French Friday (49)

Bonjour everyone!

Today I would like to share with you a few French-related events happening troughout the blogosphere!

There seems to be a lot of them!

Paris in July
1st - 31st july 2012

Hosted by Tamara at Thyme for Tea and Karen at Bookbath

"The aim of the month is to celebrate our French experiences through
reading, watching, listening to, observing, cooking and eating all things French."  

Paris at Noon

June 2012

Hosted by Velvet at vvb32reads
Guest posts and giveaways! A virtual visit of Paris!


I Love France
Weekly meme

Hosted by Emma at Words and Peace
Emma shares her love for France in this meme!
She talks about books, but also shared many pictures from Paris and France in general!

French posts
June - July

By Jeanie at The Marmelade Gypsy

Jeanie has been sharing pictures and stories of her French travels for a month,
and she intends to continue into july!


That's all, folks! If you've heard about other Frenchy events, do tell me!

Next week will be my 50th French Friday. That calls for celebration.
Prepare yourself for... A FRENCHY GIVEAWAY! :)

Bon vendredi à tout le monde !

Grave Mercy (by Robin LaFevers)

Grave Mercy
(His Fair Assassin #1)
by Robin LaFevers
Release date : April 3rd, 2012

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (from Goodreads)

It seems that there's been some kind of Grave Mercy Vibe going on between bloggers today, because after posting my review, I realized in my Google Reader that three other bloggers had also posted it around the same time! This rarely happens in my Reader, except on release days.

So I thought i'd share their reviews :
Book Chick City • Alison Can Read • Books Complete Me
They all enjoyed the book, so it'll give you some positive thoughts compared to mine! :)

MY THOUGHTS : I'll start with the good stuff. Because there won't be a lot of it. Sorry. Ok, so Ismae's character is quite likeable (fortunately!). I liked her. I really wanted to follow her, whatever happened. The love story was interesting, that is if you like the permanent-sexual-tension-but-let's-only-brush-against-each-other thing.

The first part of the book is quite promising and exciting! A young woman who has always been a victim has the opportunity to turn fate around, helped by killer nuns... Kind of intriguing, huh?! I liked how Ismae changed, slowly turning into a trained kickass killer, able to assassinate anyone with anything, really (poisons, weapons, you name it!). When she starts going on missions, there's a nice suspense, some action and, most of all, we read about an ASSASSIN (that's the title of the trilogy, so that's logical, right?).

And then, it all changed...

This book is LONG. 549 pages is a lot, in my opinion. Long books CAN be exciting if something actually happens within the pages. But 549 pages seem long when we're supposed to read about an ASSASSIN (excuse my boldness) but end up reading about the history of Brittany and France in a boring and weakly explained attempt. And, most of all, when the ASSASSIN doesn't assassin anyone! That's my feeling, anyway.

I was expecting action, suspense, mysterious deaths... I was waiting for Ismae to act. I mean, she's supposed to kill. It's her job. But we read about all her exciting weapons and poisons, and she doesn't use them! How frustrating is that? Also, the historical context gains the upper hand of the plot. And, unfortunately, if you don't know much about Brittany and France's history, there are not enough explanations to understand it all. Even Anne de Bretagne's age isn't explicitely given until the end...

So, I got bored (and a tad angry) quite frequently. I thought too many pages were spent on politics and conspiracy conversations and not enough on actual action. Ismae, who should be the badass we were waiting for, withers whenever her would-be-lover is near. The tiniest contact with him makes her lose her grasp on reality. I just wanted her to wake up and be a real killer (I am a peaceful person, I promise!) instead of constantly thinking about what's going on in her belly.

I also thought there was a weird problem with the language used here. The story is written in some king of "Old English" (Ismael is the narrator). I found it too formal at times, almost parodic (too many "thus", or the infamous "break your fast",...). And, sometimes, the 15th century writing got lost somehow, and whole passages sounded contemporary. So I had trouble hanging on to the voice.

Overall, this was a disappointing read for me, but mostly frustrating: I wished there'd been 200 pages less and that Ismael's story had been more important than France's.

Did you read it? If so, do share your thoughts! I hope you had a better experience than mine!

Hollow Pike (by James Dawson)

Hollow Pike
by James Dawson
Release date : February 2nd, 2012

Something wicked this way comes...

She thought she’d be safe in the country, but you can’t escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she’s being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn’t believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn’t believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you’re alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : I read this book almost in one sitting. I was hooked thanks to the quality of the writing and the suspense. The main character leads the story quite well, and I liked her personality. Also, I really wanted to know how it would end, and looked for the explanations at the same time as the characters. 

I loved how spooky it was, too! It had been a long time since a book scared me!  Ok, a dark forest and an invisible baddy ARE classics, but when it's well done, it really does work! And then there's the premise of a love story, which is quite cute. 

I was not impressed by the ending, though. It's not that I expected it, but I just thought that after all the nice suspense and action, it kind of went downhill. I found it a bit frustrating. There were also a few weird incoherences, but nothing major.

All in all, HOLLOW PIKE was a captivating and thrilling book! I really enjoyed it, despite its ending, that I found weak compared to the rest. 

French Friday (48)

Bonjour everyone!

Before I start, did you guys hear about Paris in July?
It's a month long event hosted by Karen of BookBath and Tamara of Thyme for Tea, to celebrate all things French!
And you can still register to participate!

So, today we're going to compare two book covers (original vs French)!

I've already posted reviews of these particular books, if you ever want to learn more about them.

THE ROAR by Emma Clayton

Translated as LE MUR (The Wall)

THE LAST WORDS OF WILL WOLFKIN by Steven Knight

Translated as L'HERITAGE DES FELS (The Fels Legacy)

I chose those two because, for once, I like all of them!

They are all different, but I think they all have the little something that makes them catchy!

I tend to be harsh when it comes to French covers but, this time, I have to say that I like them. :)

What do you think? 

PS : Pssst... I'm looking for guest posts...

Falling Fast (by Sophie McKenzie)

Falling Fast
by Sophie McKenzie
Release date : March 1st, 2012

When River auditions for a part in an interschool performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself smitten by Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. But Flynn comes from a damaged family—is he even capable of giving River what she wants? The path of true love never did run smooth...

This is real life, not a rehearsal... (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : This wasn't a very surprising read and the plot was highly predictable, but I found the love story in itself deeper than expected. I was waiting for a cheesy romance, but what I got was more complex than that. I liked how River and Flynn's behaviors and problems were treated, and how mature it was at times.

But, weirdly, what bugged me was how the age of the characters was absolutely not believable. The romance was quite mature, but all the rest was, well, not. For all I know, they could've been twelve years old and it would've been the same! From the way they express themselves to the way they lead their lives, it felt like a pre-teen story.

Also, I was disappointed theater-wise. The play IS the center of the story, and I would've liked a bit more theater stuff! But that's the actress in me speaking, I guess. I was waiting for a surprise, like an eventful performance or else, but nothing happened. Oh well.

So, that was not the most exciting book I've read but it was interesting nonetheless. It would've deserved more maturity and more stage action, though!

Bittersweet (by Sarah Ockler)

Bittersweet
by Sarah Ockler
Release date : January 3rd, 2012

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life... and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last... (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : Cupcakes and ice skating in the same book? Pinch me, I'm dreaming...! I absolutely loved TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler (not reviewed on the blog yet, I should do that soon!), and I loved BITTERSWEET just as much! What I like the most in Sarah Ockler's books is that she knows how to mix girly-sweet-chick-litty stuff with deep and touching feelings.

The characters are highly developed and have many layers, that we get to discover as we turn the pages. Hudson is both adorable and detestable, because she's real and close to us. That makes here even more likeable, more than if she had been portayed as life's victim.

The tone is catchy, fun and unusual. And I'm a huge fan of each chapter's introductions! Their titles are inspired by Hudson's cupcakes, with ironic and really tempting descriptions (mouth-watering, all of them!).
Example : "Stick and Stones May Break My Bones, but Falling Down Hurts Real Bad Too Cupcakes :
Red velvet cupcakes with warm raspberry center and cream cheese icing, topped with mashed mixed berries and served on a chocolate-drizzled plate". Tasty, huh?

I also love stories that take place in winter, so I really enjoyed the "cosy-romancy-hot-chocolaty" feel of the whole book! Because of that, it made me think of LET IT SNOW, actually, although it's not the same book at all. I dove into it, never got bored, and enjoyed following Hudson's life, either with pleasure or dismay, depending on her actions.

Sarah Ockler has a unique and cute style, both sensitive and funny, and I savoured BITTERSWEET like I would savour a cupcake!

All in all, I say YES to cupcakes, YES to love, YES to snow and ice, and YAY to Sarah Ockler!

French Friday (47) - Guest Post by Esme

Bonjour everyone!

Today I am happy to welcome Esme  from Chocolate and Croissants for a French Friday guest post!

Esme has seen more of France than I ever have (and maybe ever will!), and she has so much to write about!

Here she will talk about gastronomy and Brittany. Prepare yourself for a mouth watering experience!

Happy reading!

Bonjour, I am Esme from Chocolate andCroissants.
When Charlotte asked me to guest post, I decided to share my recent trip to Brittany and take you on a gastronomic adventure.

Brittany is located on the NorthWestern Coast of France.  Every region of France offers a diverse selection of food reflecting both the customs and fruits of land and Brittany is no exception. With over 130 miles of coastline and lush land, there is a treasure of both savory and sweets to be enjoyed.

I started my visit to Brittany in the medieval walled town of Dinan.  Located above the Rance River Dinan is a  beautifully preserved town with narrow lanes and timbered houses.
  

Timbered houses / Ramparts

Brittany is known for it's crepes and galettes (thin pancakes).  Here in North America we call everything a crepe.  In France, a crepe is filled with something sweet and made from wheat flour, while a galette is savory and made from buckwheat flour.

Galettes and Crepes

Below is a photo of mine filled with ham,  potatoes and cheese.  

Traditionally galettes are not layered, this was a dish with layers of galettes.  I saw a man one table over with this and decided I just had to have one even if it was not a traditional galette.  It was worth it.  

Below is a photo of a traditional galette I had another day.

After Dinan, I headed slightly north to Cancale and St. Malo.  Cancale is known for its oysters and is a destination for the French on Sunday afternoons who want to head out for a day by the ocean and a lunch of oysters.

St. Malo is a walled port city, offering ferry trips to the nearby British Jersey Islands.  Inside the walled city, tourists can walk along the cobblestone streets.  For those who want a day at the beach, the ramparts overlook beautiful sandy beaches.

Traveling westward the coast became more rugged and the countryside lush. Cap Frehel located on the headland is a hiker's paradise.

With land so lush it is no wonder that many desserts are butter based.  One of the more popular desserts is Kouign Amann.  With layers of pastry dough rolled between butter and caramelized sugar it was unlike anything I had ever tasted.   

Another popular dessert is Far breton.  This cake like dessert is filled with prunes.

Pont-Aven was a delightful village with more chocolate and shortbread cookies shops than I had ever seen. You could just stroll along the river enjoying your treats.

As you can see, Brittany is a very diverse region with many foods to sample.

It is hard to say what my favourite meal was,  I enjoyed them all. 
The one I may remember the most was my mussels and fries.

After a morning of looking at the strange rock formations in Carnac that are lined up in perfect rows it was the perfect lunch for a day along the Mohiban Gulf. 

Thank you to Charlotte, for allowing me to guest post at Book on the Hill.


PS : If  you would like to write a French Friday guest post, click here!

Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning (by Danette Haworth)

Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning
by Danette Haworth
Release date : August 19th, 2008

Spunky, headstrong Violet Raines is happy with things just the way they are in her sleepy backwoods Florida town. She loves going to the fish fry with her best friend, Lottie, and collecting BrainFreeze cups with her good friend Eddie. She loves squeezing into the open trunk of the old cypress tree, looking for alligators in the river, and witnessing lighting storms on a warm summer day.  

But Violet’s world is turned upside down when Melissa moves to town from big city Detroit. All of a sudden Violet’s supposed to want to wear makeup, and watch soap operas, and play Truth or Dare! It’ll take the help of Violet’s friends, her Momma, a few run-ins with lightning, and maybe even Melissa, for Violet to realize that growing up doesn’t have to mean changing who you are. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : First, I LOVE this title, don't you?! And the book lived up to it. It's a fresh and sweet coming of age story, talking about how hard it is to grow up and to take responsabilities for yourself. I loved the atmosphere and I thought it was really nicely described. I could almost see myself sitting next to that little river with "the girls"!

It's also a realistic story, which young readers can relate to. The characters are written about with kindness and precision, and it makes them even more likeable. And it was fun too! We experience these summer events through Violet's eyes, and she shares her thoughts with honesty. These events might seem silly or unimportant, but they are taken seriously and reminded me of that time when the dramas that you live through are not necessarily understood by parents, but matter very much to you!

There were some annoying repetitions (too many "So's" and "That's how"), but nothing dramatic!

It's a lively, touching and funny book that I would recommend to any young reader!

Jenny Q, Stitched Up! (by Pauline McLynn)

Jenny Q, Stitched Up!
by Pauline McLynn
Release date : June 7th, 2012

Right, here's how things are . . . My mother is pregnant. I shizz you not. My mum will be going around with a bump for all to see that she's still, well, shagging. Oh god I can't bear it - talk about a stitch-up.

THEN there's Stevie Lee Bolton - every time I see him I'm like a stunned goldfish and just stand there with my mouth opening and closing.

So between my untakebackably embarrassing family and a certain Stevie Lee, how will I be ready for Teen Factor X - not even my friends know about my dodgy yodelings and secret obsession with becoming a star . . .

Funny, frank and surprisingly talented with a pair of knitting needles, meet Jenny Q in the hilarious new series from Father Ted and Shameless star Pauline McLynn. (from Puffin Books' website)

MY THOUGHTS : It was a fun read but, unfortunately, I found the book too uneven and disorganized to really enjoy it. For a short book, there are too much information and too many things happening : the TV show, the pregnant mom, the dream boy, the bad boy from school, the best friend's dog, the best friends, the families, the girls' inventions... Everything happens at the same time, and nothing's developed! In the end, I wondered what was really at stake here, and what the main plot was.

If only one of the stories had been underlined (the TV show, for example) and that, on the side, all the other small events had been there just to bring colour to the main plot, THEN I think it would've worked. But alas the treatment results in a real cacophony, which prevented me from getting attached to the characters and their stories.

I also found the writing kind of annoying. I have nothing against books where the story is written "like a 13 year old girl would've written it", but what I really don't like is when you can actually HEAR the adult writing it! The "young talk" is too emphatized to be realistic, and it distracted me from what Jenny was saying (too many "Ennyhoos" and "SO" got on my nerves)! There were times when I could've skipped three pages without missing the course of the story stories. I wasn't able to get to know Jenny because there were too many interferences.

I've definitely read better in the same genre. It's fun, but the construction did not do justice to the story and the characters. 

The Possibility of You (by Pamela Redmond)

The Possibility of You
by Pamela Redmond
Release date : February 21st, 2012

1916. It was the one thing Bridget was supposed to never let happen. But no matter how many times she replayed the steps in her head, she couldn’t reanimate the small pale boy who lay limp in her arms.
 1976. Billie felt as if she’d been wrenched in half more surely than when the baby had been cut from her body. But she felt something else too: happy to think only of her own needs, her own tears. So light she could float away, somewhere no one would ever find her.
 The present. Even if Cait never found her birth mother, even if she decided not to have this baby, to leave her lover and kiss her parents good-bye, she was surrounded by so much emotion, so many questions, that she felt as if she might never be free again. Can we ever atone for the sins of the past? Or does each generation of women invent itself anew?

In a complex and beautifully told masterpiece set against key moments for women in the last century,New York Times bestselling author Pamela Redmond intertwines the heartrending stories of Bridget, Billie, and Cait, and explores the ways in which one woman’s choices can affect her loved ones forever. As these three women search for identity and belonging, each faces a very personal decision that will reverberate across generations, tearing apart families, real and imaginary, perfect and flawed, but ultimately bringing them together again. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : I though this was a beautiful transgenerational novel, written with care. The three different periods are very well described (the atmosphere, the places, the historical context, the "real" life feeling,...). I could feel that the author had done a lot of research in order to be as realistic as she could, and I thought it turned out pretty well. The three main characters are distinct, well characterized, and I liked them all. The alternating chapters give a nice dynamic to the story while making us travel through time. That's pretty awesome. The main theme is deep, fascinating and painful all at the same time, and I thought it was approached cleverly and without too much subjectivity. When reading THE POSSIBILITY OF YOU, we witness how families pass on their psychological traumas, and it made me think. I found this book really touching.

There were a few things that I didn't enjoy in this book, although they didn't stop me from loving it! First, it took some time for me to connect all the stories. I understood the main link between them but, since one generation was skipped, I was a bit confused, at least for a while...  Also, there were moments when the mix between the narration and the dialogues was a tad messy, but that was only from time to time. In general, I thought the book was beautifully written.

I would recommend THE POSSIBILITY OF YOU to any daughters and mothers out there! I found it mesmerizing, moving and colourful! 

Dead Time (by Anne Cassidy)

Dead Time
by Anne Cassidy
Release date : May 22nd, 2012

When Rose was twelve, her mother and stepfather went out for dinner and never came back. Now seventeen, she lives with her grandmother and goes to school in London. She’s always wondered about her stepbrother, Joshua, whom she only lived with briefly and who was also relocated after their parents’ disappearance. When Rose and Joshua meet again, they find they have much in common, including a desire to uncover the mystery surrounding their parents’ disappearance . . . and a mutual attraction to each other.
But when Rose witnesses the murders of not one but two of her classmates, she must uncover who is behind these violent crimes. And when she and Joshua discover that a much larger conspiracy is underway, both of their lives will be in danger. (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : I'll start with the good stuff. This book was an intriguing mystery, I turned the pages without realizing it. Although there are three stories in one, the author managed to keep me alert and I was never lost. It could've been hard to follow, but it really wasn't. I loved reading about several investigations at the same time. I enjoyed the suspense. The characters are deep and well constructed. And I didn't expect what would happen at the end. It had everything to be a perfect series instalment.

But... for me, three major things were problematic.

First, I felt like I was running in circles! As the plot thickened, there were more and more questions piling up and the answers would never come. Or, if they did, it was done sparingly. Plus, Rose LOVES to repeat herself. So it felt like the questions were multiplied.

Secondly: ROSE! I didn't like Rose. I found her annoying right from the start. She's cold and unpleasant, she shuts herself off all the time, and she doesn't really admit her flaws. And, yes, people DO tell her how disagreeable she is, but she doesn't try to change anything about it. Which ends up in her complaining all the time and doing everything on her own. Her coldness prevented me from liking her, which was a pity since she IS the heroin. And the fact that she stood in the way of the police and blocked all investigations didn't help me bonding with her. Why doesn't she TALK to people instead of making things worse than they already are? For me, Rose was a real obstacle in the plot and in the book in general.

Last but not least, let's talk about Joshua and Rose's relationship. I'm no prude, and I fully understand that they are not blood-related and only step-brother and step-sister. But the ambiguity made me uncomfortable. And, again, it's Rose who shows more of a love interest towards Joshua than the other way around, so it didn't help her case, once more! Outside of the weird love thing, I found their bipolar relationship tiring. They love each other and then they hate each other, ad lib... I would've prefered  a real united team spirit instead. And, again and for the last time, Rose is the one who makes it worse.

Overall, I thinkt that DEAD TIME was a great idea, well written and kind of catchy, but unfortunately discredited by an austere protagonist. 

ParaNorman (by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel)

ParaNorman
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Release date : June 5th, 2012

In a quaint New England town with a history of witches and pilgrims, misunderstood eleven-year-old Norman Babcock can see and talk to ghosts. No one believes him, of course-everyone just thinks he's weird (including his parents). But when a folktale of a witch who cursed her accusers turns out to be true, it's up to Norman to save the town from pilgrim zombies! In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on a very angry witch, an annoying sidekick, his boy-crazy teenage sister, and dozens of moronic grown-ups who get in his way. This young ghoul whisperer finds his paranormal talents pushed to their otherworldly limits in this hilarious and spooky adventure!

Featuring gorgeous black-and-white interior illustrations and a story beyond what you'll see in the film, this novel is sure to delight! (from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS : This was a short and efficient story, cute, full of action and really fun! What more could I ask for?! I have to say that it didn't dethrone SCREAM STREET from my personal podium, a series that I absolutely loved, but PARANORMAN has a lot of qualities and I really enjoyed reading it!

Norman is a really sweet and eandering character, a "loner" who absolutely comes to term with himself and who stands up for himself too, and that's really nice! I loved the crazy and eccentric side of it all too. The book's moral is absolutely acceptable, and not too "obvious". The overall tone, even if not particularly original, keeps on being dynamic and captivating throughout the whole read.

In my opinion, some passages were a bit rushed. Also, at some points the narrator became too omniscient (for example, we suddenly almost end up in Norman's sister's head when the rest of the book is "neutral"). That was weird and non logical, but it rarely happened and it didn't annoy me or anything. It was just bizarre.

All in all, PARANORMAN is an enjoyable "zombie comedy" book, and it really made me want to see the movie (yep, there's a movie, coming out in august 2012!). The trailer is really good, so I'll leave you with it. :)

Book Blogging Around the World (36) : Manchester, England

Today's guest : Lauren aka Captain Biscuits from Northern Plunder

City/Country: Manchester/UK

Welcome Lauren!

Tell us a little bit about you.
Okay well, I’m 18 years old and have a boyfriend of three years who is amazing, I finished my two years at college early in May where I studied Art, Photography and Life Drawing and plan to continue my art studies later this year. Obviously I’m a huge book lover, reader, sniffer and hoarder but beside my love for books I also have a huge love for gaming, preferably PC at the moment, so I’m constantly having to choose between the two and often feel guilty because 6 hours in Skyrim can feel like 30 minutes ahah. Oh and obviously television series and films are things I love too – the list is endless of them that I’ve watched, need to watch, need to watch again …much like my book lists! I have two yellow bellied turtles – Squirtle and Kenpachi – and two west highland terriers – Monty and Max.

Squirtle and Kenpachi

Max and Monty

Tell us about your blog.

Well my blog originally started out on tumblr where I searched the web for pretty pictures of Books and Tea (hence the name) to share with the world and then slowly started incorporating my own content of challenges that I was taking part in on Goodreads and reviews. I soon realised I really enjoyed this but wanted to be able to have a much neater way to share my content and moved to Blogspot where the url Books and Tea was taken, so Northern  Plunder was born. It took me while to figure out I wanted it to be 99% book related but I got there in the end. I love that I made this move because I feel a lot more connected with the book blogosphere and you’re all so lovely, it's great meeting new people and sharing our opinions.

Have you ever lived anywhere else in the world?
I haven’t, but I am a quarter Welsh and when I was younger I’d go on holiday there at least once a year so it felt like a second home.

Wales

What countries have you visited? What countries would you like to visit?
I’ve actually done a LOT of travelling so to list them all would take a while, a few I have visited are – Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Bahrain, US (Miami, Florida, and a few other places), Gran Canaria, Paris, Spain and last year the boyfriend took me to Rome. Yes Rome, it was beautiful. I would love to visit Japan and Sweden, they seem like lovely places for a nice get away.

What English authors and books would you recommend?
Well obviously we have J.K. Rowling, George Orwell, C.S Lewis and so many others. I think if you haven’t heard of at least one of those then you’re living in a bigger hole than I am (I only found out who Adele was a week ago, apparently she’s a big deal?!)

How many languages do you speak?
Just the one, I took French at Nursery, Primary and Secondary but not a lot has stuck for some reason? Which upsets me a little. I know the very basics.

What are your favourite and least favourite things about England?
The favourite things about my country are that most of the time I am guaranteed nice weather – and by nice I mean nothing hot, just cool and possibly raining – if you so much as put me in the sun for 5 minutes I boil and melt and pass out. It's not fun. Also there's quite a few second hand bookshops if you know where to look. The least favourite things about my country are probably some of the rougher areas, they have a bad reputation and if I’m ever passing through I do feel scared, I’m a little paranoid.

Every country has its clichés. What cliché about England do you consider disproportionate?
I think there are a lot of clichés that are disproportionate here and even though I want to talk about the chav (or hoody scene) I’m feeling more drawn to teenagers in general. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything nice mentioned about us in the press and often gives a bad reputation, it's horrible what you read sometimes.

Thank you Lauren! It was a pleasure having you on the hill!

Say hello to Lauren:

Blog • Tumblr • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

If you would like to be featured like Lauren, this post is for you!

French Friday (46)

Bonjour lovely readers!

Oh my, june already... Time sure flies!

Happy-first-day-of-june to you all!

Before I start with this week's French Friday, here's a little reminder : 

I'm looking for French Fridays guest posts!

Ok, that's done. Let's move on to some French covers!

(see why I need guest posts : I have the FC (French Covers) syndrom!

I need to post about OTHER things!

Now, do you remember Laure? She was featured right here in 2012  for a round of three French Fridays interviews. Laure is the person thanks to whom I got to become a professional reader. She's the one who recommended me to her (and now my) boss 5 years ago. Yeah, that's how cool she is. So, Laure is a performer, like me, but also a reader, a translator and occasional interpreter. Amongst other things. Laure and I seem to have a lot of common interests, one being that we like to do A LOT of things!  Anyway, her interviews showed a little bit how it works behind the scenes.

Now, guess what came out three months ago? The French version of Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins!

Aaand, guess what comes out today? Its sequel, yes sir! 

Aaaaaaaand, guess who translated them? None other than Laure herself! How coooool is that?!

So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the French covers of Gregor!

Aren't they cool?! I really like them!

And here are the US covers, just to compare, because it's fun!

What do you think?!

Have a lovely friday guys!