Lovely surprise in the mail!

I love getting books in the mail. But since I participated in several Secret Santa exchanges this year, it has become an even more exciting occasion.

What better way to greet me at home after work yesterday than a lovely red package from Australia??? Check out the picture above. My Secret Santa from The Broke and Bookish Secret Santa Exchange sent me Nation by Terry Pratchett, a Classic Penguin/Penguin Classic tote bag, a lovely 2013 calendar, a special bookmark and a cute Christmas card - all tied up neatly in a funky red and white string!

I love the presents! I can't wait to start reading the book, to fill in activities for 2013 and to use the tote bag.

Thanks so much, Kayleigh of Nylon Admiral! =)

Teaser Tuesdays (Party Frock by Noel Streatfeild)

Current read: Party Frock by Noel Streatfeild

Page 128 of 224

It was no good John being proud. He had no more idea what to do with twenty-five horses and forty-two monks than he would have known what to do with Sally's ballet. He came down to Philip, his face scarlet.

'You tell them, I can't'.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Book Giveaway at Bookish

Wow, this giveaway hosted by Evie at Bookish should get you book lovers extremely excited. The winner will get a box of books - 10 books to be exact! This giveaway is international too!

If you win (lucky you!), you can choose 10 titles from the list on Evie's blog. That's not all, she will be adding more titles later on. This means you have more choices of books you want to win!

Her contest ends on Dec 31.

Book Giveaway at The Hollow Cupboards

Don't miss out on this exciting giveaway being hosted by Chey of The Hollow Cupboards to celebrate her blog reaching 1,000 followers. It is open to all her followers and it is international! Yay! So don't miss it. =)

Her contest ends in 49 days so that would be around early next year. Lots of time to enter!

Now Reading: Party Frock by Noel Streatfeild

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Book Journey

Right now I’m in the middle of Party Frock by Noel Streatfeild.

According to a website on books by Streatfeild, Party Frock was published in 1946 and the US edition in 1947 was called Party Shoes.

Now, it is only available as Party Shoes in the UK. It is no longer in print in the US. Fun facts, huh??? =)

I bought my copy from the used bookstore at the Chowrasta Bazaar in Penang. I wished I remembered the year I bought this book. I’m guessing it’s some time in 2009. Yeah, and I’m only reading it now!






But I think I have quite a special edition of the book. It’s not in perfect shape. In fact, pages began falling out when I began reading it last week. Now I’m torn between (no pun intended) giving away the book or keeping it for myself after I finish reading it. My copy, published in Armada Lions in 1971, is titled Party Frock, and as we know now, Party Frock is no more in print! This means my copy is sort of valuable, right??


So far I’ve only read two books by Streatfeild – Ballet Shoes for Anna and White Boots. I initially did not think I would enjoy reading Party Frock because of the book’s miserable condition. But it has since become quite a little page-turner.

It is unbelievable how seven children (Selina and her six cousins) plan to hold a pageant just because Selina received a frock and satin shoes from a godmother in America. It is mostly because there would not be any other suitable occasion to wear the frock as it was in the middle of the Second World War and times were hard.

But the children are as optimistic as ever. They still intent to go ahead and plan a pageant that involves a number of their neighbours in the village.

I’m at page 118 or 53% into the book now. Can’t wait to see how the pageant turns out!

If you have read this book before, let me know what you thought about it! =)

All About The Chocolate War

Well not quite! I finished reading the young adult novel, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier two days ago, quite perplexed over the ending. Check out my review of the book here.

I then could not wait to start watching its film adaptation. The movie of the same name starred John Glover as the evil and cunning Brother Leon, one of the creepy characters in the book. His performance in the movie was superb. Another one is the intelligent Archie played by Wallace Langham. At the start of the movie, Archie's expression makes me think that he's about to vomit anytime....or probably that's how he looks anyway.

I was not happy with the movie's ending. I think the book was too depressing that a movie version of it cannot afford to be of the same mood. The main character, Jerry, had it worse for him in the book where he had to bear the feelings of grief, loneliness and intimidation. He is even bullied terribly at school. Not much of this was portrayed in the movie so don't avoid the film after reading the book.

Anyway, thanks to the film, I've come to know a new song, a very catchy song that is. In My Room by Yaz or Yazoo. Go listen to it. I feel that it suited the movie so much. I wonder if it was written specially for the movie?

I know that I should continue reading the sequel, Beyond The Chocolate War so as to know how it will end up for the schoolboys at the Trinity Catholic school. But from the description, I already expect for it to be just as depressing as the first book, if not more.

What should I read next???

Oh, do let me know if you have also reviewed The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Leave your links and I will add them to my review on my other blog. Thanks!