So I recently raided my local library again. This is more difficult than you would think seeing as my local library is currently trying out an unusual system which involves grouping books by previous borrowers' recommendations rather than genres, i.e. where other libraries have 'Science Fiction/Fantasy' and 'Crime', we have 'Recommended Short Reads' and 'Recently Recommended'. So much more interesting than anything old Dewey came up with (I suspect not...).
Anyway, while I was wandering around looking for things that grabbed my fancy, I overheard a woman (accompanied by a very small baby) grumbling about a £30 (!!) fine she had run up by having 5 books overdue by 5 weeks. I, personally, would be demure and apologetic etc. She, however, chose to blame her baby! Not in the "Oh, I've got a brand new baby and I've been awfully busy" kind of way but in the "They're on my baby's card..are you really fining my baby?" way. How the librarian ever replied "Yes, but it really is your responsibility to ensure their return seeing as your baby can't" with a straight face I'll never know...
Regardless of this amusing occurence, I dug out:
Robin McKinley 'Sunshine'
I've seen this book mentioned on a lot of blogs and I'm intrigued. I was actually looking for McKinley's Beauty because Beauty and the Beast was my favourite Disney film when I was younger (there was a brunette 'princess'...) and I fancied reading her re-write. My library didn't have it. It did have Sunshine however so here we are!
John Connolly 'The Book of Lost Things'
I've somehow never heard of this author but, after a quick Waterstone's search, I now know he has written rather a lot - the story of this is about a twelve year old boy whose mother dies. He looks to her books for solace and the real world and his fantasy world start to meld and he is propelled into a world of his imagination.
Plus, the first line is:
"Once upon a time - for that is how all stories should begin - there was a boy who lost his mother"
I just couldn't leave it behind after seeing that!
