Category: Pastime Pleasures

Pastime Pleasures #18 – Desperate Diary of a Country Housewife by Daisy Waugh

Posted October 17, 2014 by Charlotte in Pastime Pleasures / 0 Comments
Pastime Pleasures #18 – Desperate Diary of a Country Housewife by Daisy Waugh

Welcome to my  feature, Pastime Pleasures, posted every other Friday. Today is the turn of Desperate Diary of a Country Housewife by Daisy Waugh Here I will look at books that have given me great pleasure in the past. These are books I can read over and over again. The only rule is that the book must have been published five or more years ago. This is a fun easy read where everything is exaggerated, written in a diary style (hence the title) and with the addition of newspaper clippings. The diary entries felt very real, and very much like Martha thoughts. Her opinion at the very time that she was writing them down. Yes they were a bit exaggerated, but that is where the humour came from. All the characters are likeable (even if at times Martha comes across as quite snobby and uppity) and the dilemma’s they find themselves in can be quite hilarious – Mum’s at the school gate, anyone? Martha desperatley wanted to move to the countryside, to live the iydllic dream, but there is a sudden […]

Pastime Pleasures #17 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling

Posted October 3, 2014 by Charlotte in Pastime Pleasures / 0 Comments
Pastime Pleasures #17 –  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling

Welcome to my  feature, Pastime Pleasures, posted every other Friday. Today is the turn of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling. Here I will look at books that have given me great pleasure in the past. These are books I can read over and over again. The only rule is that the book must have been published five or more years ago. The second of the series starts of with a flying bang… literally. The Chamber of Secrets is another brilliant installment of the Harry Potter Series. Perhaps Chamber of Secrets is so good because we have got to know the characters, we know who our favourites are, who we dislike, and it is easier to imagine Harry’s surroundings. Harry clearly has a better understanding of his abilities and who is enemies are. And this book focuses on improving said abilites and growing as a character, there is more focus on the mystery at hand rather than the future. Perhaps it is the re-reading that has made me see how good J. K. Rowling is at […]

Pastime Pleasures #16 – The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

Posted September 19, 2014 by Charlotte in Pastime Pleasures / 0 Comments
Pastime Pleasures #16 – The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

Welcome to my  feature, Pastime Pleasures, posted every other Friday. Today is the turn of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. Here I will look at books that have given me great pleasure in the past. These are books I can read over and over again. The only rule is that the book must have been published five or more years ago.     This was a book that really set my imagination racing. Rather than detesting wardrobes or cupboards, rather like I imagine Harry Potter would, I spend the duration of my school holidays opening up random doors in the hope of stumbling upon Narnia, unfortunately I had no such luck. Having reread The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe and the rest of the series over and over again, it always feeling like I am catching up with an old friend. Each of the four children are completely relatable. And as C.S. Lewis wrote in his dedication: “But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” “Once a King in […]

Pastime Pleasures #15 – The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Posted September 5, 2014 by Charlotte in Pastime Pleasures / 0 Comments
Pastime Pleasures #15 –  The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Welcome to my  feature, Pastime Pleasures, posted every other Friday. Today is the turn of The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. Here I will look at books that have given me great pleasure in the past. These are books I can read over and over again. The only rule is that the book must have been published five or more years ago.     Most people would love the idea of being a princess, of being royal – a disney fairytale come true. But not Mia, this is a step too far for her. She is already considered a freak at school and this goes one step too far – how much more can she take? But somehow her royal news gets leaked and now Mia has to deal with being ‘popuar’ and her tyrannical grandmother. Mia has to mature as the year progresses – can she learn all about what it means to be a princess, cope with the make-overs and soften her Grandmere. All while remaining herself and bagging the boy? Written as a journal, The Princess Diaries is a […]

Pastime Pleasures #14 – Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton

Posted August 22, 2014 by Charlotte in Pastime Pleasures / 0 Comments
Pastime Pleasures #14 –  Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton

Welcome to my  feature, Pastime Pleasures, posted every other Friday. Today is the turn of Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton. Here I will look at books that have given me great pleasure in the past. These are books I can read over and over again. The only rule is that the book must have been published five or more years ago.     This is the first book I ever read that was not a school book, it was for pure enjoyment. And it is because of this book that I have loved reading and become a bit of a bookworm. Therefore no matter what it holds a special place in my heart. As an eight year old I was extremely jealous of Julian, Dick, George and Anne going off on adventures, rowing and hanging out on their own private island. They also had Timmy a lovable  and loyal mongrel who definitely understood what the humans were saying. The famous five have no adults to boss them about and have lots of ginger beer which, when I was eight, […]