Gemma

Reading Challenge 2015: Vampire Academy

21st February 2015 by Gemma 2 Comments

Vampire Academy is the first book in a series of six, first published in 2007, written by Richelle Mead. It is primarily a paranormal romance fantasy book that is intended for young adults, or YA as it is commonly known/called.

As the title obviously tells us, this book involves vampires in a school setting. It centres on seventeen-year-olds Rose and Lissa, a dhampir (a half-human half-vampire hybrid) and Moroi (a vampire). Rose and Lissa have a special bond, which is useful, as Rose is training to become a bodyguard for Lissa, who is a member of one of the royal Moroi families. Lissa has a special skill which is the core of this first book, and along with the (mis)adventures of high school — friends, enemies, cliques, school parties, and secret parties — is what encompasses this book. It is set in the United States despite the prevalence of Eastern/Southeastern European terms where the vampire legends are thought to have originated.

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Reading Challenge 2015: A Study in Scarlet

17th February 2015 by Gemma Leave a Comment

A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1887 in Beeton’s Christmas Annual. Now famous all over the world, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson were first introduced in this narrative. The mystery involves a dead man found in an abandoned house in Brixton, south London. The obvious clues are a woman’s wedding ring, two letters addressed to two different names, and a word scrawled in the wall with blood. I say obvious because they were the easiest to find. This is Sherlock Holmes we are talking about after all.

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Reading Challenge 2015: Anne of Green Gables

5th February 2015 by Gemma Leave a Comment

My ebook had the entire Anne Shirley series in one collection so I didn’t have a cover of just the Anne of Green Gables book.

Anne of Green Gables is a work of fiction by Lucy Maud Montgomery. First published in 1908, it is a popular children’s novel about the adventures of eleven-year-old orphan Anne Shirley in the fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island in Canada. Anne mistakenly gets sent to be adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who originally wanted a boy to help around their farmhouse called Green Gables. Matthew liked Anne from the start, in contrast to Marilla’s gradual fondness for the girl. She initially wanted to send Anne back to the orphanage, but decided to let her stay after a few days. This first book in a series of eight narrates of Anne’s life with the Cuthberts, building relationships with people in the Avonlea community, and her time in school.

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Food, Glorious Food: Aqua Dining

1st February 2015 by Gemma Leave a Comment

Quick break from books for a quick food post!

Aqua Dining is a waterfront restaurant in North Sydney; at Milsons Point, to be exact. It has lovely sweeping views of the well-known Sydney landmarks — the Harbour Bridge looms close enough to frame the Opera House, and the city skyline isn’t too shabby either. Luna Park is on its right, and I’m sure the ferris wheel is nice when lit up at night. They have a private sunken terrace area at the very end of the restaurant that gives you front row views of the harbour, which you can hire for private events or functions.

Apparently, the young professional Sydneysiders did not know of this restaurant. It was my husband’s mother who booked this place for lunch after our brief civil wedding ceremony in equally beautiful Cope’s Lookout (5 minutes walk if you’re not wearing high heels, less than 10 minutes if you are). It’s definitely a good place for special events, or to impress a date (I mean, that view!).

The mother-in-law chose the set menu and the wines; I couldn’t find anything to disagree with on the choices when they showed it to me.

Entrée: Parmesan praline and octopus

I have to note they served us sourdough bread with olive oil before this, which I scarfed down because I was starving and already had some champagne which had made me tipsy, and it was barely past noon!

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