Lheianne+K



 **Welcome, [insert name here]!**

Feel free to looks around and browse my selection and please do click on the links to learn more about the books :)
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(note: this is not in preferential order)
**Paradise Lost - John Milton** ====Paradise Lost is a beautifully written epic poem and gives a slightly different, more elaborated version of the bible story of how Lucifer fell from haven and Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Eden. Where the bible tells the events in a really straightforward way, Milton gives Adam, Eve and Lucifer a substantial personality and voice. It also draws a vivid picture in the readers mind when reading the epic poem. It also draws on many references, not only from the bible, but from events that occurred in history, myths and legends, and from other religions. It also draws a bit of controversy because of the way Milton interprets the original bible story and the things he mentions and draws reference from (such as the other religions) in the poem. It’s also interesting because it makes readers take a deeper look on the whole sexism issue in context to religion. Also many famous quotes came from this poem. ==== ====I was never interested in the bible stories until I heard of this poem and started reading it. It makes you think about Lucifer, Adam and Eve, and their personalities and what they were punished for. ==== ====It might be hard to read at first but after delving through and decoding the verses to find the meaning, you find great satisfaction in being able to say "Yes! I totally get this poem, I know what it mean!" ====

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.”
*(For online version with annotations go to: [] )

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The classic Jane Austen novel that everyone loves. I fell in love with this way before I really read the novel or knew the full plot line. My sister used to play the old BBC series of Pride and Prejudice with Collin Firth at least a hundred times, every time she'd make us watch it with her. ======

This is one of my favourite novels because of the vivid, realistic characters of Elizabeth and Darcy.
Although some would say they dislike reading Jane Austen novels because she uses very long sentences just to describe one small thing, I say that it enriches our reading experience. Jane Austen's long sentences of description give readers a very detailed picture of emotion, scenery, smell and touch. By doing this she creates a closer relationship to the characters and allows the readers to fully experience the character's thoughts and emotions, how they perceive the things going on around them. You can also really tell how the characters have developed through out the novel; Elizabeth and Darcy pushing past their pride and prejudices (teehee). It gives you a look at what the conventions of men and women used to back then and the stereotypes. For example, the well known quote: " It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

Favourite quote--> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me..."

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal;">What made you so shy of me, when you first called, and afterwards dined here? Why, especially, when you called, did you look as if you did not care about me?" ======

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Edgar Allan Poe is one hell of a poet/author who can send shivers down your spine and pull you into the engrossing and gothic world of his characters. I love Edgar Allan Poe's writing because he wrote quite original and unique pieces compared to other poets and authors of that time. I particularly love The Raven because of it's rhyming meter and the story it tells; it paints a particularly vivid image of the raven sitting upon the bust of Pallas and the narrators distinct personality. It's quite open to interpretation, such as trying to figure out whether the narrator was insane/hallucinating the raven because he was grieving for Eleanor or whether he became mad after the raven/realised his madness... ====== <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Edgar Allan Poe is a very unique writer who often writes in the gothic genre (as this poem demonstrates). <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The Raven in particular is very well known compared to other poems.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Favourite part-->

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">I know most people are hesitant about fantasy books but this book series is truly fantastic! I think one of the reasons I was drawn to this book was because it's the most similar book (but better) to the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce (which first drew me into the 'fantasy world' and reading). It's not just a story of a girl and her journey to greatness, but it's a story deeply involved in the world that Joel Shepherd has created and its politics and culture, which are said to be based on real cultures and terrains. ======

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Joel Shepherd really thinks about the different cultures and the cause and effect that would have on the society. The issue at the centre of the story which the plot revolves around is the war between between the Verenthane faith, which is like the Judeo-Christian faith, and a race called the Serrin. Thus comes the observed cause and effect of the decisions made by those in power, politicians in a war-like fashion. ======

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is just a little summary/blurb--> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 24px;">Sasha is a princess, the like of which the highland country of Lenayin has never seen before. Spurning her royal heritage to be raised by the great warrior, Kessligh, her exquisite swordplay astonishes all who witness it. But Sasha is still young, untested in battle and often led by her rash temper. In the complex world of Lenayin loyalties, her defiant wilfulness is attracting the wrong kind of attention. Lenayin is a land almost divided by its two faiths: the Verenthane of the ruling classes and the pagan Goeren-yai, amongst whom Sasha now lives. The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and begin to see Sasha as the great spirit - the Synnich - who will unite them. But Sasha is still searching for what she believes and must choose her side carefully. When the Udalyn people - the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage - are attacked, Sasha will face her moment of testing. How will she act? Is she ready to lead? Can she be the saviour they need her to be?

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 24px;">Sasha is a truly inspirational character because as she learns her mistakes you are also enlightened. This story teaches you to respect other cultures, learn to understand that there are differences because they believe in different things, and not to judge. Just simple misunderstandings between them could lead to major wars and friction between countries as we observe in real life.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">For a review of Sasha (the first book of this quartet) visit--> []



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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">﻿I have finally uncovered the wonders of Harry Potter. Although I would not normally name Harry Potter as one of my favourite books, I cannot deny that it is well written. I particularly like the last book because that's when all the pieces that were carefully and secretly planted in the other books finally fall into place. I just love how J.K. Rowling has set out the entire plot of the series, it's so clever! ====== <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The way the seven books are set out are quite ingenious; how little things mentioned in the first book lead on to the second, and then lead on to the last book to finally paint the whole picture. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Not only that, the Harry Potter series grows as the reader grows; going from simple writing to more detailed writing (words and descriptions/concepts) as you advance through the series. It also teaches key values to children such as courage, sacrifice, love, and overcoming difficulties in life. Many children have had Harry Potter as their main role model throughout life and have learnt important lessons through the help of Harry.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Favourite part--> "... be a man... try... try for some remorse."



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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">﻿The reason I like this series is because it really looks into what stereotypical thoughts teens have... in a way. For example, in Uglies when you're under 16 you live in Uglyville and when you turn sixteen you undergo surgery that turns you pretty and bubbly (happy all the time and just carefree) and you move to New Pretty Town. In New Pretty Town all you do is have parties and have fun. It follows the stages of a persons life; first as a child you think you're ugly and then once you turn sixteen you think you'll have this amazing transformation where you finally become pretty and then when you become the responsible and wise adult. Scott Westerfeld uses these conventions and twists it into a futuristic and science-fiction type world. It explores the concept of 'brainwashing' the young and naive and then trying to distinguish what is the right thing to do and what is wrong. ====== <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">In some ways its still like a teen-type of book but with a really interesting plot that explores themes and conventions of being a teenager and delves into the mind of a teen instead of just talking about a girl trying to get a boyfriend. It shows that beauty on the outside is not more important than what's inside (awww) and is more determined on your actions.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">For more on Scott Westerfeld and his books visit -->[| http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/]



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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">﻿This is a beautifully written retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a totally new interpretation of the story. Robin McKinley gives lovely descriptions that immediately gives readers a vivid image of the scenes she is describing. She also gives Beauty an alternate image to what the fairy tale gives; Beauty is not a beauty but instead a plain girl with brains compared to her two older sisters who are far more beautiful than she is. It is by far the best version of Beauty and the Beast I have ever read. It is very well written in the way Robin McKinley presents Beauty's personality and voice in the story, which is very believable. This version is much more complex than the traditional story but it still displays/demonstrates the same morals and themes: courage, love, sacrifice/reward and selflessness. ======

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">More information--> []



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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">﻿This is a very interesting, engaging book that you will not be able to put down until you have figured out all the secrets. It switches between narrators who are all in some way connected to each other. It isn't until you're near the end that you will fully be able to make all of the connections between the narrators/characters and their observations and feelings. ====== <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">It's such a fabulous read that you'll want to read it over and over again just to fully ferret out all of the hints, secrets and connections between each character and event. It truly makes you think and is definitely open to interpretation. It works your problem solving mind to find all the connection between the characters. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is definitely an interesting read but I would not recommend it for anyone under 15 because Jaclyn Moriarty did originally write this intending it to be an adult novel, hence M15+.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">For more information--> []
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> []



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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is a lovely poem based on a folk ballad, a telling of the story of a knight entranced by a beautiful lady on the side of the road. John Keats peotry is absolutely lovely, it gives such rich language that gives very beautiful imagery even if the story is slightly dark and mysterious. The title 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' means a 'beautiful lady with no mercy'. The ballad is open to interpretation, mostly as to what actually happened to the knight in the end and who the mysterious beautiful lady was, especially since the narrator was the knight who can't fully be trusted because he becomes fully entranced by the lady. ====== <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This poem has a slow, lulling meter that tells the story in a similar dream-like state the knight is in. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Such a beautiful poem.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">For more info--> []

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Jane lost her parents at a very young age and was given into the guardianship of her aunt and cousins, who treat her horribly, and send her to a boarding school for misfits. But just when Jane thinks she has escaped the tyranny of her relatives, she only exchanges one tyrant for another, the schools clergyman headmaster Mr Brocklehurst. At first Jane suffers embarrassment, bullying and ill-treatment, but she eventually adapts and graduates. After graduating from the school she goes to find a job as a governess and gains a job at Thornfield where she meets the mysterious Mr Rochester... ======

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Jane Eyre might start a bit slow and boring and most people don't like it, but it really is an interesting read. It's one of those novels you have read, go away and think, and then read it again. It's only until the second time that you read it that you start to unravel some of the hidden messages, 'symbolism' and 'foreboding', that you then start to appreciate the novel. I find that every time I do re-read it, it just gets better and better because I start to notice things I might have missed the first time I read it. There are forebodings that appear in the first couple of chapters that appear at the end or further on in the novel and it's always fun making the connections and saying "hey! I get it!" ====== <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The story includes a mysterious, 'tall, dark, and handsome' man, a young heroine trying to find her way in life, love and a mysterious, gothic castle.