Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen by Serena Valentino

Title: Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen
Author: Serena Valentino
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: 18th August 2009

Summary:
The story behind Snow White's evil step-mother and why she poisoned Snow White. Pretty much sums it up...

Review: 
My second Disney themed read this week (you read my review of Maleficent here) was not as good as I had hoped!

Now, Snow White is not my favourite classic Disney story but I found this book unbearably boring! At times I even started to skim read just so I could finish it...
The main issue I had with the book is its' pace. It started off really slow, and got slower and slower. The plot was filled with pointless events which did not add anything to the story. Then, at the end, everything happened so fast and then it ended. I think the problem with this book was that I knew what happened at the end, and so does everyone who has ever watched Snow White...

Maleficent adapted by Elizabeth Rudnick

Title: Maleficent
Author: Adapted by Elizabeth Rudnick, original screenplay written by Linda Woolverton
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: 29th April 2014

Summary:
Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, but not what what really happened...

In a long running war between the Fair Folk of the Moors and humans, Aurora is the innocent victim of a betrayed fairy whose desire for revenge soon gets the better of her.

Review:
Okay, so I have never actually watched Sleeping Beauty but I knew the general gist of the story before reading this book. However, I much prefer this version of events! The story gives a background, and a name, to the villain instead of just being a pointless evil fairy who is, as ever, after the innocent princess.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Harper Perennial Modern Classics published 

23rd May 2006

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
Publisher: First published by J.B. Lippincott and Company
Release Date: 11th July 1960
Genre: Classic, Fiction

Summary:
In a small American town in the Deep South, Atticus Finch, a prominent lawyer in the community, is about to defend a black man charged with the rape of a white girl.

To Kill a Mockingbird follows the case through the eyes of his children Scott and Jem, who struggle to make sense of the adult world and attitudes towards race and class.

Review:
I started this book in April 2014, got sixty pages in and gave up. It has been sitting on my bookshelf ever since. Annoyingly, I hate leaving books unfinished so with a great sigh, I picked up To Kill a Mockingbird again and trudged through.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Penguin Classics edition,
published 27th May 2003

Title: Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Author: Thomas Hardy
Release Date: 1891
Genre: Classics, Romance

Summary:
The life of Tess Durbeyfield, a simple, family girl, is changed forever by the greed and lust of a wealthy man. Can society and the man she loves forgive Tess, or will she be judged for a crime she did not commit?

Review:
I have not had much success with "classic" books in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised about how easy to read this book was and emotionally gripping it was. However, I am not going to lie, it was extremely hard work to get in to, but once you get past the first one hundred pages; you just want to carry on reading and reading and reading...

A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold
Author: George R. R. Martin
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: 1st September 2011
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary:
It is all going down in Westeros...

(I really cannot be bothered)

Review:
I made the grave mistake of reading two books from the Song of Ice and Fire series in a row.

I did not get off to a great start with this book in the series, because of the TV programme, Series three of the popular HBO series finishes just after the start of this book, so several major events which happen in this installation - I already knew about. Very helpful, ey? So, if you are reading the book, and then watching the corresponding series (like me) you are best to skip the first one hundred pages - it will save you a lot of time and patience.

A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow
Author: George R. R. Martin
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: 1st September 2011
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Summary:
The Kingdom of Westeros has never been more divided. The Starks commanding the rebellion in the North and the Lannisters crippling the South with their greed and pursuit for even more power.

However, shadows are creeping in from all directions threatening the two pursuits for the Iron Throne.

Review:
Finally, I built up the stamina to take on the next book in the Ice and Fire series and, it was much the same as the other books in the series.

The Bookshelf Rules

I love my bookshelf, and needless to say, I am quite protective over it. So much so that when people borrow my books, I have a set of rules which I enforce in a deadly serious tone.

So, the rules to Emily's bookshelf are below...

1. Do not borrow my books without my permission

This one is quite a simple one really. Borrowing without permission is called stealing. Stealing is illegal. Do not do it. I will notice that one of my precious books is gone, and I will find you and I will hunt you done and kill you. Simples.

2. Do not fold the corners over

Use a bookmark. It is what they were made for. Duh!