Book Review -- Night Shift Diary -- R.August King

Title: Night Shift Diary

Author: R.August King

Format: Kindle version

Publisher: Dorrance Publishing

I was first interested in this book as I too work Night shifts for the emergency services, so I thought I would see what a Night Shift was like from the eyes of a nurse.

This book starts of with his/her being a student nurse, and working through the different departments of a hospital. The author talks about their struggle with sleeping when working night shifts and I can symapthise fully with that! You have to be so aware as not to make mistakes which can make the difference to someone's life, so you have to get used to the lack of sleep.

There are tales about pregnant women who throw up their dinner all over her; Friday night bar fights with stabbings and tongues torn in half. Talks of working in the childrens ward, where the parents are more difficult than the patient! One tale made me smile. It was about an old lady who was in the mall doing her shopping and the author stood in the queue behind her. She noticed that she had what looked like a hospital gown underneath her coat and a hospital bracelet and a foley bag in her handbag, complete with urine and tubing! This reminds me of when patients abscond from hospitals and we as police, get called out to look for them. What a sight that must have been.

I laughed out loud at some of her incidents. I won't tell you in full about the man with some leaves hanging out of his rear end... You'll have to read that for yourself.

She (I'm just assuming it's a she) talks about working in intensive care; the heart unit and other departments. She also talks about the relationship between nursing staff and doctors.

This was only a short book, which I read in about 2 hours or so, but it was "enjoyable" if you can call someone dealing with death and illness as enjoyable. I liked the way the author injected some humour into the book, by using not just sombre tales but amusing tales too.

The book is good value for a quick read. You can tell the author is not an author of several books, due to the grammar in places, but nevertheless it was a pleasant read.

My rating 4/5

I received a complimentary copy of Night Shift Diary as a member of the    

Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team.  Visit dorrancebookstore.com

to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

Travel Review - London Waldorf Hotel

Waldorf Hilton Hotel, London

I have stayed in Hilton Hotels before. In London one of them being the Langham Hilton. I must admit though although this one was in the middle of being refurbished in the reception area and one of the main public rooms, it was still a beautiful and grand hotel.

In 1889, the new London County Council made plans to clear a large part of the Strand to form the Crescent shaped Aldwych.  Edward George Saunders, Manager of the Coronet Theatre in Notting Hill, wanted a theatre of his own, so joined forces with Thomas Frederick Wild a Chartered Accountant. They decided on the theatres and then decided to add a hotel to the plans.  William Waldorf Astor, the richest man in the world, injected some money into the building and it was therefore given the name The Waldorf Hotel and Theatre.  The hotel itself still forms part of a big building which consists of the Aldwych Theatre on one end and on the other the Novello Theatre, formerly known as the Waldorf Theatre.

The hotel was built on a grand scale with the Palm Court lounge being a glass covered grand courtyard. This is still there and currently undergoing extensive refurbishment. It was finally opened to the public in 1908. In 1920 they held tango tea dances. When you are there today you can picture these tea dances.  The public rooms are all glass chandeliers and art deco pillars, and lovely windows. The rooms are very grand.

Frederick hotels (as the company was known) eventually sold the hotel after the war, to Charles Forte, Lord Forte of Ripley. In 1992 the hotel closed for a year for major refurbishment costing £12.5m. The hotel re-opened on it's 85th anniversary. In 2004, the hotel was awarded the management contract and started on a £35m refurbishment contract. Current refurbishment is being undertaken but the hotel remains open.





Our Bedroom

There are lifts to all floors, and elegant carpeted hallways lead in all different directions. There is also a grand staircase with art deco railings.  Our bedroom was a mix of the original art deco with a modern twist. Large windows which open out onto Aldwych and overlook India House and the tree lined street. Beautiful high ceilings retaining their original features. The bedroom furniture is of a mahogany colour and quite modern. There is a desk and chair and internet points. All rooms have tea and coffee making facilities, iron and ironing board, flat screen tvs.

The bathroom is quite unusual. Instead of a solid wall the bathroom has frosted glass walls. There are the usual facilities with complimentary toiletries. The shower is a large walk in wet room type shower, with powerful shower with varying body jets.

Our bedroom

It really was a lovely room.



There was a small bar room called "Good Godfreys" after the former in house band leader,  in the lobby area. This serves lunch and afternoon tea and coffee and becomes a cocktail bar in the evening. Also there is some nice seating areas in the lobby with a grand piano, which is played in the late afternoon.

Potato and Pumpkin Beignet

There is the Homage Grand Salon restaurant which serves the most delicious meals. We had a 3 course pre-theatre dinner which cost £21.95 each, which for London in a 5* hotel was quite reasonable.

The food was excellent! The hotel does delicious afternoon cream teas, and 3 days a week this includes a history tour of the hotel. We didn't partake in this as thought £29.50 per person was too expensive!

Chocolate and raspberry trifle

The hotel also boasts of a health club and indoor pool, but we didn't have time to use those.

All in all this was a grand hotel, which is a wonderful part of our British Heritage.

The hotel is in a fantastic location. You walk around the corner and are about 3 minutes from Covent Garden and it's market and bars. Also there is a tube station there too.  Buses leave from outside the hotel if you want to use the buses. Taxi's are freely available outside too.

Theatre review -- Les Miserables -- London West End



Portrait of "Cosette" by Emile Bayard, from the original edition of Les Misérables (1862)

Normally I like to read a book before I see a movie, but this was not the case with Les Miserables. Although I have the book on my Kindle (it was a freebie when I first got my kindle), I have never read it I am ashamed to say. I will get around to it I'm sure.

I vaguely knew the story of Les Miserables, in that it was about a conflict that occurred some time after the French Revolution, but that was about it. I was quite intrigued as to how you could possibly make an enjoyable musical out of a subject so sombre. It was opened as a musical in 1980 in Paris at the Palais des Sports. Then in 1985 Cameron Mackintosh produced an English speaking version and it opened at the Barbican in London. In 1987 it opened on Broadway. In 201o it celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Well for some time now I have wanted to go and see it, out of intrigue and also from recommendation. I have a friend who has seen it 7 times, and cried each time.

My husband bought me tickets for my Birthday which was yesterday. We went off to London last Tuesday and booked into the London Waldorf. It was in the middle of a refurbishment, but it was still a beautiful hotel. More on that to come.....

After a lovely dinner at our hotel, we took a tube to Picadilly Circus and walked the 5 minutes to the Queens Theatre on Shaftsbury Avenue, to take our seats for Les Miserables.  We were in row D near the front, so had great seats..... Then the curtain rose.  Well the start was so dramatic. A dark scenery with men in dark costumes and a smoky atmosphere. The singing started and I was hooked. I have seen so many stage shows and this beats them all hands down. 

It is the story of Jean Valjean who has been just been released from prison, where he served 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread and for trying to escape. He is turned away from everywhere as no-one wants to hire an ex convict. He is taken in by a Bishop who offers him food and a bed. He ends up stealing from the Bishop, but when caught by police the Bishop says he gave them as a gift. He is constantly hassled by the police. He changes his name and becomes a wealthy factory owner, and becomes mayor. One day his real identity is uncovered by the police chief..... Then ensues a tale of adoption, love and war. There is some very light hearted moments in the show, thanks to the actors portraying "The Thernadiers", the local innkeeper and his wife. They had some great lyrics and some comedic timing in their acting.

Throughout the whole of the show, the acting and singing was second to none. Not just the lead actors but the chorus line too. Everyone had such great voices, including the two young children in the show.  The lyrics were well written and really helped tell the story as there was no speaking throughout the show, just singing. I really do love the soundtrack. 

There were some sad moments in the show and the girl behind me kept giving loud sobs which amused me. I must admit though I did shed a tear near the end.

The finale was uplifting and truly amazing. It is the first show I have ever been to where there was a standing ovation at the interval and the end of the show.

So if you are looking for a great theatre show to go to then I highly recommend it.

Les Miserables Soundtrack

Les Miserables 25th Anniversary DVD

Wikipedia - Les Miserables



The top ten banned books!

Are there any books that you think should have been banned? I can't say I've ever come across any. I don't read erotica, but I know there are some out there that are quite "close to the knuckle" as we say here.

Have a look at this list and have a look at some of the reasons for the bans. To me some reasons are very old fashioned, considering what else there is out and about in the public spectrum.

Anyway I'm off now into town to spend all my birthday money. More books? Who knows. I also have a £30 Amazon voucher to spend, so that's a definate book fest!

Enjoy your day wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing. x

Book Review -- 13 Little Blue Envelopes -- Maureen Johnson

Title - 13 Little Blue Envelopes

Author - Maureen Johnson

Format - Kindle

This book suited me down to the ground as it involves my love of travel.

17 year old Virginia (Ginger, Ginny, Gin) has been left a series of letters from her Aunt Peg to whom Ginny was extremely close. Ginny was a quiet and shy girl but just changed when she was with her Aunt Peg who was so unlike Ginny's own mother who was settled and practical. Peg was a free spirit who ran off to New York as soon as she graduated. She loved paintings and majored in art. Ginny used to love going to spend time with her in New York. Then Peg just disappeared. The family would get postcards which were sent from all over Europe but no explanation as to why.

Ginny received a letter, letter #1, from her Aunt Peg with some specific instructions to follow. She had included money in the envelope for Ginny to book a ticket to London, money for a passport and a backpack. She was told she could only take what would fit in the backpack. She was not to take any guidebooks or money and no cell phone or laptop or camera. She was then told to go to a chinese restaurant under Peg's old apartment to collect something. Once there she was given a package that contained a collection of blue envelopes all marked with numbers. Number 2 told her to open it on the plane and there the adventure begins. An adventure that would take her all over Europe and meeting a variety of wonderful people.
.....

This book was just perfect for me. I had been to nearly all of the places that Ginny visited on her adventure and the description of the destinations brought the destinations and the book alive. I loved the way the author brought Ginny out of her shell, making her do things she would never have done before without the guidance of Aunt Peg. This reminded me of my younger self when I first became a travel agent. Travelling brought me out of my shell too and gave me much more confidence. I would have loved to have undertaken this adventure with Ginny! I have read some reviews where comments were made about some of the tasks being impossible, but knowing the locations she visited I beg to differ.

I loved some of the characters she met along the way, and grew to love Aunt Peg and the thought she had put into each letter to Ginny. I just wanted the book to carry on, and include the next chapter in Ginny's life.

I really recommend this if you want a light hearted, warm read, that will take you on an adventure all over Europe. An adventure that will change Ginny's life forever.

My rating 5/5 - Great fun read!

Book Review -- Wisdom Gone Wrong - Christine Ann Hare

Title:- Wisdom Gone Wrong

Author:- Christine Ann Hare

Publisher:- Dorrance Publishing

This is a short book of 26 short poems? which have a moral at the end of them.
One of them is called Bart the Fart. The poem itself is just a few lines long and followed up with a moral at the end. This one being "If you really want to keep and not chase away friends, just use a smile but not your rear end" Not very inspiring.

I am unsure of the age range the author is aiming this book at. I found it quite immature as if it was either written by or written for a younger audience. I think that some of them were supposed to be quite humourous but unfortunately they failed to humour me. I am just hoping that the author is aiming it at young adults as I don't think it will really appeal to an older audience due to the standard of writing and the humour. I'm sorry but this book was not for me.

"I received a complimentary copy of Wisdom Gone Wrong as a member of the
Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team.  Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team."

http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?dorrance+7XZRvv+index.html

My rating 2/5