Book of the Week - Anna Karenina

OK so this post is a bit of a cheat as I haven't actually read Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy's epic Russian novel yet, but who could with a two month old baby? I did however sneak a night out at to the cinema with a friend to watch the new Keira Knigtley/ Jude Law adaptation, and boy am I glad I did. It is one of the most beautiful films I have seen for a while, and although writer Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard, could have gone down the classic Dr. Zhivago style route which I was expecting, he instead created a bold, theatrical new vision of the epic story of love set in a fantasy theatre world. It sounds strange and it does take a little getting used to, but I have been thinking about it for days and am desperate to see it again. Keira Knightley is a beautiful as ever (her diamonds are unbelievable) and Jude Law is fantastic as her hugely unattractive husband Karenin. Matthew Macfadyen also plays a brilliantly comic Oblonsky (Anna's brother) one of my favourite characters.
Apparently though the film only represents 150 of the 800 page strong classic, and you can tell lots has been missed out but this only makes me want to read the book more. 

Have you read Anna Karenina or any other Russian classics?

Book of the week - Before I Go to Sleep by S J Watson

Milky bars and cups of Earl Grey are optional when reading this book

This book is awesome. You know when it takes you a couple of chapters to get into a book and you have to re-read a few pages every time you pick it up?? Well this had me totally and utterly hooked from page one and I literally couldn't put it down. I could have easily read this book in a day if I didn't have to do pesky things like look after a toddler and eat etc.

I don't want to spoil it for you but Before I Go To Sleep, the debut novel by British author S J Watson, it is basically a psychological thriller about a woman with amnesia who wakes up every morning not recognising the man in the bed beside her, who she finds out is her husband. Everyday she learns a little about her life, with no memories past being a little girl, then goes to bed at night only to wake up with no memories again the next morning. The twist is awesome and had me guessing till the end. It isn't that scary, it could do with being a little more so, but hey it's pretty much perfect in every other way.

I highly recommend reading this gripping thriller. Rumours are Ridley Scott has bought the film rights to this book so expect a killer film to follow, you must must read it before seeing the movie though!

You can buy Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson from Amazon.co.uk here.

Book of the Week - The Tiger Who Came to Tea

I LOVE the Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr. First published in 1968, it is an old fashioned, little gem of a book, a modern classic in fact. The books perception of family life is super sweet, although a little dated (the mummy stays and home, cooks dinner and looks after the children while daddy goes out to work), but that is what's so endearing about it, and after all that is what happens in our house anyway. It is always a pleasure to read about Sophie and her mummy who sit down to cake and tea only to be interrupted by a knock at the door, by a very hungry tiger. The illustrations are as gorgeous as the story and always keep wandering little eyes transfixed.
This best seller has even been adapted for the stage, which came to Surrey a few months back but Honey was just a little too little to appreciate it.

You can buy The Tiger Who Came To Tea from most bookshops, and Liberty online here.

Any recommendations for favourite children's classics??

Book of the Week - The Great Gatsby

I heart The Great Gatsby, in fact I love love love The Great Gatsby. It is a glittering classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald set in America's roaring twenties and although I have not read it for a while (it's back on my list after 50 Shades of Grey and The Hunger Games trilogy obviously) after seeing the trailer for the new movie I am counting down till it is released over in the UK. The movie, starring the perfectly cast Leo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby and Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, is directed by the visionary Baz Luhrmann so this film is no doubt going to be an all singing, all dancing remake of the one of the greatest American novels of all time. I would definitely recommend reading the book before seeing the movie though as certain things are always lost on the big screen.
In short I cannot wait to see it when it is released late this summer, now off to persuade darling husband to accompany me....

You can watch the trailer and check out photos and the synopsis here.

Book of the week - Dogs don't do Ballet

Honey's current book of the month is Dogs don't do Ballet by Anna Kemp. Isn't it funny how they want you to read books to them a hundred times in a row without getting bored? Yet put her in a high chair for a few minutes and she has the attention span of a newt. Anyway, this book really is a delight, the cute little pudgy pug who wants to be a ballerina, gorgeous! I actually don't mind this book on repeat, the illustrations by Sara Ogilvie are equally as enchanting. This book is a real girlie treat for any aspiring little ballerinas out there.

Book of the Week - Sophie Dahl "from Season to Season"

Despite the pouring rain and bruised purple skies which are still currently hanging over Guildford town, I am uber excited as Sophie Dahls new book From Season to Season has just popped through the letterbox. I have had a girl crush on Sophie, much like all my friends, for a while now, I have read and loved all of her books, and still have her cooking programme The Delicious Miss Dahl on Sky+ for rainy days, much like today (which reminds me to make another batch of her incredible peanut butter fudge). Before my girl crush started I confess to also loving Jamie Callum (her now husband) which was cemented after dancing along to him at gloriously drunken open air gig in Bath. So then they married and that was it, a huge sign that we should be friends! After all we both have babies a similar age, and while Honey's daddy is away with rugby and Jamie is away on tour I definitely think she should pop round for a nice cup of Lady Grey and a fat wodge of Victoria sponge, perfect.
Right am off to try her mushrooms on toast for lunch while Honey is having her afternoon nap....