Happy 35th & 50th Birthday to Harry Potter & JK Rowling

I doubt anyone needs to be told just how popular JK Rowling's Harry Potter Series is or the phenomenal following it has acquired over the years and that following seems to just grow and grow with no intention of ever stopping. I for one cannot imagine my world without them. Its appeal is far stretching. Its become such a phenomenon its sometimes hard to fathom that all this came from one persons imagination. And what a remarkable world she has created. JK Rowling is much more than a writer she is also an incredibly charitable person dedicating much of her time and money to helping others. Shes also known to shut down a few Trolls on Twitter from time to time which lets be honest makes us love her even more.

It is a known fact in my house that if I am feeling ill or particular glum Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone is my go to Book and Movie combination in order to lift my spirits. Much like a dementor attack requires chocolate, I require Harry Potter.

My daughter Ellen has begun her journey into the world of the books. She has always loved the Movies but now that she is feeling confident enough she has begun reading Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone for the first time. Ellen will be 11 in November and is planning a Hogwarts themed Birthday celebration. We have lots of plans and have lots of work to do in order to achieve this magical party our Pinterest Board is growing by the Day.

I joined Pottermore back in 2011 I was lucky enough to be part of the BETA and while I wouldn't spend an awful lot of time on the sight brewing potions and dueling (I'm not very good at either one) I do enjoy reading the extra content.

Ellen asked to join Pottermore a few weeks ago and as the site is very secure I decided she could. We finally got around to registering her today. When you sign up to Pottermore you go through all the usual formalities of registration as with any other site. On Pottermore you do not get to choose your name for security reasons and instead you pick from a list of 4 computer generated ones. You then get a list of things you will need for first year and off to Gringotts you go to collect your Galleons. Once you have withdrawn your loot you then head to Diagon Alley and Buy your books, cauldron, wand and animal. Your animal becomes your avatar as much like your username you cannot choose to put up a picture of yourself for security reasons.

Your wand is also special you are asked a variety of questions about yourself and based on that you are given a wand. Mines Hawthorn 11 inches with a phoenix core and is slightly yielding in-case you were wondering.

When all of this is done its off to The Great Hall to be sorted. You are greeted by a short video from JK Rowling about the im Sorting and then you answer a variety of questions and voila you are Sorted!!!!!!

My daughter was at first not impressed with the Sorting Hat as she was placed in HUFFLEPUFF.
Probably the most overlooked house at Hogwarts. It wasn't until we read further into her introduction that changed. Hufflepuffs are actually great.The just aren't boastful about it. Their dormitory and common room reminded me of a warm, comfortable and earthy Hobbit hole. Newt Scamander of the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie is of Hufflepuff house. JK Rowling also has alot of love for Hufflepuff check out this video.

Hufflepuffs are very friendly and fiercely protective of their territory much like the Badger on their crest. Hufflepuff House values hard work, loyalty, patience and fair play so really when you think about it they have all the most admirable qualities of each house.

A Crack In Everything by Ruth Frances Long

A Crack In Everything is a paranormal romance about a young girl named Isabel Gregory better known throughout the book as Izzy.  Izzy discovers that a secret world in which the Fae live co-exists with her own. She becomes tangled up with that world as events are set in motion when she chases a thief down an alleyway in Dublin and disastrous consequences ensue. 

This book ticks all the boxes for me. It has memorable and intriguing characters, it incorporates Irish folklore, has a strong female character despite the romantic elements and is cleverly written. Not to give anything away but it also has no real major cliff hanger at the end despite a sequel being in the works which is refreshing.

I always feel that the mark of a good book is when despite whatever category it has been put into it is still enjoyable to a much wider audience. I feel that this book is for young and old despite being categorized as YA.

I have spoken to and read reviews from a number of different people ranging from young adults to the mature readers and have not yet come across anything negative . The only issue seems to be that they wish they could start it all over again for the first time and having finished it yesterday I am inclined to agree with them. I look forward to the sequel and reading more of Izzy's adventures in the years to come. 

Its a big thumbs up from me.

A Crack In Everything By Ruth Frances Long is published by O'Brien Press Limited 

Ruth,s Website

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, Sorry I haven't been putting much out lately I got well and truly caught up in the madness of Birthdays and Christmas. I also manage a support group for people who suffer with anxiety disorders and depression and the festive season can be quiet hard for a lot of people but more so if you are struggling with mental illness.




My first book for review this year actually took me by surprise. I'm not one for self help/change your life by doing a), b) and c) books or biography's. The Art Of Asking is all those things and none of those things and so much more than any of those things.




The Art Of Asking is about Amanda's life but it is more focused on the message its trying to convey as apposed to cramming in every little detail about her life. Unlike a bio it has a point its not just a chronicle of events as such its more about her conveying a point by giving examples of what she means by using her own experience.




Its not telling you to do a),b) and c) in order to cure all your woes in life but it will make you think and maybe want to change certain aspects of your thinking on certain things.




Amanda Palmer is a well know musician probably most known for The Dresden Dolls, a punk/cabaret band. You do not have to be familiar with Amanda or her music to enjoy this book. I wasn't, I have heard of the Dresden Dolls and Amanda Palmer but I have never heard any of their music. Amanda is also famous for running the most successful music kickstarter in order to put an album out. It hit well over a million dollars at the time (2012) and its significant as it was the first time it was ever successfully done showing that musicians didn't necessarily require or need a label in order to put their work out there.




The book explores exactly what the title says, The Art Of Asking. Amanda questions why so many of us are afraid to ask for help or to accept help when it is offered. She uses her experiences as a living statue and a musician to explore this. One of the most interesting things she writes about in the book is a little known fact about Henry David Thoreau famous author of Walden. Walden details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond. The book compresses the time into a single calendar year and uses passages of four seasons to symbolize human development. The book is in part about self reliance. So when I read the following extract I was blown away.

"Thoreau wrote in painstaking detail about how he chose to remove himself from society to live “by his own means” in a little 10-foot x 15-foot hand-hewn cabin on the side of a pond. What he left out of Walden, though, was the fact that the land he built on was borrowed from his wealthy neighbour, that his pal Ralph Waldo Emerson had him over for dinner all the time, and that every Sunday, Thoreau’s mother and sister brought over a basket of freshly-baked goods for him, including donuts.

The idea of Thoreau gazing thoughtfully over the expanse of transcendental Walden Pond, a bluebird alighting onto his threadbare shoe, all the while eating donuts that his mom brought him just doesn’t jibe with most people’s picture of him of a self-reliant, noble, marrow-sucking back-to-the-woods folk-hero."

I can safely say that if Walden wrote that book now and this fact was to be revealed today he would be seen as a fraud and his work would lose all credibility. Palmer goes on to write and excuse the language ...

"Taking the donuts is hard for a lot of people.

It’s not the act of taking that’s so difficult, it’s more the fear of what other people are going to think when they see us slaving away at our manuscript about the pure transcendence of nature and the importance of self-reliance and simplicity. While munching on someone else’s donut.

Maybe it comes back to that same old issue: we just can’t see what we do as important enough to merit the help, the love.

Try to picture getting angry at Einstein devouring a donut brought to him by his assistant, while he sat slaving on the theory of relativity. Try to picture getting angry at Florence Nightingale for snacking on a donut while taking a break from tirelessly helping the sick.

To the artists, creators, scientists, non-profit-runners, librarians, strange-thinkers, start-uppers and inventors, to all people everywhere who are afraid to accept the help, in whatever form it’s appearing,

Please, take the donuts.

To the guy in my opening band who was too ashamed to go out into the crowd and accept money for his band,

Take the donuts.

To the girl who spent her twenties as a street performer and stripper living on less than $700 a month who went on to marry a best-selling author who she loves, unquestioningly, but even that massive love can’t break her unwillingness to accept his financial help, please….

Everybody.

Please.

Just take the fucking donuts."


Why are so many of us afraid to ask for help? I come across this everyday people to afraid to ask their loved ones for help for fear of judgement or appearing weak. This is especially true with people and mental illness. Sufferer's are often afraid to come forward and say "I need help, I'm not okay". It's awful but society still views mental illness with stigma.

These people are just like you or me they have just become ill. Many famous figure's throughout history suffered with mental illness, Abraham Lincoln had Depression, Winston Churchill was bipolar, Edvard Munich suffered from debilitating Panic Attacks. These are successful individuals that despite their conditions achieved great things.

Most people aren't open about mental illness because they fear people will not understand. That they will be treated differently and unfortunately it is more often than not the case. Most people don't understand, most cant comprehend the difference between sadness and the difference between depression. The difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder. Everyone feels anxious or fearful at some point, right? The sensations you feel are usually raised heartbeat or palpitation's, profuse sweating, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, impending sense of doom. When the thing that scares you is removed you slowly start to feel normal again right? Well imagine your fear followed you around all day relentlessly chasing you with no end in sight.That is what it feels like for someone with an anxiety disorder.


The Art Of Asking will have you exploring the difference between begging and asking. When is it okay to ask and when is it okay to take. Amanda makes some very valid point's that are worth exploring. Her lifestyle may not be for everyone and you may not have any interest in her music but the book itself is worth reading. I think we all have issues with asking for help. With giving and receiving. My own grandmother wont accept money as a present for Christmas or Birthdays. She will shove it straight back into your pocket. She will only accept a gift so we have to resort to vouchers and flowers or come up with ideas on things she needs.The same women will hand us money for Birthdays and Christmas so we can buy something we need and will refuse to take it back when we protest.


I'm guilty of not accepting "The Donuts". I was very ill last year and I was struggling with medical costs. My Dad offered me money but I refused it because I didn't want to feel like I owed anybody anything. If my daughter was in the same position I would have, like my Dad offered her the money. So why could I not take it. The only thing I can come up with is Independence, I wanted to do it for myself. I would rather struggle than take the money. By struggling through I was more stressed and so it took longer to recover and cost more in the long run. It seems so stupid to me now. Next time, I will take "The Donuts" .

Anyway lots of rambling in this blog post but this book really got me thinking which is what a good book does. I hope you all have an amazing year and I hope 2015 is kind to you and yours. 

All Hallows' Read

All you have to do to take part in All Hallows' Read is simply give someone a scary book to read on Halloween. That's all, it is that simple.

Here are some suggestions:

For the reader who enjoys the Classics most of all I recommend Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. Carmilla undoubtedly inspired Bram Stoker when he wrote the most famous vampire novel of all time but before Dracula there was Carmilla. It's a fairly quick read at only about 120 pages but it is a very worthwhile one. I am a big fan of Dracula but even I must admit Carmilla is the better of the two.

For the littlest monsters in the house I recommend Room On The Broom by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Not very scary I know but let's face it who wants to put a terrified toddler to bed after the madness of Halloween. We would much rather put our feet up and read our own All Hallows' Read.

For the older children I recommend The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I'm a big fan of this book and like to recommend this to everyone. It's a delightful tale about a boy whose parents are murdered by The Man Jack but the boy only a baby at the time manages to escape to the nearby graveyard where he is taken in and looked after by the ghosts and ghouls in the Graveyard.

For the wimps I recommend The Paupers Graveyard by Gemma Mawdley. It's not overly scary but a very enjoyable read nonetheless. Its about a housing estate built on a graveyard where famine victims are buried. 

Fans of historical fiction may enjoy The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales by Kate Mosse. It's a really enjoyable collection of short stories some set in the familiar setting of Kate's own Languedoc series so for fans of that particular series it's a must. Also you can dip in and out reading a story here and there at your own leisure. I enjoyed it and plan to re-read it over the weekend.

If your looking for something a bit quirky I highly recommend Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. The story is told through a combination of narrative and creepy old photographs that the author and other collectors he became acquainted with while collecting collected. That's a mouthful I know but basically he collects creepy photos and met people with similar interests. He was going to publish a book with just the creepy photos inside but a publisher suggested it would be better if he created a story for the photos and so Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children was born.  It is also being turned into a Movie starring Eva Green (Penny Dreadful, Casino Royal, Dark Shadows) and Asa Butterfield (Hugo, Enders Game & The Boy In The Striped Pyjama's). The movie is to be directed by Tim Burton and the screenplay is to be written by Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X-Men:First Class) and the books author. It should hopefully be hitting our screens in early 2016.

If all else fails you can't go wrong with Stephen King. Most of his books are guaranteed to scare the bejesus out of you. I myself recommend Carrie as it always manages to scare the crap out of me no matter how many times I've read it or seen the movie version starring Sissy Spacek.

For more suggestion's why not head on over to 

www.allhallowsread.com

Whatever you choose to do this Halloween please give a scary book to someone as part of #AllHallowsRead and use the opportunity to support your local bookseller in the process because the world would be a very scary place indeed without bookshops.

Oiche Samhna Shona Duit!!!!!

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

The Dead Men Stood Together by Chris Priestley (Bloomsbury)

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and has inspired many a writer since it was published in 1798. Including Mary Shelly, M.R James, Edgar Allan Poe & Herman Melville.  The poem was so well known and so beloved that it morphed into a sort of myth or superstition. Sea faring folk are probably amount the most superstitious alive in my experience. Well them and the Irish Mammy.

For those unfamiliar with Coleridge's famous poem it is about a mariner who returns from sea after a long and arduous voyage. He stops a man on his way to a wedding and recounts his tale to him. At first the man is impatient, frustrated even wanting to get away but his feelings soon turn to fear and fascination as the story unfolds. It really is a beautifully written piece.

I don't want to give too much away but Chris Priestley's book contains all the details from the poem that make it so captivating and so beloved. This tale however is told from the point of view of the Mariners nephew which I felt was a lovely touch. Everything from the Albatross to the pilots son can be found within.

I like this book it did however drag on a little About midway through but was still interesting enough to make me want to continue on reading. Even if you have never read Coleridge's poem you will still enjoy The Dead Men Stood Together. Not overly creepy but then it is written with a younger audience in mind. That being said it would make a decent Halloween read. Maybe keep it in mind if your taking part in this years #AllHallowsRead.

All Hallows Read is basically a worldwide event where by you are encouraged to give a scary book to a friend to read. There will hopefully be a post up tomorrow with more on this.

Anyway until next time happy reading 😁


www.chrispriestleybooks.com

www.bloomsbury.com

Review of the Gift Of Charms & Short Interview with its Author Julia Suzuki

Yoshiko's first day at school doesn't exactly go well. I guess first days can be just as hard for Dragons as they can be for humans.

The Land Of Dragor is an adventure quest series about the challenges between Dragons, Humans and the evil Dragsaurs(half dragon, half dinosaurs). The Gift Of Charms is the first book in the series.

Yoshiko is born from a strange egg. Usually dragons from strange eggs are seen to be cursed and are taken away in black baskets before they can do any harm. Yoshiko's father manages to persuade the dragon who comes for him to leave him be.

When Yoskio goes to school he feels a bit useless. He is brave and on the first day tries to breath fire with the other Dragons but he fails and as a result earns a tormentor in Igorr and his clan mates. Life for Yoshiko becomes even more complicated when he finds himself changing colour. He tries desperately to keep this newly acquired ability a secret as he desperately tries to fit in.

Everything changes when Yoshiko meets Guya a reclusive elder that lives alone in the mountain. Guya is a well of knowledge and he is the only Dragon who can help Yoshiko with his Special ability. If Yoshikos can pass Guya's trials he will help him but the tasks are not at all easy and Yoshiko will need to work very hard and be very brave indeed if he wishes to pass.

Julia very kindly offered me a digital copy of The Gift Of Charms for review. I started reading and found myself unable to stop until I had finished and so the book was read in one sitting. My only complaint was that it ended as I would have gladly sat all day reading. Needless to say I can't praise this book highly enough. I loved it so much that it prompted me to ask Julia for a short interview she kindly accepted and you will find it below. I look forward to reading more from The Land Of Dragor Series.

Julia Suzuki is represented by literary agency Darley Anderson, her novel is available here and is published by John Blake Publishing, Dino Imprint.

You can follow her on Twitter @JuliaSuzuki_uk

 Interview with Julia Suzuki for http://booksareproofthatmagicexists.blogspot.ie

Hi, Julia. Firstly I want to say Thank You for the opportunity to Read & Review The Gift Of Charms. It was unputdownable and I enjoyed it so much I finished it in one sitting.

Thank you for the invite Jenny 

Where did you get your inspiration for The Land Of Dragor Series and did you do much research into Dragon Mythology?

I have travelled and widely and thus the inspiration for 'The Land of Dragor' came from the many places I have visited; particularly America where I spent a lot of time in my former career (when I worked in the resorts industry) . It was certain places and my own love for adventure that inspired me.

 I have not done much personal research into dragon mythology. It was my own imagination and beliefs that  created the characters...

How did you come up with your Dragon names?

There is a Polish saying that when translated means 'the first one for the book'. I think it actually applies to things generally -- like if a person makes a derogative comment and then tries to take it back -- but for me specifically it applies to my naming of characters. The first name that came to mind for my characters was the one I used and I found the character names came easily.

Your Dragon children read the same as a human child would it's very unique and I don't think I have ever read anything quiet like it before. What made you want to write them that way?

I just felt dragons would be clever creatures -- as clever as humans. I saw them that way in my mind and it felt right :)

What advice would you give any young writers out there on how they too can create a magical story like The City Of Charms?

My advice to any 'would be' author is to follow your genuine passion in the subject you write about, as your work will then show passion and appear genuine. Also it is important to read as broadly as possible to  learn from the different tones that authors use.

What book are you currently reading?

I am reading Martina Cole's latest thriller 'Revenge'. It is very hard hitting about an over  protective Father who is in the mafia.

When can we expect the next instalment in The Land Of Dragor Series?

The second book is complete and scheduled for release next year! Date to be announced.

Well thank you very much for the opportunity to interview you Julia. I love that your book is just as enjoyable to read as an adult as it is for a child. I feel that's the mark of a great book. I wish you all the best and I can't wait to read more. 

Thank you Jenny. All the very best with your blog and best wishes to your blog followers and associates. Julia

The Sleeper & The Spindle by Neil Gaiman Illustrated by Chris Ridell

This book has been on my wish list since I found out it was coming into existence. Not just because of the Author or the Illustrator but because it's a fairytale with a twist. I absolutely love fairy tales not the cleaned up censored versions we read to our children today, I'm talking about the original stories the ones where happy endings aren't necessarily par for the course. The ones with more sinister undertones. For instance Disney's The Little Mermaid as we all know was inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's story. Except had Walt's Studios followed the story to the letter it would have been almost an entirely different movie and maybe not one parents would have flocked to Cinema's to bring their little darlings to see. In the original story Marina The Little Mermaid drinks a potion in order to be with her prince she experiences excruciating pain with every step she takes. The Prince however chooses to marry another. Her sisters give up their long hair to the Sea Witch in exchange for a dagger. Marina must kill the prince and drip his blood on her feet if she wants to return to sea and live as a mermaid once more. She cannot bring herself to do it and throws herself into the sea dissolving into a foam. You can see why Disney changed it. I don't think that ending would have sold as many tickets. I also remember being very shocked when I bought my daughter Little Red Riding Hood to read about 6 years or so ago in the newer version at the end the wolf escapes and the granny wasn't eaten at all she was under the bed. When I was little the granny was eaten by the wolf and the huntsmen split the wolfs belly open with his axe and out she popped they then filled the creatures belly with stones and threw him in the river. Big difference from when I was a child. Getting back to the book.

The Sleeper & The Spindle is a beautiful book to behold. Chris Riddell's illustrations in Black, White & Gold are just mesmerising. The story itself is very well done. It's like a mash-up between Snow White & Sleeping Beauty with a dark twist thrown in for good measure and is a very enjoyable read. It is suitable for both Adults & Children so not overly scary (depending on the child of course). I was lucky enough to win a copy from Hooked On Books last week and my copy arrived yesterday. I wanted to take my time reading it as it is a very beautiful book and I wanted to drink in all the wonderful details. That being said I still had it read in a half an hour even while going at it at a snails pace. So it is quite short about 70 pages. I really enjoyed it and was left wanting more. The protagonist in this case is female which really appealed to me as I'm a little tired of the Prince always getting to have all the adventures. I would like to warn that this is not a love story the only princes present in this story are dead or simply not involved. If however you like reading of Dwarves, Wolves, Warrior Women and Strange Curses then this is the book for you. I certainly did and I hope to read much more similar tales in future. It's a thumbs up from me.

The Sleeper & The Spindle is out on the 23rd of October 2014 and is published by Bloomsbury.