Evans


In Baxter's Beach, Barbados, Lala's grandmother Wilma tells the story of the one-armed sister, a cautionary tale about what happens to girls who disobey their mothers.

For Wilma, it's the story of a wilful adventurer, who ignores the warnings of those around her, and suffers as a result.

When Lala grows up, she sees it offers hope - of life after losing a baby in the most terrible of circumstances and marrying the wrong man.

And Mira Whalen? It's about keeping alive, trying to make sense of the fact that her husband has been murdered, and she didn't get the chance to tell him that she loved him after all.

HOW THE ONE-ARMED SISTER SWEEPS HER HOUSE is the powerful, intense story of three marriages, and of a beautiful island paradise where, beyond the white sand beaches and the wealthy tourists, lies poverty, menacing violence and the story of the sacrifices some women make to survive. ]]> 340 Cherie Jones 1472268792 Sula 1 dnf 3.74 2021 How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House
author: Cherie Jones
name: Sula
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2021
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/01/14
shelves: dnf
review:

]]> Beyond the Orchid House 3026128 Gwen's Story.]]> 246 Ruth Elwin Harris 0744543533 Sula 4 4.20 1994 Beyond the Orchid House
author: Ruth Elwin Harris
name: Sula
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: fiction, childrens-books, cottagecore, young-adult
review:
A gentle book, that makes me long for a garden, but not without darker undertones. As another reviewer has said, I think this is likely to be most appreciated by an adult reader who can pick up on some of the subtleties, and appreciate the pace.
]]> The Lost Bookshop 123167182
‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.]]> 435 Evie Woods 0008609217 Sula 1 fantasy, fiction 3.93 2023 The Lost Bookshop
author: Evie Woods
name: Sula
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 1
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: fantasy, fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Consuming Passions: Leisure and Pleasure in Victorian Britain]]> 882444 448 Judith Flanders 0007172958 Sula 0 to-read 3.89 2006 Consuming Passions: Leisure and Pleasure in Victorian Britain
author: Judith Flanders
name: Sula
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Making of Home: The 500-Year Story of How Our Houses Became Our Homes]]> 28220927
The idea that “home” is a special place, a separate place, a place where we can be our true selves, is so obvious to us today that we barely pause to think about it. But, as Judith Flanders shows in her most ambitious work to date, “home” is a relatively new idea.

In The Making of Home , Judith Flanders traces the evolution of the house from the sixteenth to the early twentieth century across northern Europe and America, showing how the homes we know today bear only a faint resemblance to homes though history. What turned a house into a home? Flanders uncovers the fascinating development of ordinary household items―from cutlery, chairs and curtains, to fitted kitchens, plumbing and windows―while also dismantling many domestic myths.

In this prodigiously researched and engagingly written book, Flanders elegantly draws together the threads of religion, history, economics, technology and the arts to show not merely what happened, but why it how we ended up in a world where we can all say, like Dorothy in Oz, “There’s no place like home.”]]> 368 Judith Flanders 1250096111 Sula 0 to-read 3.92 2014 The Making of Home: The 500-Year Story of How Our Houses Became Our Homes
author: Judith Flanders
name: Sula
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Kairos 202576816
From a prize-winning German writer, this is the intimate and devastating story of the path of two lovers through the ruins of a relationship, set against the backdrop of a seismic period in European history.]]> 294 Jenny Erpenbeck 1783786132 Sula 1 fiction 3.26 2021 Kairos
author: Jenny Erpenbeck
name: Sula
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2021
rating: 1
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Studio Ghibli: Architecture in Animation]]> 207302343
Explore the dazzling animated worlds of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Nausica? of the Valley of the Wind, and more with Studio Ghibli: Architecture in Animation!

Learn how the visionary animation studio brings its vibrant worlds to life through hundreds of pieces of concept art, sketches, and background paintings that illuminate the architectural inspirations of Studio Ghibli’s animated classics. Distinctive interiors, imaginative exteriors, breathtaking landscapes, and the interplay between the three are all examined in detail through collected remarks from acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, exclusive commentary from renowned architect Terunobu Fujimori, and quotes from the artists and art directors of Studio Ghibli’s beloved films.

Readers will learn of the historical, architectural, and personal inspirations behind such iconic and inventive buildings and structures as the bathhouse from Spirited Away, Howl’s moving castle, and Satsuki and Mei’s country home from My Neighbor Totoro. This book is the perfect gift for all fans of Studio Ghibli’s timeless movies.

This book is the translated reprint edition of the catalog for the exhibition Studio Ghibli’s Architecture in Animation.]]> 192 Studio Ghibli 1974740862 Sula 4
1.01.25 | I never thought this would get translated but here we are! I enjoyed this, but I must admit it wasn't quite as good as I hoped. For me this is a book of three parts. The part I most enjoyed, and is what I hoped it would be, is the comments and annotations that talk about some of the inspirations behind the buildings. I would have liked more of this!

The second part are the images. These are beautiful, but focus more on the backgrounds than I would have liked. I was hoping for more conceptual and behind-the-scenes illustrations and references. Perhaps if the internet didn't exist and I hadn't seen a lot of the backgrounds before I would appreciate them printed in a book more, but it seems to similar to the 'Art of' books, and not as architectural as it might be. The other issue with these images are that many are printed very small, which especially for the annotated sketches, with the translations are off to the side, it is hard to really see much of what is going on.

Lastly at the end there is an article and an interview. I'm not sure if it is the translation, or just the inherent nature of the pieces, but they didn't flow particularly well and this section felt unfinished. For instance, they talk of a nursery that Hayao Miyazaki designed, but show no images of it.]]> 4.60 2014 Studio Ghibli: Architecture in Animation
author: Studio Ghibli
name: Sula
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/01
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: art, behind-the-books-and-films, architecture
review:
5.09.23 | I deeply want a translation of this: Studio Ghibli + Architecture are some of my favourite things!

1.01.25 | I never thought this would get translated but here we are! I enjoyed this, but I must admit it wasn't quite as good as I hoped. For me this is a book of three parts. The part I most enjoyed, and is what I hoped it would be, is the comments and annotations that talk about some of the inspirations behind the buildings. I would have liked more of this!

The second part are the images. These are beautiful, but focus more on the backgrounds than I would have liked. I was hoping for more conceptual and behind-the-scenes illustrations and references. Perhaps if the internet didn't exist and I hadn't seen a lot of the backgrounds before I would appreciate them printed in a book more, but it seems to similar to the 'Art of' books, and not as architectural as it might be. The other issue with these images are that many are printed very small, which especially for the annotated sketches, with the translations are off to the side, it is hard to really see much of what is going on.

Lastly at the end there is an article and an interview. I'm not sure if it is the translation, or just the inherent nature of the pieces, but they didn't flow particularly well and this section felt unfinished. For instance, they talk of a nursery that Hayao Miyazaki designed, but show no images of it.
]]> <![CDATA[Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore]]> 98652285
A dreamer’s tree house.
A mechanic’s cottage.
A submerged city.

In Houses with a Story , more than 30 imaginative houses and the people who make them home offer unexpected worlds to wander through and explore. Who is the mischievous bridge-tower keeper? What does the witch grow in her garden? How does the postal worker tame his delivery dragons? In each house, readers discover the contents of rooms and closets, what’s at the top of the stairs, and where shadowy hallways lead. Story text provides background and details about the lives of the residents and hints about their past and future.

Featuring lush, full-color illustrations including diagrams, elevations, and sectional drawings, along with detailed descriptions of each character and their pets, the homes’ architecture, design, location, and landscapes open doors to whimsy, wonder, and endless possibilities.]]> 128 Seiji Yoshida 1419761242 Sula 5 Jill Barklem or the more factual A Street Through Time. This book just focuses on that concept, and is filled with illustrations and diagrams of various homes, with hints of the world they come from. It is also really nice that at the end we are taken through his process of drawing one of these houses. While this could be enjoyed as a picture book for children, many adults will also love exploring the details, with the style of illustration appealing to Studio Ghibli fans.]]> 4.51 2020 Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore
author: Seiji Yoshida
name: Sula
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: art, picture-books, favourites
review:
I've always loved books that invite you to explore and imagine the world of the inhabitants, from the whimsical homes in the Brambly Hedge series by Jill Barklem or the more factual A Street Through Time. This book just focuses on that concept, and is filled with illustrations and diagrams of various homes, with hints of the world they come from. It is also really nice that at the end we are taken through his process of drawing one of these houses. While this could be enjoyed as a picture book for children, many adults will also love exploring the details, with the style of illustration appealing to Studio Ghibli fans.
]]> Leon Fast Vegan 41215593 From the home of healthy fast food, Leon Fast Vegan is all about delicious food, which just happens to be vegan.
Leon Fast Vegan contains more than 150 recipes. Divided into three sections, it kicks off with The Main Event, with easy recipes for everything from breakfast and brunch to sharing plates, via quick suppers and slow-cooked one-pot dishes. Part two, On the Side, features sauces, dressings, nourishing side dishes and scrumptious breads, and part three, Sweet, gives vegan options for desserts and cakes.


As ever, healthy fast food chain LEON takes inspiration from around the world, with recipes for vegan sushi, Mexican tacos, Vietnamese pancakes and American burgers. The emphasis throughout is on great flavour and keeping things simple.


Whether you are looking for breakfasts or party food, weekday suppers or ambitious feasts, there is something here for everyone.]]> 304 Rebecca Seal 1840917199 Sula 4 cooking 4.33 Leon Fast Vegan
author: Rebecca Seal
name: Sula
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves: cooking
review:
4 stars for some excellent pudding recipes. As I am cooking for dairy and egg intolerances rather than vegans, I have not tried so many of the savoury recipes, however many of them require specialist ingredients not easily available, are time consuming and involve deep frying which is a hassle at home.
]]> Pirouette 222994549
So says the demanding Madame Tania as she offers a long-awaited starring role to young Judith Nell, who has strived her whole life for success in the ballet. But her big break arrives just as she’s falling for Paul, who has demands of his own. The resulting conflict, and the pressure from Judith’s mother, who tries to make up for her own stifled ambitions by obsessing over Judith’s career, form the crux of a riveting, poignant tale by an author who knows the ins and outs of ballet better than anyone. Enriching the main story are Judith’s fellow dancers—including a young girl who has sacrificed her youth only to grow too tall for a career—and her brothers. Not to mention the fearsome Madame Tania, who ends by getting told off in no uncertain terms!

Pirouette is the eleventh of twelve charming, page-turning romances published under the pseudonym “Susan Scarlett” by none other than beloved children’s author and novelist Noel Streatfeild. Out of print for decades, they were rediscovered by Greyladies Books in the early 2010s, and Dean Street Press and Furrowed Middlebrow are delighted now to make all twelve available to a wider audience.

“A writer who shows a rich experience in her writing and a charm” Nottingham Journal]]> 256 Susan Scarlett Sula 3 fiction, era-50s-60s-70s Noel Streatfeild manages her characters and writes prose well. However, two of the main characters, the heroine and her mother, are not likeable at all, which rather discolours the whole story. The mother is ghastly, and as Noel Streatfeild writes characters well, that is sadly in a painfully realistic way, rather than an evil villian way.

The plot boils down to the heroine's choice of her career or getting married. Which given the time period the book is written, you can guess what the ending is going to be! As there seemed to be very little to the romance (these are supposed to be romantic novels but the overriding relationship is really the unhealthy one between her and her mother), and she is only eighteen, this did not help digestion of the book.

While I did enjoy being transported to the historic setting, and the ability of her writing, there was just too much that left a bad taste in my mouth to really enjoy it.]]> 3.00 1948 Pirouette
author: Susan Scarlett
name: Sula
average rating: 3.00
book published: 1948
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/29
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves: fiction, era-50s-60s-70s
review:
2.5 stars. As usual, Noel Streatfeild manages her characters and writes prose well. However, two of the main characters, the heroine and her mother, are not likeable at all, which rather discolours the whole story. The mother is ghastly, and as Noel Streatfeild writes characters well, that is sadly in a painfully realistic way, rather than an evil villian way.

The plot boils down to the heroine's choice of her career or getting married. Which given the time period the book is written, you can guess what the ending is going to be! As there seemed to be very little to the romance (these are supposed to be romantic novels but the overriding relationship is really the unhealthy one between her and her mother), and she is only eighteen, this did not help digestion of the book.

While I did enjoy being transported to the historic setting, and the ability of her writing, there was just too much that left a bad taste in my mouth to really enjoy it.
]]> <![CDATA[Picture Tales from the Russian]]> 43615712 184 Valery Carrick Sula 0 3.00 Picture Tales from the Russian
author: Valery Carrick
name: Sula
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/28
shelves: childrens-books, russia, picture-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Massimo Listri: The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries]]> 122803352 Exceptional access to the world's finest libraries

From the mighty halls of ancient Alexandria to a camel bookmobile on the Kenyan-Somali border, human beings have had a long, enraptured relationship with libraries. Like no other concept and like no other space, the collection of knowledge, learning, and imagination offers a sense of infinite possibility. It's the unrivaled realm of discovery, where every faded manuscript or mighty clothbound tome might reveal a provocative new idea, a far-flung fantasy, an ancient belief, a religious conviction, or a whole new way of being in the world.

In this new photographic journey, Massimo Listri travels to some of the oldest and finest libraries to reveal their architectural, historical, and imaginative wonder. Through great wooden doors, up spiraling staircases, and along exquisite, shelf-lined corridors, he leads us through outstanding private, public, educational, and monastic libraries, dating as far back as 766. Between them, these medieval, classical, baroque, rococo, and 19th-century institutions hold some of the most precious records of human thought and deed, inscribed and printed in manuscripts, volumes, papyrus scrolls, and incunabula. In each, Listri's poised images capture the library's unique atmosphere, as much as their most prized holdings and design details.

Featured libraries include the papal collections of the Vatican Apostolic Library, Trinity College Library, home to the Book of Kells and Book of Durrow, and the priceless holdings of the Laurentian Library in Florence, the private library of the powerful House of Medici, designed by Michelangelo. With meticulous descriptions accompanying each featured library, we learn not only of the libraries' astonishing holdings - from which highlights are illustrated - but also of their often lively, turbulent, or controversial pasts. Like Altenburg Abbey in Austria, an outpost of imperial Catholicism repeatedly destroyed during the European wars of religion. Or the Franciscan monastery in Lima, Peru, with its horde of archival Inquisition documents.

At once a bibliophile beauty pageant, an ode to knowledge, and an evocation of the particular magic of print, Listri Libraries is above all a cultural-historical pilgrimage to the heart of our halls of learning, to the stories they tell, as much as those they gather in printed matter along polished shelves]]> 510 Elisabeth Sladek 3836593815 Sula 4
Secondly, in trying to cover many libraries, and have text in three different languages, you then end up with only a few photos for each library, which is not enough to get a sense of place.

And lastly, in trying to look fancy, the book fails ergonomically due to a weird flap that goes over the end of the page edges. It looks neat when closed, but is a right pain flapping all over the place when you read!]]> 4.09 2017 Massimo Listri: The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries
author: Elisabeth Sladek
name: Sula
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves: architecture, history, photography
review:
3.5 stars. Beautiful photographs of libraries, showing not only the wider place, but also honing in on details. However, there were three things that could have improved this. As another commenter has said, none of these libraries are very homely, and the books almost come second to the ostentatiousness. Library's can be impressive and homely, see Arundel Castle library! A more mixed selection would have been more interesting.

Secondly, in trying to cover many libraries, and have text in three different languages, you then end up with only a few photos for each library, which is not enough to get a sense of place.

And lastly, in trying to look fancy, the book fails ergonomically due to a weird flap that goes over the end of the page edges. It looks neat when closed, but is a right pain flapping all over the place when you read!
]]> <![CDATA[Hamlyn Guide Seashores and Shallow Seas]]> 21068954 0 Andrew Campbell 0753709589 Sula 0 natural-world 4.00 2004 Hamlyn Guide Seashores and Shallow Seas
author: Andrew Campbell
name: Sula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves: natural-world
review:

]]> A Sign of Affection, Vol. 2 54425958 162 Suu Morishita 1646597141 Sula 0 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.52 2020 A Sign of Affection, Vol. 2
author: Suu Morishita
name: Sula
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/26
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> A Sign of Affection, Vol. 1 50514218 198 Suu Morishita 1646593383 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.42 2019 A Sign of Affection, Vol. 1
author: Suu Morishita
name: Sula
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/26
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> The Perilous Gard 831578 288 Elizabeth Marie Pope 014034912X Sula 5 4.15 1974 The Perilous Gard
author: Elizabeth Marie Pope
name: Sula
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1974
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/29
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: childrens-fantasy, favourite-fantasy
review:

]]> The Tomten 1454487 32 Astrid Lindgren 0698201477 Sula 5 favourites, picture-books 4.14 1960 The Tomten
author: Astrid Lindgren
name: Sula
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1960
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: favourites, picture-books
review:
This is lovely story of the Tomten's walk around the farm in the middle of the night, visiting, looking after and talking to the animals, reminding them of spring. It's a very soothing read, with gentle and flowing writing. Harald Wiberg's illustrations are evocative of the calmness and quiet of snowy nights, and never fail to transport you away. Ever since I was first read it as a young child, this winter story has remain vivid in my mind.
]]> <![CDATA[Voices (Annals of the Western Shore, #2)]]> 854855
And now times are changing. The Uplands poet Orrec Caspro and his wife Gry have arrived, and in his voice is a clarion call, awakening a conquered people.

The second book of the Annals of the Western Shore, Voices is a haunting and gripping coming-of-age story set against a backdrop of violence, intolerance and magic.]]> 364 Ursula K. Le Guin 1842555618 Sula 3 fantasy 3.79 2006 Voices (Annals of the Western Shore, #2)
author: Ursula K. Le Guin
name: Sula
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: fantasy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Vol. 2]]> 199798742
With her jet-black hair, sinister smile, and silent demeanor, Sawako “Sadako” Kuronuma always had trouble fitting in during high school. But with help from her friends, her boyfriend Kazehaya, and even her rival-turned-friend Kurumi, Sawako came out of her shell. Now in college, Sawako and Kurumi have become incredibly close, but Kurumi longs for a romance of her own.

Kurumi reels from a frightening encounter with a stalker, and Eiji supports her every step of the way—he even stays the night at her place. When the next day comes, Kurumi doesn’t want him to leave. Has she gone from fiercely independent to desperately needy?]]> 216 Karuho Shiina 1974746097 Sula 0 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.17 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Vol. 2
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Vol. 1]]> 176443477
With her jet-black hair, sinister smile, and silent demeanor, Sawako “Sadako” Kuronuma always had trouble fitting in during high school. But with help from her friends, her boyfriend Kazehaya, and even her rival-turned-friend Kurumi, Sawako came out of her shell. Now in college, Sawako and Kurumi have become incredibly close, but Kurumi longs for a romance of her own.

Despite considering herself unlovable, and despite feeling deeply satisfied with Sawako’s companionship, Kurumi decides to put herself out there and try dating. When she’s pestered by a persistent suitor after a party, a handsome stranger comes to her rescue. He looks suspiciously like Sawako…or not so suspicious, considering that he is actually Sawako’s cousin! When Kurumi starts to feel drawn to him, could it be love?]]> 216 Karuho Shiina 1974743748 Sula 2 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.10 2019 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Vol. 1
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 30]]> 38926377
With her jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor, Sawako “Sadako” Kuronuma always had trouble fitting in. But her whole life changes when she befriends the most popular boy in class, Shota Kazehaya. Can love trump her cursed life?

Kazehaya and Sawako have finally graduated from high school. When Sawako goes away to university, will their relationship withstand the distance? And what will become of their close group of high school friends? Kazehaya and Sawako’s quirky story about love and life concludes in the exciting final volume of?Kimi ni Todoke!]]> 200 Karuho Shiina 1974703800 Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.48 2018 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 30
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 29 [Kimi ni Todoke 29] 35200617 192 Karuho Shiina 4088457889 Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.45 2017 君に届け 29 [Kimi ni Todoke 29]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 28 [Kimi ni Todoke 28] 33541405 176 Karuho Shiina 4088457188 Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.41 2017 君に届け 28 [Kimi ni Todoke 28]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> A Street Through Time 998478 32 Steve Noon 0751355356 Sula 0 history, picture-books 4.41 1998 A Street Through Time
author: Steve Noon
name: Sula
average rating: 4.41
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: history, picture-books
review:

]]> 君に届け 27 [Kimi ni Todoke 27] 31191793 184 Karuho Shiina 408845636X Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.37 2016 君に届け 27 [Kimi ni Todoke 27]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 26 [Kimi ni Todoke 26] 29602306 176 Karuho Shiina 4088455762 Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.32 2016 君に届け 26 [Kimi ni Todoke 26]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Christmas at the Tomten's Farm]]> 404170 98 Harald Wiberg 0698300440 Sula 5 picture-books The Tomten meets Little House in the Big Woods! The Tomten plays a lesser part in this, with the focus of the book being life on a Swedish farm over Christmastime. Aimed at older readers than The Tomten, this is a longer, more descriptive book that builds up a picture of both everyday life on the farm as well as Christmas traditions. The illustrations are not coloured watercolours, but unusually printed on grey paper, with black and white inks. As usual, they are charming, especially the animals! It is a joy to revisit the snowy night farm where the Tomten lives.]]> 4.42 1968 Christmas at the Tomten's Farm
author: Harald Wiberg
name: Sula
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1968
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: picture-books
review:
The Tomten meets Little House in the Big Woods! The Tomten plays a lesser part in this, with the focus of the book being life on a Swedish farm over Christmastime. Aimed at older readers than The Tomten, this is a longer, more descriptive book that builds up a picture of both everyday life on the farm as well as Christmas traditions. The illustrations are not coloured watercolours, but unusually printed on grey paper, with black and white inks. As usual, they are charming, especially the animals! It is a joy to revisit the snowy night farm where the Tomten lives.
]]> 君に届け 25 [Kimi ni Todoke 25] 27275507 168 Karuho Shiina 4088454987 Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.33 2015 君に届け 25 [Kimi ni Todoke 25]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 24 [Kimi ni Todoke 24] 25403456 176 Karuho Shiina 4088454189 Sula 3 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.31 2015 君に届け 24 [Kimi ni Todoke 24]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 23 [Kimi ni Todoke 23] 23206304 184 Karuho Shiina 408845331X Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.31 2015 君に届け 23 [Kimi ni Todoke 23]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 22 [Kimi ni Todoke 22] 22837923 【収録作品】スペシャルコラボ 河原和音×椎名軽穂　まゆげの角度は45°で]]> 184 Karuho Shiina 4088452615 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.31 2014 君に届け 22 [Kimi ni Todoke 22]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 21 [Kimi ni Todoke 21] 18399849 176 Karuho Shiina 4088451813 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.30 2014 君に届け 21 [Kimi ni Todoke 21]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 20 [Kimi ni Todoke 20] 18139182 184 Karuho Shiina 4088451147 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.32 2013 君に届け 20 [Kimi ni Todoke 20]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> One Pair of Feet 2398014 224 Monica Dickens 0140009698 Sula 0 to-read 3.90 1942 One Pair of Feet
author: Monica Dickens
name: Sula
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1942
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> One Pair of Hands 11158230 320 Monica Dickens 0091944686 Sula 5 3.73 1939 One Pair of Hands
author: Monica Dickens
name: Sula
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1939
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/22
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: biography-and-autobiography, era-wartime-and-interwar, history, possibly-tb
review:
4.5 stars. There's several memoirs of domestic life out there, but this one stands out due to its skilful and humorous writing. I think what also adds to its telling is that the author is in fact a debutante, and therefore has a slightly different perspective to all the proceedings. The only reason it is not fully 5 stars is that towards the end it starts to feel a bit samey.
]]> 君に届け 19 [Kimi ni Todoke 19] 18126581 192 Karuho Shiina 4088450590 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.33 2013 君に届け 19 [Kimi ni Todoke 19]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 18 [Kimi ni Todoke 18] 17228458 176 Karuho Shiina 4088468813 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.35 2013 君に届け 18 [Kimi ni Todoke 18]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 17 [Kimi ni Todoke 17] 16049255 184 Karuho Shiina 4088468295 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.43 2012 君に届け 17 [Kimi ni Todoke 17]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 16 [Kimi ni Todoke 16] 13629415 192 Karuho Shiina 4088467728 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.30 2012 君に届け 16 [Kimi ni Todoke 16]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/22
date added: 2024/12/22
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Little Red Engine Goes Home]]> 75904461 32 Diana Ross 0571033628 Sula 0 picture-books 0.0 The Little Red Engine Goes Home
author: Diana Ross
name: Sula
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/21
shelves: picture-books
review:

]]> 君に届け 15 [Kimi ni Todoke 15] 13374105 184 Karuho Shiina 4088467388 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.37 2012 君に届け 15 [Kimi ni Todoke 15]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/17
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> 君に届け 14 [Kimi ni Todoke 14] 12448433 176 Karuho Shiina 4088466950 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.36 2011 君に届け 14 [Kimi ni Todoke 14]
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/17
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 13]]> 12265111 200 Karuho Shiina 1421541203 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.35 2011 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 13
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/17
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 12]]> 11077977 184 Karuho Shiina 1421540231 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.36 2010 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 12
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 11]]> 11029828 184 Karuho Shiina 1421539225 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.39 2010 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 11
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 10]]> 10323621 184 Karuho Shiina 1421538229 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.42 2010 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 10
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 9]]> 10300449 176 Karuho Shiina 1421536889 Sula 4 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.34 2009 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 9
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 8]]> 8845485 176 Karuho Shiina 1421531763 Sula 5 graphic-novels, young-adult 4.36 2008 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 8
author: Karuho Shiina
name: Sula
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:

]]> Tommy Sullivan Is a Freak 1924389 Why everyone LOVES Katie Ellison

She's top of the class, she parties with the A-list she's bursting with talent - and she's got the kind of boyfriend any girl would kill to get their hands on.

Why everyone HATES Tommy Sullivan

Four years ago he exposed the football team as cheats - and had to leave town, along with his family. But the graffiti branding him a freak still scares the gymnasium wall and no one has EVER forgotten.

Now Tommy's back in town

But he's very far from being a freak. In fact, Tom's hot - TOTALLY hot. And if Katie's not very careful he could ruin everything.

]]> 249 Meg Cabot Sula 0 young-adult 3.54 2007 Tommy Sullivan Is a Freak
author: Meg Cabot
name: Sula
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: young-adult
review:

]]>