Thursday, February 24, 2011

Book Chick City

 
 
I'm very excited to add this challenge to my list. I'm not a huge fan of fantasy books but I will definitely be reading many horror novels. I will make a point to read 24 at least this year. 

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Book #7 The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley




The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley is the second in the series of of the Flavia de Luce Mystery's. What a wonderful read! Here is a great bit from Booklist:

"Flavia, the precocious, imaginative, and adorable 11-year-old sleuth, returns for her second adventure. It’s a mystery in itself how a mature male author can pen the adventures of such a young female child and keep readers believing in the fantasy. Flavia’s world is 1950s England—specifically, a very old country house that just happens to have a long-abandoned chemistry laboratory."
If that doesn't get you interested I don't know what will! 


I've noticed on this journey that I am very lonely in my choices to read novels in the Horror genre. I have no friends or relatives that read horror books and this leaves me with no one to discus plot lines and what new books are out. I've felt like a bit of an outcast. I read what I like and sometimes books outside the horror genre but its a lonely road I'm taking. SO, I searched and found a group of people on goodreads.com that have a group called "Horror Aficionados". I'm very excited to finally meet some people with like interests!

 

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Book #7- The Princess Bride by William Goldman


This book was another recommendation, and man was it a good one!  Such a great story, even after seeing the movie countless times before reading it.  It's exceedingly well written, too. William Goldman is a genius, and he writes the book as though it were an abridged version of a classic written by someone named S. Morgenstern when, in fact, the tale is a Goldman original.  I'm definitely going to read his other books too.
I love talking to people about books.  I think my enthusiasm can be a bit overwhelming, but sharing thoughts on books and authors is just so stinking exciting to me I can't help it.  Time to start on number eight!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Book #6 "John Dies at the End" by David Wong



So this book was just a random pick from the Borders near my train line. "John Dies at the End" by David Wong is the weirdest book I've ever read, and that is saying alot coming from someone that reads zombie novels and weird books in general. The book is 480 pages of poop, penis jokes, meat monsters, wig-wearing scorpion aberrations and much much more. So odd, but I liked it.

The author had an amazing story just getting the book published and that is why I choose it. He was working 70 hours a week doing data entry with no English degree or any such writing experience. Wong's story was just a blog and people just fell in love with it and from there he got a book deal. Soon after the book was released de Don Coscarelli, director, Phantasm I–V and Bubba Ho-Tep bought the film rights.

I'm really enjoying this experience and it has had a very positive impact on my life. I guess reading can make you happier!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Book #6- "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez


My sixth book was fantastic, through and through.  It's a breath of fresh air to read a book by a female author who uses complete, brutal honesty in her writing.  There were countless times reading that I couldn't stop laughing.  Because I grew up in a family full of boys, it is usually pretty hard for me to relate to anything pertaining to the special bond that sisters share, but this was written so candidly, that it was just so raw, so human, that anyone could relate.  I think males and females alike would like this one, and I think I'll read another of her books this year!
Whoa, Lindsay and I are on a roll!  Six books already!  I feel like I'm getting better at reading in general.  Sounds weird, but it really seems that way.  After every book, I can't wait to read the next.
Something that gets me excited about reading is making a list of books that I've always wanted to read, or have been meaning to, or something that a friend has suggested.  (This especially works when you're trying to get through an especially difficult read.)

Friday, February 04, 2011

Book #5- One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

 
This book has honestly been my toughest read so far.  Although it's a mere 140 pages, the material is pretty heavy and there are no chapters.  The writing is great and you really find yourself rooting for the hero of the story, but the reason that it was so tough to get through is that it's an extremely accurate description of life in a Stalinist era Siberian labor camp.  There isn't any glamor, no real climax, just a gritty look at the beauty and tragedy of humanity.  

Here's my take on ebooks:  If they make you read more than you would with hard copies, do it!  I absolutely admire people who can read ebooks with as much gusto as the paper counterpart.  However, I am not one of those people.  I'm a bit more romantic about books in general.  I love the feeling of flipping pages, the smell of old paper (I buy 90 percent of my books used), and the sound of a book hitting the wall when the story didn't end the way I wanted it to (Her Fearful Symmetry).  

As far as investment, it just all depends on how much you read, and how you acquire your books.  If you're like me and prefer books with paper pages, I highly recommend buying your books used.  Amazon has extremely cheap used books, and I'll use them if my local used book store doesn't carry what I'm looking for.  It usually does though, thanks Myopic Books!

Also, the Chicago Public Library system is a great one and it's a great resource for any reader, researcher, or curious community member.  I'll go further in detail about CPL  and libraries in general later.

Moral of the story is- whatever, however, whenever best suits you, just read!

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Book #5 Autumn by David Moody




Autumn by David Moody was such a fun read and I really enjoyed it. An unconventional zombie like apocalypse book of awesomeness read in giant bites until my stomach was full. Like any giant meal it left me a bit sick at the end but still wanting dessert so I hope for a sequel. Moody got his start giving away books and this publicity was what made him popular. I love those unconventional ways authors and publishers get us to read their books.

Well I do have great news for all those iPad ebook readers. iFlow Reader has added support for Adobe library ebooks. It's taken way too long but we finally have some supported ebooks to check out from the library. I'm currently reading an ebook checked out and its working perfectly. As long as you have an internet connection you can check out any ebook you want at anytime of the day. There is only one downfall to this and that is waiting lists....yes you will have to wait for the most popular ebooks. I don't know if the new popularity of ebooks will get the library extra copies or not but all I know is that the waiting list can be long if you choose popular ebooks.

If you spend more than $200 on books a year you should invest in an ereader and this will save you in the long run. You will check out more books from the library without leaving your home. You will not have to spend as much on paper books because ebooks tend to be less expensive. As I've said before I do not do all my reading on the iPad only about 50% because I still love the feeling of having one of those beautiful soft paper books in my palms. I have still noticed a huge savings in just one year. Stay tuned for an article on the practices of reading ebooks.

Getting a new toy such as an iPad is just another way to get you interested in reading!