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Hazel

Hazel

I work full-time at an examining board and study part-time with the Open University, where I'm working towards my BSc (Hons) in Psychology. Reading has been a passion of mine for almost as long as I can remember. Apart from that, I love music, photography and web design.

My shelf currently displays just books I own/have read recently,... more »
  • Hampshire, UK
  • member since September 26 2008

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 16 reviews
  • WastedWastedMarya Hornbacher

    Wasted

    by Marya Hornbacher
    • Rated 4 stars

    “This was a very good account on eating disorders. I don't have (nor have I ever had) an eating disorder, but I thought Marya Hornbacher gave valuable insights in this. She was reflective, honest and blunt and she had thoughts and theories on eating disorders. This was by no means simply a descriptive book. It is very well written, it's not self-absorbing, she stays on topic and doesn't go off on tangents. As I remember it, it is organised and thoughtful throughout.”

    Hazel wrote this review Saturday, September 27 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Prozac Nation
    • Rated 3 stars

    “I read this a couple of years ago and don't remember all that much about it... which probably demonstrates that it didn't have much of an impact on me. I remember being able to relate to bits and pieces of it, but not much. Largely, I found Elizabeth Wurtzel to be obnoxious, self-absorbed and whiny. There is certainly a lot of "teenage angst" in this... the majority of it is not very well-written. It is rather jumbled and there are huge gaps. However, I have to give her some credit. She's obviously intelligent (even though I did find myself wanting to shake some sense into her at times) and she managed to be successful despite her depression (got into Harvard, got a good job etc)... I have mixed feelings on this book.”

    Hazel wrote this review Saturday, September 27 2008. ( reply | permalink )
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Taking up from where 'The Lost Boy' left off, this is a very good read. If you liked Dave Pelzer's first two books, you have to read this one too. He writes about his experiences in the air force, a difficult marriage, his mother, the trials and triumphs of becoming and being a father, the decline and death of his father, difficulties he had in getting his first book published, finding his true love and probably a whole lot more that I have forgotten!

    There is a lot covered in the book, but just like his first two books, he writes in a well organised, reflective and touching way. Ultimately, this is a book about triumph over all the difficulties in life and finding a purpose in life. It emphasises the importance of relationships and never giving up on your dreams. It is a book we can all learn something from.”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Lost Boy, The: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family
    • Rated 4 stars

    “I really enjoyed reading this and finished it in two days because I couldn't put it down. It's a very interesting and compelling true story, picking up where 'A Child Called 'It'' left off. I found it to be sad and emotionally tough to read in places, but it was also heart-warming and inspiring.”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Luckiest Girl in the World : A Young Skater Battles Her Self-Destructive Impulses
    • Rated 2 stars

    “I read this a few years ago now, so this is in hindsight and my memory for the book is a little hazy in places, but anyway. I didn't like it much. I thought it was way too clichéd. It makes it seem like this is only an issue for teens, which it isn't, though I suppose it is most prevalent in teens. The thinking behind the girl's self-injury was also cliché and I thought it kind of made it seem like it's not really that serious a problem. It failed to explore the issue of self-injury in enough detail, in terms of the thought-processes behind it, the reasons for it and recovery. Katie's character (the girl who was self-injuring) was not developed anywhere near enough, which I think was largely the problem. Rather, the focus was on the psychiatrist. It does raise awareness, for which I give it credit, but it doesn't do it in the best way possible.”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Bell Jar
    • Rated 4 stars

    “This is a well-written account on the subject of mental illness and I found it interesting, while at the same time rather depressing. It is not a book I would read again, but it is still a very good book. It gives valuable insight and is also rather poetic in a way and I like that.”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Chinese Cinderella (New Century Readers)
    • Rated 4 stars

    “I'm writing this in hindsight, as I actually read this book a few years ago. It was a very readable book about the struggles of a young girl who is unwanted by the majority of her family. It was sad, but also inspirational and it educated me on Chinese culture, though I'm not sure how much of this still applies, as the story is based a few decades ago. I'd recommend it though, as it was a good read.”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Counting Sheep: The Science and Pleasures of Sleep and Dreams
    • Rated 5 stars

    “This was an extremely interesting insight into sleep and dreams. I learnt a lot about not only how important sleep is and what happens when you don't get enough, but also about the fascinating world of dreams and the dark side of sleep (nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking etc). It also goes a little into strange facts about sleeping and dreaming, the sleep behaviour of other animals and about whether plants 'sleep'.

    The style was very good... casual, while still backing up statements with studies, quotes etc, making it very easily readable. I also found it very amusing in places and it made surprisingly light reading. I recommend it to anybody who wants to find out more about sleep and dreams - we do spend an awful lot of our time doing both (approximately a third of our lives)!”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • My Sister's Keeper
    • Rated 4 stars

    “This book had me captivated right from the start and I couldn't put it down. I found the ending to be unrealistic, rather stupid and thought it was a big cop-out, but other than that, I loved it.

    The issues explored in the book about making the "right" choices, medical ethics, human morals, dealing with death and dying and managing relationships are all brilliantly handled. The book is thought provoking and not too sappy.

    The story is told through the eyes of the main characters, which I thought was extremely effective, as it considers the issues above from different perspectives. You can empathise with the characters, but you will also find yourself questionning their choices and ways of thinking, adding to the appeal of the story. Most of the characters are pretty reflective and I found their reflections wise, touching, thought provoking, sometimes sad.”

    Hazel wrote this review Saturday, September 27 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener (Agatha Raisin Mysteries (Paperback))
    • Rated 3 stars

    “I have found the Agatha Raisin series to be reasonably entertaining. I have read three (I purchased the first three as a set) and I don't think I would read anymore of them, as they are not quite what I look for in terms of light reading. However, the first three were ok and they were good to sit down with for light entertainment along with a cup of tea. By the time I finished this one though, I was starting to become bored, as the stories tend to go along the same lines and are a little predictable. I also found Agatha Raisin [the character] to be a little frustrating at times because of her stupidity at certain points in the books. I found this particular book to be better than the second (The Vicious Vet) and I enjoyed the humour.”

    Hazel wrote this review Friday, September 26 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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