July Wrap Up…

Welcome to my July Wrap Up. I had an okay reading month, finishing 5 books (5 books off my TBR).

I have reviews up or coming up for these books so as usual this is just going to be a brief run down on each book I read.

Without further ado, let’s get into my July Wrap Up:

When You Are Mine by Michael Robotham: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am not usually one for crime thrillers but this book had such fantastic characters and a great story that hooked my from the first page. I really liked Michael Robotham’s writing; it was fast paced and full of emotion, which worked well for this story. I am glad that I decided to pic this book up and I am looking forward to reading more of Michael Robotham’s work in the future.

The Fountains Of Silence by Ruta Sepetys: This book was really interesting. I have never read a book set after the Spanish Civil War and I went into this book with very little knowledge of this time period. Ruta Sepetys is the master of both Historical Fiction and creating amazing characters. The characters she created for this book radiated emotion which added an extra layer to this heartbreaking story.

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris: This book was fantastic. The story was thought-provoking, the characters were flawed and human, and the writing was both lyrical and emotional. I cant remember the last time a book made me feel the way this one did. This is easily one of the best novels I have read this year. I am so excited to see what Nathan Harris comes up with next.

Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn: This book was fantastic. I was afraid that this book was going to be difficult to read, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was well written, well researched, easy to read, and thoroughly eye-opening. I am so glad that I picked this book up. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this wonderful book. This book is a must read for everyone.

Season Of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski: This book has been on my TBR for so long and now that I have finally read it I’m angry that I didn’t pick it up sooner. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was great, the writing was amazing, and I loved getting to journey with Geralt again. I how have to get myself the rest of the series and read the remaining books as soon as I get them.

That’s it for my July Wrap Up. I hope you all had a great reading month. Let me know what you guys read this month in the comments section.

Until my August Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox

‘In September 1998, Michael J. Fox stunned the world by announcing he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — a degenerative neurological condition. In fact, he had been secretly fighting it for seven years. The worldwide response was staggering. Fortunately, he had accepted the diagnosis, and by the time the public started grieving for him, he had stopped grieving for himself. Now, with the same passion, humor, and energy, that Fox has invested in his dozens of performances over the last 18 years, he tells the story of his life, his career, and his campaign, to find a cure for Parkinson’s.

Combining his trademark ironic sensibility, and keen sense of the absurd, he recounts his life — from his childhood in a small town in western Canada, to his meteoric rise in film and television which made him a worldwide celebrity. Most importantly however, he writes of the last 10 years, during which — with the unswerving support of his wife, family, and friends — he has dealt with his illness. He talks about what Parkinson’s has given him: the chance to appreciate a wonderful life and career, and the opportunity to help search for a cure, and spread public awareness of the disease. He is a very lucky man, indeed.’

This book is wonderful.

I will straight out say that I don’t have a bad word about this book. It was equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. Very few books make me both laugh and cried, but this one did.

One of the things I didn’t expect to get while reading this book was a sense of strength and purpose. The way Michael J. Fox handles himself and his disease is utterly inspirational. While there are times when this book is overwhelming and hard to read, the overall feeling of this book is one of hope.

Michael J. Fox has done a fantastic job with this book. It was raw, honest, funny, and utterly human. I feel like I was there through all the ups and downs and I feel like Michael J. Fox really added a human element to Parkinson’s disease.

Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox is an inspirational and emotional book that everyone should read at least once in their life.

’90s Cartoon Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the ’90s Cartoon Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

RUGRATS

FIND A BOOK THAT IS A NOSTALGIC READ.

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner

DOUG

FIND A BOOK ABOUT GROWING UP.

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

JOHNNY BRAVO

FIND A BOOK WHOSE MAIN CHARACTER YOU DON’T LIKE.

Cape May by Chip Cheek

SOUTH PARK

FIND A BOOK WITH QUESTIONABLE HUMOR.

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell

POWERPUFF GIRLS

FIND A BOOK WITH A KICK-BUTT FEMALE LEAD.

A Tale Of Witchcraft series by Chris Colfer

ROCKET POWER

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT-CENTERED BOOK SCENE?

The Storm Within by Cameron Smith. The entire book!

FUTURAMA

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCI-FI BOOK?

The Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn

”We are taught that medicine is the art of solving our body’s mysteries. And as a science, we expect medicine to uphold the principles of evidence and impartiality. We want our doctors to listen to us and care for us as people, but we also need their assessments of our pain and fevers, aches and exhaustion to be free of any prejudice about who we are, our gender, or the colour of our skin. But medicine carries the burden of its own troubling history. The history of medicine, of illness, is a history of people, of their bodies and their lives, not just physicians, surgeons, clinicians and researchers. And medical progress has always reflected the realities of a changing world, and the meanings of being human.’

In Unwell Women Elinor Cleghorn unpacks the roots of the perpetual misunderstanding, mystification and misdiagnosis of women’s bodies, and traces the journey from the ‘wandering womb’ of ancient Greece, the rise of witch trials in Medieval Europe, through the dawn of Hysteria, to modern day understandings of autoimmune diseases, the menopause and conditions like endometriosis. Packed with character studies of women who have suffered, challenged and rewritten medical orthodoxy – and drawing on her own experience of un-diagnosed Lupus disease – this is a ground-breaking and timely expose of the medical world and woman’s place within it.’

This book was amazing.

I will freely admit that I had some doubts going into this book. I was afraid that it was going to be too scientific and historic; in other words… boring. I was very pleased to find that not only was this book far from boring, but it was also easy to read.

I was captivated by this book from the first page, and I felt compelled to keep on reading. I went through a roller coaster of reactions while reading this book and finished it feeling passionate to learn more.

I found myself initially laughing at some of the ridiculous beliefs about women from history before I realized that these beliefs were damaging and their legacy is still being felt today.

Elinor Cleghorn has done a fabulous job with this fantastic book. It was well researched, enlightening, and utterly current. The history of Unwell Women is something that every woman should be aware of and unfortunately, I don’t think they are. Until reading this book I was woefully ignorant about the way women were treated just for being women.

This is one of those books that genuinely makes you think and then stays without long after you have finished reading it. Hopefully, this book finds its way into the hands of women around the world.

Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn is a must-read for all women.

Uni Update 18!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

I am very happy to say that I am still loving Uni. I have already completed and passed my first Assessment; so I am very pleased with myself. I am also half way through my second Assessment and I have started on my third.

I am enjoyed the course work each week; as well as the weekly exercises and discussions. I have also really been enjoying chatting to other students and reading their work. That is something that has been a highlight for me this Trimester; reading other students works and receiving feedback on my work.

The way this unit has been laid out and the way everyone seems to be getting involved and really encouraging each other is something that I haven’t really seen before.

I am excited to see what the next month brings and I am looking forward to getting stuck into my next two Assessments.

Well that is all from me today. Hopefully I will have another good month that I will be able to tell you about in my next Uni Update.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

The Time Of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi Swayze

‘In a career spanning more than thirty years, Patrick Swayze has made a name for himself on the stage, the screen, and television. Known for his versatility, passion and fearlessness, he’s become one of our most beloved actors.

But in February 2008, Patrick announced he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Always a fighter, he refused to let the disease bring him to his knees, and his bravery has inspired both his legion of fans and cancer patients everywhere. Yet this memoir, written with wisdom and heart, recounts much more than his bout with cancer. In vivid detail, Patrick describes his Texas upbringing, his personal struggles, his rise to fame with North and South, his commercial breakthroughs in Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and the soul mate who’s stood by his side through it all: his wife, writer and director Lisa Niemi.

A behind-the-scenes look at a Hollywood life and a remarkable love, this memoir is both entertainment and inspiration. Patrick and Lisa’s marriage is a journey of two lives intertwined and lived as one–throughout their years in Hollywood and at home on their working ranch outside Los Angeles, and culminating in the hope and wisdom they’ve imparted to all who know them. This book will open the door for families, individuals, and husbands and wives to grow, bond and discover entirely new levels of love and sharing, proving that life shouldn’t be lived as a series of endings, but rather as the beginning of greater strength and love.’

This book was amazing.

I am a massive Patrick Swayze fan so I had high hopes for this book. Thankfully it not only lived up to my high hopes and well and truly surpassed them. It was everything I wanted it to be and so much more.

This is one of those rare books that made me feel every emotion; sometimes all at once. I laughed and I cried, I smiled and I cringed, and when it was over I was devastated to have come to the end.

I loved that this book not only showed the life, love, and loss that Patrick and Lisa were facing, but that it also showed what and how they viewed things and were dealing with things both as a couple and as individuals. Getting to hear from both Patrick and Lisa made for a truly enlightening and emotional reading experience.

Since you know where this book is going to end it is equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, yet there isn’t a page in this book that doesn’t radiate love.

Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi Swayze did a fantastic job with this book. It was filled with amazing stories, funny anecdotes, and a whole lot of love. In saying that, I really appreciated that they didn’t shy away from talking about the hard things; the fights and challenges of their marriage, as well as the hardship that Patrick’s illness has been.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book.

The Time Of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi Swayze is a beautiful yet heartbreaking journey that will stay with you long after the final page.

Addams Family Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Addams Family Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

MORTICIA ADDAMS, THE MOTHER AND A WITCH: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WITCH BOOK?

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and A Tale Of Witchcraft series by Chris Colfer

GOMEZ ADDAMS IS A LOVING FATHER: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FICTIONAL DAD?

Arthur Weasley – The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and Dante Vernon – The Magic Misfits series by Neil Patrick Harris

UNCLE FESTER ADDAMS CAN GENERATE ELECTRICITY: WHAT BOOKS MAKES YOU LIGHT UP SO MUCH THAT YOU CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT?

Tippy and Jellybean: the True Story of a Brave Koala Who Saved Her Baby From a Bushfire by Sophie Cunningham and Anil Tortop

WEDNESDAY ADDAMS IS OBSESSED WITH DEATH: IF YOU COULD HAVE KILLED OFF A CHARACTER IN ANY BOOK WHO WOULD IT HAVE BEEN?

Dolores Umbridge from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

PUGSLEY ADDAMS HAS A VICIOUS NATURE AND PLAYS NASTY PRANKS ON EVERYONE: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE VILLAIN?

Legend – The Caraval series by Stephanie Garber

LURCH IS BASED ON FRANKENSTEIN AND A ZOMBIE: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ADAPTATION OF A STORY?

2019 Doctor Sleep film adapted from Stephen King’s novel.

GRANDMAMA IS AN OLD CLASSIC WITCH: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OLD CLASSIC HORROR BOOK?

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading…  ~>GEM<~

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

In the dying days of the American Civil War, newly freed brothers Landry and Prentiss find themselves cast into the world without a penny to their names. Forced to hide out in the woods near their former Georgia plantation, they’re soon discovered by the land’s owner, George Walker, a man still reeling from the loss of his son in the war.

When the brothers begin to live and work on George’s farm, the tentative bonds of trust and union begin to blossom between the strangers. But this sanctuary survives on a knife’s edge, and it isn’t long before the inhabitants of the nearby town of Old Ox react with fury at the alliances being formed only a few miles away . . .

This book was magnificent.

After reading this extraordinary novel I was completely blown away to find out that it was by a debut author. Nathan Harris has done a fantastic job with this powerful and complex story. The lyrical quality of his writing captures the attention of the reader from the very first page and compels them to continue reading.

With such an emotional subject matter the was Nathan Harris was able to capture the best and worst of humanity and the power of hope makes for an equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking reading experience.

The wide range of characters in this book are both flawed and imperfect; making them entirely human. Seeing the different behaviours on display in this story is both jarring and thought-provoking.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I can’t remember the last time a debut author has created something that made me feel both overwhelmed and numb, happy and sad, and completely and utterly emotionally exhausted. It is novels like these that make me glad I’m a reader.

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris is a gripping novel that will stay with you long after the final page.

Tired – A Short Story

Welcome to another Sunday Session. I recently wrote a short story as part of a University Assessment and since I actually liked it, I decided to share it with you today.

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She rubs her sore tired eyes as the clock passes 1 a.m. Was she crazy for thinking she could study online while running her blog? The only time the house is quiet enough for her to get anything done is when the five other occupants are fast asleep.

She removes her hands from her now red eyes and looks down at her to-do list. She still has at least half an hour of her university work to go, a hundred pages of her current book to finish, emails to send, and a review to write before she can even think about heading to bed.

She stretches her arms above her head and cracks her back as she takes a drink of water and settles in for what is going to be yet another late night. Maybe tomorrow she will be able to get everything done and fall into bed at a more reasonable hour.

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That’s it from me today. I hope you enjoyed my little story. I will catch you all next week for another Sunday Session.

Happy Reading

~>GEM<~

After Bali by Jason McCartney

‘Autobiographical account of Australian Rules footballer and survivor of the 2002 terrorist attack on Bali, Jason McCartney, and those of thousands touched by the Bali bombing in October 2002 – their lives changed forever. Describes events leading up to the Bali bombing, the bombing itself, the period of recovery, and the impact of tragedy and triumph. McCartney was thrust into the hearts and minds of Australians through his courageous fightback from burns to 50 percent of his body. Including comments from family, friends, associates, teammates, and colleagues, as well as colour photos, and a foreword by Denis Pagan. McCartney is a two-time winner of the Kangaroo’s Best Clubman Award. Collins is a writer for Geoff Slattery Publishing, producers of the ‘AFL Record’.’

This book is extraordinary.

This is one of those rare books that has stayed with me since the moment I read it. It has also called to me over the years; as such I have now read it many times. One of my favourite aspects of this book is that it shows both the best and worst of Humanity.

The moment I picked this book up I knew it was going to be an emotional roller coaster of a read, and I wasn’t wrong. The thing that gets me every time I read this book is that it is an Autobiography. These aren’t just made-up people living in a made-up world. How anyone can go through what Jason McCartney went through and come out the other side blows my mind.

The Bali Bombing is an event that virtually every Australian that was alive at the time remembers, so reading about it and seeing it through the eyes of someone who was there is a truly haunting experience. I have read this book more than a few times and each and every time I am heartbroken by the bombing and Jason’s fight, yet I am also always inspired by his survival and recovery.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. It holds a special place in my heart and is easily one of the greatest books I have very read.

After Bali by Jason McCartney is a must-read for everyone.