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Showing posts from August, 2014

Gone Girl - Book Review

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Book cover via Gillian Flynn So... I've seen and read a LOT about this book in recent months. Of course it's an international bestseller. Then there 's the upcoming movie adaptation (incidentally by one of my favourite directors), and the fact that it's on my "reading list" (namely, Amazon's 100 books for a lifetime). I thought it best to read before watching the film, so ordered from the library and began reading it about two weeks ago. For me, two weeks reading a single <i>novel</i> mean's I didn't really enjoy it that much. at least not at first. Perhaps the saving grace for the first half of this book was that I'd already (unwittingly) discovered there would be a big plot twist. Because the first half or so of the book was HARD. Not that it was boring or uninteresting. It just didn't engage me. I read a little every night out of a sense of duty, with each chapter dangling just a little more suspense to keep me going. By yest

Penguin Pocket Hardbacks

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Yet more beautiful hardcovers designed for Penguin by Coralie Bickford-Smith. I want every single one of them! A total of ten titles in this series are due to be released on November 6th 2014*, including: The Art of War by Tsu Sun A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Letters from a Stoic: Epistulae Morales Ad Lucilium by Seneca Essays and Aphorisms by Arthur Schopenhauer Beyond Good and Evil  by Friedrich Nietzsche Fear and Trembling: Dialectical Lyric by Johannes De Silentio by Soren Kierkegaard The Communist Manifesto  by Karl Marx Civilisation and its Discontents by Sigmund Freud (* Correct as of August 21st, 2014).

Marco Polo TBR as 5oth Clothbound Classic

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Marco Polo’s The Travels is to be the 50th title in Penguin’s Clothbound Classics series. Gorgeous! (via Clothbound Classic No 50 — Coralie Bickford-Smith )

Filofax Printables for Book Lovers

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Awesome Filofax printable inserts for Book lovers! A complete set of 8 different inserts, plus four gorgeous antique book dividers for book-loving Filofax aficionado’s. Currently available in the “Personal” size for Filofax and other compatible planners. Includes inserts for: Book reviews Library Logs E-books Reading Logs Recommended reads Quotes Bookstore details and even pretty blank lined notepaper. Available for immediate download from Mymy Etsy shop (via Filofax Printables The Book Lover’s Compendium by MyLiteraryNotes )

Jane Austen Printable Stationery

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Jane Austen fan? Stationery addict? Take a peek at my Pride and Prejudice-inspired stationery suite, now available for instant download via my Etsy shop. The set includes six styles of notepaper, four personalisable notecards and an envelope template (with pretty matching liner) for you to print and use to your heart’s content. For more images and further details, take a peek at the listing in my Etsy shop. (via Pride and Prejudice Printable Stationery Suite by MyLiteraryNotes )

Sherlock Holmes Stationery

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My Sherlock Holmes-themed stationery set is now available for instant download via my Etsy shop. The set includes four different styles of notepaper, personalisable notecards and an envelope (with optional liner). Featuring illustrations by Sidney Paget and quotes from various Sherlock stories, this is a gorgeous set to own or gift. For more details and previews, head over to the listings page. (via Sherlock Holmes Printable Stationery Suite by MyLiteraryNotes )

Beatrix Potter Stationery

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For Beatrix Potter fans, my Peter Rabbit inspired stationery set is now available to purchase on Etsy! This is one I’m particularly proud of - the twelve writing papers and six personalisable notecards tell the tale of Peter using original illustrations and quotes from the book. For more images and further details, take a peek at the listing page. (via Peter Rabbit Printable Stationery Suite by MyLiteraryNotes )

Complete List of Penguin Clothbound Classics

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Note: an updated list, including a new printable, can be found here . I love the clothbound editions of the Classics from Penguin. Aren’t they gorgeous? Slowly but surely, I’m collecting my own little library of these beautiful books, and have compiled a complete list of the 50 (plus one) titles to tick off as I acquire them. Below the jump is my complete list, including publishing date. If you’d prefer to have a list of your own, you can download and print the list as an A4 sized PDF , or as printables for your personal sized Filofax (as I’m currently using). In case you were wondering, the “plus one” I mentioned earlier is The Pearl, which was originally commissioned by the V&A Museum. All of the other 50 titles were commissioned by Penguin, and the whole set was designed by the talented Coralie Bickford-Smith. The list also includes titles which have not yet been published, and is correct as of the date this post was published (August 2014).

Amazon's Top 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - Plus Free A4 and FilofaxPrintables

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I love book lists. They offer me new and unexpected titles to look out for; books I might not otherwise read. So when Amazon published a list of 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime , I couldn’t resist typing out the whole thing to keep in my bag; something I could refer to (and tick off) when browsing the bookshelves at my favourite haunts. After the jump, you’ll find the complete list (in alphabetical order). If you prefer, simply download the A4 sized PDF printable . I’ve also developed a printable for Personal sized Filofaxes (which I’m currently using). This is designed to be printed on both sides of A$ paper - download here . Feel free to print, reblog and share! I love great literature and am slowly working my way through the list, finding some unexpectedly wonderful reads along the way. I hope you will enjoy it too. Amazon’s List of 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime A bucket list of books to create a well read life from the Amazon book editors. http://www.amazon.com/100books 1984 by G

The Graveyard Book

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Book Cover via Felix Whelan Really really impressed by this. The storyline had me hooked from the very outset, and I must admit I was disappointed to have finished it so quickly - I want there to be more! Please don't allow this to be made into a film - it would lose so much of it's magic!

Alice in Wonderland Printable Stationery

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My first stationery set on Etsy (which just happens to be my favourite so far). More are planned for the near future - watch this space! (via Alice in Wonderland Stationery Set Printables by MyLiteraryNotes )

The Miniaturist - Review

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I noticed this gorgeous looking hardback while browsing in Watersones alongside a recommendation for those who had loved The Night Circus. At first I wasn't sure it would be my thing, but like any bibliophile in a bookshop presented with a pretty, enticing text, I couldn't resist. It was a slow starter for me. My preference is for magic-realism, and I wasn't sure it fit with my expectations. Then around a third of the way in, I began to realise what it was and could barely put it down. So many unexpected twists and a fantastic air of mystery. I sincerely would love to read a sequel (or prequel) detailing the story of the elusive Miniaturist and look forward to reading more by Jessie Burton in the future.