My Bookshelf, Part 2

The original plan for this weekend was for the lovely boyfriend and I to go on an IKEA adventure to buy new bookcases. However, the weather yesterday was truly crap and the general logistics of carrying two bookcases across London escaped us, so we decided to make use of modern technology and simply order the furniture online and have it delivered to us. No pain, but much gain.

The Kindness of the Weasleys

Looks like Corrie and I are neck-and-neck in our review of Chamber of Secrets, but I am sure that we will pick up on different things and discuss different topics - which is what makes this whole challenge so great!

Ottery St Catchpole

This whole chapter, "The Whomping Willow" is one of the main reasons I really don't like this book - the Ford Anglia is something that just really gets my goat, for some reason. I can't explain it, nor am I going to try to! We forge onwards, and that post will come tomorrow now as I got rather carried away on my exploration of the Burrow and the charming little village it is located in.

Gilderoy Lockhart and some handy foreshadowing

Does anybody else find Gilderoy Lockhart incredibly annoying? I know he is meant to be, but oh my goodness gracious me, what a pain in the ass that man is. Anyway, let's take a trip to Knockturn Alley.

My dream home - The Burrow

I'm travelling between London and my parents home in Devon a lot and oh my gosh this nomadic lifestyle is exhausting! I have had draft posts on here for a month, but Lucia has made me feel ashamed that she's putting so much effort and I've been rubbish, so here I am again! Let's see how long my resolution lasts this time.

I'd just like to agree with Lucia in saying that CoS is not my favourite book. We met up for a coffee last night to chat about it, and I think we agreed that we both found Dobby very annoying, and it was irritating that there's SO MUCH recap in the book, which makes reading them back-to-back a bit tough.

My Bookshelf, Part 1

It is a testament, I think, to how little I care for Chamber of Secrets that I can't go two consecutive days writing about it. Reading back over my previous blog post, I think my frustration with the book is pretty clear.

For that reason, and in keeping with my promise of writing about books, I have opted to start a multi-part segment about the contents of my bookshelf.

The Cruelty of the Dursleys

Right, enough about audiobooks, it's time to go back to the original challenge - reviewing the Harry Potter series.

And so, without further ado, let's see what J.K. Rowling had to say about Harry's summer holiday.

I have subscribed to Audible

So far, it's been an unbelievably lazy day for me. I was up until 3am writing my blog post about Jane Eyre (which came in at a whopping 1265 words!), in an attempt to stay on track with the challenge and not fall behind as soon as I start.

A late night turned into a late morning and I didn't make it into the office until very late (like, so late I won't even tell you the time). Since then I have been sending emails, sorting out some home things and thinking hard and long about my newest hobby - audiobooks.

Audiobook Adventures, Part 1

A very good friend of mine swears by audiobooks and has been recommending them to me for years. 

While I am no stranger to the idea of audiobooks, the only ones I have listened to and enjoyed have, unsurprisingly, been the Harry Potter books as narrated by Stephen Fry. Having thoroughly enjoyed reading A Short History of Nearly Everything and At Home I have, in the past, tried listening to Bill Bryson's Made in America but gave up after only half an hour as I wasn't enjoying the subject matter. After finishing A Game of Thrones, and because I like the HBO adaptation, I also tried listening to A Clash of Kings but found the narrator's voice highly annoying and so stopped that as well after only a few chapters.

But, following a late-night conversation over an excellent (if I do say so myself) glass of vodka martini during which I was yet again urged to subscribe to Audible, I acquiesced and downloaded a book I have been wanting to read for a while.

Weekly Roundup

To be honest, I'm not sure which week we're on in the challenge but one thing is for sure - the blog has been quiet of late. Turns out maintaining a blog is not as easy as I thought it would be - I honestly don't know how Corrie manages it!

In any case, the challenge continues and in an effort to get the blog back on track, I have devised a plan - as ambitious as ever.