fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend" on Lists of Bests

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Added 'What's Happening to our Girls?' by Maggie Hamilton — 7 weeks ago

What’s Happening to our Girls? is an interesting and informed study of today’s girls and the lives they lead, and it is essential reading for any parent. The facts in this book are very scary. As a mother, I knew before reading this book that my daughters are growing up in a world far different from the one I grew up in. I knew that they are being marketed to. I knew girls are sexually active earlier. I knew that bullying is worse and the forms of bullying changing. I did not know just how bad it has become, or just how ill-informed many girls are as to the hazards of indiscriminate sex and drug-taking. That this is the case is a sad indictment of our society.

We all need to stand up and say NO MORE!!! It is time we put our foot down. Refuse to spend your money on inappropriate items, and write to the manufacturers, expressing your displeasure. Companies are only able to market sex at our girls because we allow them to. Remember, the power is in the hand of the consumer – there have been many products withdrawn due to consumer pressure. Additionally, we should overcome our embarrassment and ensure our girls are informed. Teach them to recognise when they are being marketed to. Give them the confidence and support they need to withstand peer pressure and bullying. Allow them to use you as an excuse if they need to. Find someone closer to their own age group to talk to them about drugs and sex – oral sex is not a safe option, as many girls seem to think.

Ensure your daughters have other trusted adults in their lives. We all need someone other than our parents to talk to! Make sure that your daughter knows the difference between intimacy and sexuality. Teach her that a relationship where she suppresses her own sexuality to please her partner is not a healthy one. Be willing to discuss what she wants when she needs to. There can be no taboo subjects if you want to keep your daughter safe. Teach your sons to respect girls, and that they have needs within a relationship as well as boys. Above all, be there there for your children.

Growing up has changed dramatically. The way we parent must evolve to meet the challenge if our girls are to survive.

Sep 27, 10:40PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Twilight' by Stephanie Meyer — 8 weeks ago

I knew this book was really popular amongst teens, but I saw a lot of forum discussions bagging it, so I didn’t really have high expectations. Boy, was I surprised! I read this book in one day. I stayed awake until four in the morning because I could not put it down. And now I am desperate to get my hands on New Moon! Falling in love with a vampire – someone who could turn on you at any minute, and who’s friends view you as food – adds new meaning to the phrase ‘love knows no bounds’. Regardless, this isn’t just a love story, but has it’s share of thrills as well. I loved this book, and very highly recommend it!

Sep 20, 05:32PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Balsamic Dreams' by Joe Queenan — 9 weeks ago

Whether you agree with Queenan’s observations or not (and most non Baby Boomers would), this book is an absolutely hilarious read. Wall Street Journal describes Balsamic Dreams as ‘Clever and rarely wrong’. I would have to agree with this statement. Despite Joe Queenan’s Baby Boomer status, or perhaps because of it, Balsamic Dreams chronicles just about every aspect of the Baby Boomer generation that drives the rest of us insane – and he does it with a wit and style that will keep you laughing from beginning to end. An essential read for anyone who has ever rolled their eyes and sighed ‘Baby Boomers’.

Sep 18, 07:33PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Henson Case' by David Marr — 10 weeks ago

No-one living in Australia could have possibly escaped the controversy surrounding Bill Henson’s photography of nude teens. It seemed like no-one was left on the fence. Everyone had an opinion, heavily coloured by media coverage of events. Even the Prime Minister had his say. But do any of us really know the full story?

In The Henson Case journalist David Marr chronicles events from beginning to end, bringing to light many facts that were missed in the media feeding frenzy. Throughout the whole sorry mess, I argued to anyone that would listen that nudity does not equal pornography. In my opinion, this book vindicates my position.

So, what is your view? Is Henson’s work art or porn? Is Henson artist or pedophile? Don’t base your opinion on sensationalist reporting. Read the facts, then decide.

Sep 11, 01:00AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams — 10 weeks ago

The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an absolutely hilarious science fiction spoof in which the Earth is a giant computer built by sentient mice in order to figure out the meaning of the universe, only to be destroyed seconds before it fulfills it’s purpose; Vogons epitomise the very essence of Public Service mentality; and intergalactic hitch-hikers travel the universe with the help of the best-selling Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This book is easy to read, often odd and , above all, funny. I highly recommend this and I will be on the lookout for the rest of the books in the series.

Sep 06, 03:12AM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Bite' by Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight & Vickie Taylor — 12 weeks ago

I have finished reading [Bite]. Those who like vampire fiction will love this book. Bite is an anthology of short stories from some of the genres best authors. The included stories are:
The Girl Who Was Infatuated With Death by Laurell K. Hamilton This is the story of a Vampire Hunter hired to find a seventeen year old girl, before her vampire boyfriend is able to give her that fatal third bite.
One Word Answer by Charlaine Harris A small-town woman is given the opportunity to decide the fate of her vampire cousin’s murderer.
Biting in Plain Sight by MaryJanice Davidson This is my pick for second place. A vampire lives peacefully as a small-town vet, until a rogue vampire begins luring young girls into killing themselves. It is up to her to put a stop to it, with the help of a reluctant vampire Queen.
Galahad by Angela Knight My favourite story in this collection. Welcome to a whole new mythology where Arthur and his knights are actually vampires, created by Merlin (an inter-stellar traveller) to keep order in the world.
Blood Lust by Vickie Taylor This is my pick for third place. Join a scientist in his quest to become a vampire in order to wreak his revenge on the vampire thief of his formula for synthetic blood.
I am still relatively new to vampire fiction, so most of these author’s are new to me. I thoroughly enjoyed these stories, however, and I will most certainly be delving deeper into this genre.

Aug 24, 08:18PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'How to be Comfy' by Shannon Lush & Jennifer Fleming — 13 weeks ago

I moved out of home when I was very young and knew very little about housekeeping. Therefore, I find books about how to clean and decorate incredibly helpful. How to be Comfy is the best book I’ve read so far in this genre (I haven’t read Spotless or Speedcleaning yet, but I sure will be now!). It is packed full of helpful tips about how to make your home a place you you want to spend time rather than just the place you sleep and eat.

In addition to the main text, there are hint and tip boxes which are very helpful, and some interesting little peeks into cleaning in days gone by. I found the tips on how to iron interesting and the entire section on choosing and storing food was incredibly helpful – up to now I’d just been guessing (wrongly in some cases).

This book is a must-have in any home and I will be obtaining it for my personal collection.

Aug 19, 05:47PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy' by Emile Grillot de Givry — 13 weeks ago

Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy is a very interesting delve into the history of, and attitudes towards, the occult. The chapters dealing with magic and alchemy were interesting, but some parts were a little on the technical side, making them difficult to understand. The chapters dealing with sorcery were my favourites. They were intensely readable, written in simple layman’s terms, without being dumbed down, and the content made fascinating reading. While much of this book is written from a Christian perspective, it is not so heavy-handed as to make it hard to ignore. I found this book extremely informative and insightful.

However, even if you have no interest in the subject matter, Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy is worth perusing just for the wonderful selection of illustrations included. There are over 300, many of the gorgeously intricate plates and artwork, most of them difficult, if not impossible for the average person to access. My only lament is that they are reproduced in black and white – I would have loved to view these beautiful pieces in colour!

This book is a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in the occult, alchemy, history or art.

Aug 18, 11:03PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'Replay' by Ken Grimwood — 19 weeks ago

We have all thought about what we would do differently if we had our life to live over again, but have we really thought through the implications? We think about what we could gain but have we truly thought about what we could lose? And what if we had to live our life over, and over, and over? Could we handle it? Replay is a brilliant book about time wasted and time gained and how we manage what very little time we have. The style is fresh and easy to read and the characters inspire empathy. I found this book hard to put down. Even those who are not fans of the fantasy genre ought to enjoy this book.

Jul 06, 06:51PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

fairywhispers
Rockhampton

Added 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova — 19 weeks ago

I loved this book and found it almost impossible to put down. The tale is told in an elegant, graceful style that brings to mind some of the great nineteenth century classics, and the characters are very real and believable. The Historian is set against the background of contemporary communist politics, yet it is filled with the rich details of Eastern European history. I love how we are invited to share the exciting, frustrating, and sometimes mundane life of historians – trying to piece together clues, some incomplete, others so tiny as to be almost missed, and come up with a plausible theory of how things once were. Despite this plodding journey, there is not a page of this book that is dull. Rather it is filled with a lingering feeling of menace, as though something sinister is peering over our shoulder this very minute.

The Dracula legend is old, tired, jaded. Many modern authors have tried to freshen it up by remaking the genre – portraying vampires as mis-understood creatures. Kostova returns to the image of vampires as evil, damned, terrifyingly seductive, yet she has done so in such a way that we are reminded of the bone-chilling fear these creatures can inspire.

I find it hard to believe that this is Kostova’s first novel. With a talent this large, we can expect great things from her in future. My only fault with this book is that, after our slow piecing together of the facts, the ending seems a little fast and squashed together. No doubt this will improve as she gains experience.

All in all, I feel The Historian, like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, will live on as a classic of the vampire genre.

Jul 04, 09:52PM | 0 comments | Reply to this

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fairywhispers's "Books I Recommend"

Comments

Added 'What's Happening to our Girls?' by Maggie Hamilton — 7 weeks ago

Added 'Twilight' by Stephanie Meyer — 8 weeks ago

Added 'Balsamic Dreams' by Joe Queenan — 9 weeks ago

Added 'The Henson Case' by David Marr — 10 weeks ago

Added 'The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams — 10 weeks ago

Added 'Bite' by Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight & Vickie Taylor — 12 weeks ago

Added 'How to be Comfy' by Shannon Lush & Jennifer Fleming — 13 weeks ago

Added 'Illustrated Anthology of Sorcery, Magic and Alchemy' by Emile Grillot de Givry — 13 weeks ago

Added 'Replay' by Ken Grimwood — 19 weeks ago

Added 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova — 19 weeks ago

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