Libby's Library

If you are looking for a good book to sink into but don't know where to start... here you will find some thoughts about the books which have passed-by my bedside table. I hope you are inspired!
Click here to ask me for book recommendations. Just tell me what kind of books you like and I will suggest some new books which you'll probably LOVE.

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February 2nd, 2013
Sorry that it has taken me so long to get onto reading this…. you see, it is rather a long story… I didn’t have the cash to buy any new books and asked my mum if she wanted to read ‘The Casual Vacancy’ and if so, would she please buy it so that I could read it too?Polite, I think.Anyway, she buys it… AND GIVES IT TO MY SISTER. Who has since devoured it, lost the dust cover and given it to her boyfriend. So I bought my own copy. And it was worth it. This story could not be much more different than the Harry Potter Series, (although you get glimpses of modern British life in scenes with Dudley Dursley). This story is about small town England, about the comings and goings of the members of the town, the town council and a block of ‘project housing’ nearby.  It is about poverty and addiction and pointing the finger… who is to blame for all the tragedies that happen daily?  It took me awhile to come to grips with the abundance of characters but by half way through I was almost addicted to this book as I was to Harry and Pals. A great read. 

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get onto reading this…. you see, it is rather a long story…

I didn’t have the cash to buy any new books and asked my mum if she wanted to read ‘The Casual Vacancy’ and if so, would she please buy it so that I could read it too?
Polite, I think.
Anyway, she buys it…

AND GIVES IT TO MY SISTER. Who has since devoured it, lost the dust cover and given it to her boyfriend.

So I bought my own copy.

And it was worth it. This story could not be much more different than the Harry Potter Series, (although you get glimpses of modern British life in scenes with Dudley Dursley). This story is about small town England, about the comings and goings of the members of the town, the town council and a block of ‘project housing’ nearby.  

It is about poverty and addiction and pointing the finger… who is to blame for all the tragedies that happen daily? 

It took me awhile to come to grips with the abundance of characters but by half way through I was almost addicted to this book as I was to Harry and Pals. A great read. 

February 27th, 2012
I have finally come to the end of my journey and am left with that inexplicable hollow feeling of finishing a good book and knowing that there is no eighth Harry Potter sequel. This book is perfect. Not only does J.K.Rowling give you an ending to satisfy even the most annoying Harry fan but she brings in the whole new element of the search for the Deathly Hallows (invisibility cloak, resurection stone, Elder Wand). J.K Rowling ties in all the loose ends and it seems as though every detail is important in the end, when Harry faces Voldemort for the last time. You are left guessing right up until the final five pages and I sat reading on the edge of the sofa, craving to see what happens next but dreading the end of an amazing series. I am not saying too much so that I won’t spoil everything for those who still have to read the books. I love Harry Potter for many reasons. It is a fantasy book but the messages that come thorough the text are completely human, and inspirational: *Noticing and caring for those who others overlook (such as Neville and Luna). Harry befriends them and they become some of his most loyal and brave friends. Voldemort discounts such people to his detriment at the end. *Awareness and respect the importance of other cultures (elves, centaurs, goblins). Wizards treat them badly and there is an uprising at the end. *Love is the most powerful thing that exists and the power of sacrifice. (Snape)

I have finally come to the end of my journey and am left with that inexplicable hollow feeling of finishing a good book and knowing that there is no eighth Harry Potter sequel.

This book is perfect. Not only does J.K.Rowling give you an ending to satisfy even the most annoying Harry fan but she brings in the whole new element of the search for the Deathly Hallows (invisibility cloak, resurection stone, Elder Wand). J.K Rowling ties in all the loose ends and it seems as though every detail is important in the end, when Harry faces Voldemort for the last time. You are left guessing right up until the final five pages and I sat reading on the edge of the sofa, craving to see what happens next but dreading the end of an amazing series. I am not saying too much so that I won’t spoil everything for those who still have to read the books.

I love Harry Potter for many reasons. It is a fantasy book but the messages that come thorough the text are completely human, and inspirational:

*Noticing and caring for those who others overlook (such as Neville and Luna). Harry befriends them and they become some of his most loyal and brave friends. Voldemort discounts such people to his detriment at the end.

*Awareness and respect the importance of other cultures (elves, centaurs, goblins). Wizards treat them badly and there is an uprising at the end.

*Love is the most powerful thing that exists and the power of sacrifice. (Snape)

February 20th, 2012
You are probably pretty sick of the predictability of my blog at the moment… SUPRISE HP AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE!This book and the third book are my favorite in the series. Don’t worry… six books down, just the last one to go. Seriously, if you haven’t read HP, get on it. 

You are probably pretty sick of the predictability of my blog at the moment… SUPRISE HP AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE!
This book and the third book are my favorite in the series.

Don’t worry… six books down, just the last one to go.

Seriously, if you haven’t read HP, get on it. 

February 2nd, 2012
Fourth book done!  Third is still my favorite of the series so far. It is interesting reading the books, knowing what the outcomes are in the end. I think Alan Rickman would have been stoked to play Snape, easily the most complex character in the series. Rumor has it that Rickman was allowed to read the books/know the ending before the sixth and seventh books had even come out in the stores. This was so that he could act with the right intent.

Fourth book done! 

Third is still my favorite of the series so far.

It is interesting reading the books, knowing what the outcomes are in the end. I think Alan Rickman would have been stoked to play Snape, easily the most complex character in the series. Rumor has it that Rickman was allowed to read the books/know the ending before the sixth and seventh books had even come out in the stores. This was so that he could act with the right intent.

January 26th, 2012
Don’t you love Sirius Black?

Don’t you love Sirius Black?

It is amazing how fast I can read a book when I want to… what I am noticing as I re read the HP series is that every single detail has a point. A lesson the students have repotting mandrakes is not just Rowlings idea of bulking out the plot… these mandrakes become crutial to waking students who have been petrified… I could go on. Other good series for teens/ younger people: His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman (The Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass)The Wind on Fire Trilogy by William Nicholson (The Wind Singer, Slaves of the Mastery and Firesong)The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot 

It is amazing how fast I can read a book when I want to…

what I am noticing as I re read the HP series is that every single detail has a point. A lesson the students have repotting mandrakes is not just Rowlings idea of bulking out the plot… these mandrakes become crutial to waking students who have been petrified…

I could go on.

Other good series for teens/ younger people:

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman (The Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass)
The Wind on Fire Trilogy by William Nicholson (The Wind Singer, Slaves of the Mastery and Firesong)
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot 

January 19th, 2012
Re-reading the Harry Potter Series at the moment!!!! Just felt like some light/ compulsive summer reading and there is nothing that feels like a literary kind of treat, so much as Harry Potter. I keep coming across people who missed the boat and never got into the HP craze. My advice to you is to be aware that the first three books are semi-young because Harry is 11-13 in them but after you break into the fourth book, the action really heats up. The books become darker, longer and more complex.  Don’t watch the movies and get put off the novels. You are missing out big time with these ones. Some other good summer reads: ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett (I have reviewed this on my blog… EXCELLENT!!)‘Bridget Jones Diary’ by Helen Fielding‘My Sisters Keeper’ by Jodie Piccoult‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland‘Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close’ by Jonathan Safran Foer‘Lord of the Rings’ by J.R.R. Tolkein 

Re-reading the Harry Potter Series at the moment!!!! Just felt like some light/ compulsive summer reading and there is nothing that feels like a literary kind of treat, so much as Harry Potter.

I keep coming across people who missed the boat and never got into the HP craze. My advice to you is to be aware that the first three books are semi-young because Harry is 11-13 in them but after you break into the fourth book, the action really heats up. The books become darker, longer and more complex. 

Don’t watch the movies and get put off the novels. You are missing out big time with these ones.

Some other good summer reads: 
‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett (I have reviewed this on my blog… EXCELLENT!!)
‘Bridget Jones Diary’ by Helen Fielding
‘My Sisters Keeper’ by Jodie Piccoult
‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland
‘Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close’ by Jonathan Safran Foer
‘Lord of the Rings’ by J.R.R. Tolkein