The Time of my Life by Cecelia Ahern

The Time of my Life
Cecelia Ahern

Front cover

Lucy Silchester has an appointment with her life. Ever since she was dumped 3 years ago, her life has been slowly going downhill. So it's up to Life (Cosmo) to make her happy again. With the mess she's made, is it possible?


Oh, I loved The Time of my Life! The story had me captivated from the word Go! I didn't much like Lucy at first, but you learn to like her. I think the probably the main reason I loved it so much is because I can relate. Full time job (with a commute of up to 1.5 hours each way), trying to have a social life and all the while feeling exhausted. It can feel like life if slipping away from you and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

There's a few little details which I liked. The appearance of Life changes throughout the story. It's directly linked to Lucy and how well she's doing. One time Life came out in a rash. Ew! The better Lucy feels, the better Life looks.

I wish there was more. I'd have liked it to be a series of Life stories. I would definitely read them!


You have to read this for yourself! I debated so much over the final rating for this one!

Cecelia Ahern

Overall rating

Thanks,
The Wee Librocubicularist

The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30) by Terry Pratchett

The Wee Free Men
Discworld #30
Terry Pratchett

Front cover

Tiffany Aching lives on a farm where she tends to the animals and makes really good cheese. Her little brother is stolen by the Queen of Fairyland, but this isn't the Fairyland everyone imagines. With the help of the Nac Mac Feegle, her trusty frying pan and her Granny's magic book (Diseases of the Sheep) she sets off to get her sticky brother back. Can she defeat the Queen?


This is a very imaginative installment in the Discworld series. There's so much going on everywhere, and it's brilliant. I especially liked the dreamland states. Pratchett certainly doesn't hold anything back, and it shows in writing like this. I know this is 'for Younger Readers' but it's a refreshing change and chapters are still a novelty!

I loved the Nac Mac Feegle's! Little blue skinned, red haired pictsies (not pixies, oh no) who are absolutely fearless, ready to take on the world! I certainly hope to see more of them. And Tiffany, but I think that's a given.

Definitely worth a read, go on!




Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away (Angelique de Xavia #1) by Christopher Brookmyre

A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away
Angelique de Xavia #1
Christopher Brookmyre 

Front cover

For Raymond Ash, everything is normal; mortgage, job, wife, a kid. Until one day he spots a familiar face at the airport. But that someone's meant to be dead. The next day he gets shot at. Then he gets kidnapped. What is going on?
Together with de Xavia, they try to stop the Black Spirit from blowing up a dam and killing thousands of people.


It was quite a hard book to get into as it's a bit jumpy at the start, but it's worth sticking with it until the end. Once you get into the main story it's very hard to put down! There's so much you just can't wait to find out!

I'm very much looking forward to the next two in the series, and I'm hoping to see more of de Xavia - she's badass!




Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Wise Woman by Philippa Gregory

The Wise Woman
Philippa Gregory

Alys, an escaped nun, is summoned to the castle to be the old Lord Hugh's clerk. The young Lord Hugo wants her, but she is determined to remain faithful, even resorting to 'witchcraft'. Over time her views change. Enthralled by Hugo, the two become lovers, despite his wife Lady Catherine. She becomes pregnant and thinks her position in the castle is safe. Is it?


I have mixed feelings about The Wise Woman. I didn't really like Alys. She thinks she's above everyone else, and that the castle can't do without her, whereas in reality they're just using her, but she's ignorant of this fact, living in her own little ideal world.

I also wasn't sure of the ending. I really wanted to find out what would happen to her baby; if it would have the same fate as Lady Catherine's. It was about the only thing keeping me going at the end, and I didn't get to find out!


Despite those annoyances, I thought the general story was okay. I like stories set in the past, and the way the people live there. It's always interesting to get a glimpse of what life might have been like.




Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Night Watch (Discworld #29) by Terry Pratchett

Night Watch
Discworld #29
Terry Pratchett

Front cover

Vimes is taken back in time to when he was just starting out in the Night Watch, but takes on the persona of John Keel and effectively trains himself! The aim in to stop a criminal named Carcer who has joined the Unmentionables. Will be succeed and get back to his own time?


As much as I like Vimes and the Watch stories, I wasn't so keen on this one. I'm not really sure why, I just couldn't get into it as much as the others. That's not to say I wouldn't read it again though. There is no bad Discworld novel. Not that I've come across anyway!


I'm a bit behind with my blogs; I read this novel mid October. I'm hoping to catch up over the festive season and hopefully I'll be all caught up by the new year! :)

Terry Pratchett

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

David Copperfield
Charles Dickens


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Front cover

This is the story of David Copperfield as he progresses through life, from a small boy to an adult. We meet many lovable characters such as the Peggoty's, aunt Betsy, Dora, Agnes, and the Micawber's. We also meet some not-so-lovable characters, namely the Murdstones and the notorious Uriah Heep. 

I don't think much has to be said about the plot. You follow a young man on his journey into adulthood, experiencing the ups and downs of life.

This is a very big book! Not ideal for a light summer read, or a book to read in one day. It is worth reading, however. There are lots of things happening to keep you on your toes, but it can still be tiresome at points.

One of my favourite things is that even though there are quite a lot of characters, they return throughout the story, so none are really forgotten. I find that in large books with many characters some are left behind and never mentioned again. Not here though.

***SPOILER ALERT***

One part I did get kind of confused at was Dora's death. When did this happen? How did it happen? It felt like I was just reading and suddenly she was dead. I reread the previous few pages several times looking for an answer, but I was not enlightened. I guess it will just remain a mystery until I read it again. Or look it up.

On the whole, I really enjoyed David Copperfield. Despite the lulls, which is understandable in a book this size, I found it engaging and interesting. Worth a read.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns
John Green


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Front cover

Everything seems normal, until Margo comes to Quentin's room late one night, asking for his assistance on a night she has planned. But when Margo doesn't turn up at school the next day, Q gets worried. He tries to figure out a set of clues to find her whereabouts, and with his friends he goes on quite a road trip. But will they find her? Is she even alive?


One of my friends got this book, and after reading The Fault In Our Stars I had to read it. But I've got to say, I was a little disappointed. I was expecting a heart wrenching emotional rollercoaster, but that's not what I got. Instead I got a story about a teenager obsessed with his next door neighbour who he doesn't really know, and he drops everything to go travelling the country to find her, when she doesn't want to be found.

That's not to say it's not a good story though. The characters are believable and some are really quite funny. I liked seeing what clues they would find and where that would lead them. Some strange places, I will admit!


It is a good story on its own, but if you're looking for something akin to The Fault In Our Stars, you won't find it here.




Overall rating

Thanks,
The Wee Librocubicularist