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My reading has not improved. I am slowly trudging through The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson. I somehow can't read more than a few pages at a time. It is very frustrating. I am also unable to visit my blogger friends. I don't know what's wrong with me...
Although I read only two books in October, I thought I will still do a wrap up post:
1) Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy
2) The Weight Of Shadows by Alison Strobel
As for as RIP V is concerned, I read three books although my plan was to read lot more. Here is what I read for RIP V:
The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb
Never Wave Goodbye by Doug Magee
Bones of Contention by Jeanne Matthews
Weekly Geek question:
Is there a book that has hanged around your reading pile for far too long before you got to it, A book that probably got packed away until you accidentally got to it or a book that you read a few pages in and never got back to.
I can cite many examples but here I will mention only a few.
1) The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood: I started it and somehow it did not hold interest. I read it again after 6 months and could not put it down. Maybe the first time around, the sheer number of pages (600+) intimidated me.
2) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck: I have loved all the Steinbeck's novels I have read. And this one supposed to be the best and I have not got around it. I start it and then somehow it does not get read.
3) The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff: It has a very interested premise but I have left it halfway through. And I will come back to it.
4) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: I have read a lot of Marquez's works but yet to begin this book. I have owned it for ages now.
And then I waited for
5) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson: Due to a reading slump, I am taking ages to finish it!
How about you? Do you feel guilty about leaving a book in the lurch?
What reading skeletons do you have in your closet? Books you’d be ashamed to let people know you love? Addiction to the worst kind of (fill in cheesy genre here)? Your old collection of Bobbsey Twin Mysteries lovingly stored behind your “grown-up” books? You get the picture … come on, confess!
I read a wide genre of books now. I have been doing that for a long time. But there was a time when I only read romances.....namely Mills & Boons and Harlequins. I still own around 400 of those books. I am trying give those away but something prevents me. When my mood needs boosting, I pick one up and start re-reading! Many of these romances have been read again and again. Some authors remain favourites even now: Liliane Peake, Carole Mortimer, Sally Wentworth and lot more. Janet Daily too. Does anyone else recall these authors?
Title: Crow Lake
Author: Mary Lawson
ISBN: 0385337639
Publisher: Delta Trade Paperbacks
Pages: 291
Genre: Fiction
The story begins with Kate Morrison. She is narrating it for us right from when she was six years old. She has two elder brothers, Luke who is nineteen and Matt who is seventeen. They have a baby sister Bo, who is eighteen months old. Right in the beginning, we see the children losing their parents in a car accident. Luke who had never cared much for his siblings gives up on his dream of becoming a teacher and brings up the younger kids with the help of his brother. Matt has always been interested to go to the University but due to some reason I need not elaborate here, he can’t. Kate follows Matt’s dream. She ends up becoming a zoologist.
This novel is set in the wild terrain of Ontario. Here heartbreak and hardship go hand in hand. The story of the Morrisons is tied up with the Pye family. The Pyes are a cursed lot where the sins of the fathers are visited on the sons. On the centre stage are the Morrisons undergoing tragedy but it is not brutal. In a way, it binds them together.
We see Kate saddened by the fact that Matt could not pursue his dreams. She shuts him from her world completely thinking it would only cause him pain to see her doing what he had coveted most. Kate has many misconceptions regarding her brother Matt, although he is one person she loved most in this world. No one could measure upto him. When she leaves for University, she shuts him out giving up the closeness they had shared while they were younger.
The Morrison children are very close to each other. The bonding is palpable. They seldom show their love for each other, but are very caring. They do not want to lose each other by being apart from each other. That part appealed to me. I am very close to my siblings. I share a wonderful rapport with my brothers. May be that is why I liked the book. Family love...that is what is underlying in this novel. Finally, we see Kate coming into terms with herself and her family.
Mary Lawson can weave words very well. In no way this book is depressing. It has humour going for it even in the face of adversity. The love shines through despite the bubbling arguments.
"How are doing you?" Trinity wrote.
"I have a hole my head."
"I can't tell the difference, "Bambi wrote.
"Wasp always had air in her head." SisterJen wrote, and that was followed by a spate of disparaging remarks about Wasp's mental abilities. Salander smiled.
~~Page 321, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson*
*Still reading it!!!. Isn't that a pity that my slump continues for the second month?
Mailbox Monday has moved over to She Reads and Reads, for the month of October.
I received four books, in the past week, thanks to the authors/publicists:
1) From The Dead by John Herrick
A preacher’s son, a father in hiding, a guilty heart filled with secrets: When Jesse Barlow escaped to Hollywood, he hungered for fame—but eleven years of failure result in a drug-induced suicide attempt. Revived at death’s doorstep, Jesse returns to his Ohio hometown to make amends with his preacher father, a former love, and Jesse’s own secret son. But Jesse’s renewed commitment becomes a baptism by fire when his son’s advanced illness calls for a sacrifice—one that could cost Jesse the very life he regained.
2) The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton
Follow Friday, is hosted by ParaJunkee, Book Blogger Hop, is hosted by Jennifer (Crazy-For-Books), and
Follow Friday 40 and over is hosted by Java
Jennifer asks: "Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden"
I mostly read curled up in the sofa but there is no hard and fast rule. However, I can't read in bed!
Name a book (or books) from a country other than your own that you love. Or aren’t there any?
I am an Indian and almost every book I read is from the UK, US or many other parts of the world. So you can say that all that I read is of foreign origin.. And of course, I choose well....I will have to name all that I have read and that is, way, way too much!
As I still reading it, I post another teaser from it, taking care of a non-spoiler..
"He took a screwdriver from his pocket, stood on tiptoe and unscrewed the three screws in the round white cover of a vent in the wall of Salander's room. He pushed the telephone as far as into the vent as he could, just as Blomkvist had asked him to."
~Page 278, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
Mailbox Monday has moved over to She Reads and Reads, for the month of October.
I received four books, in the past week:
1) A Dangerous Affair by Caro Peacock
2) Voltaire's Calligrapher by Pablo De Santis
3) The Wake of Forgiveness by Bruce Machart
4) Sometimes Mine by Martha Moody
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I am still reading
Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
My slump is going on!
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Do you prefer hardcovers, trade paperbacks (the bigger ones), or mass market paperbacks (the smaller ones)? Why?
I like Trade paperbacks best. Lighter in weight, easier on the eyes and easier to carry. Hard covers are good on the shelf but heavier to carry!
Author: Alison Strobel
ISBN: 9780310289456
Publisher: Zondervan/2010
Pages: 316
Kim had a difficult childhood, a tragic mistake to hide from all. She has made a good life for herself but her guilt does not leave her. When she meets Rick, she doesn't not think she deserves him. At his insistence, she moves in with him. But the euphoria of being with him soon dies. He is abusive towards her. And she thinks it her due for what she had done in her teenage years. Their new neighbour Joshua has some inkling about what goes in the next apartment but can't confront openly. He too has his own secrets.
Then he tells Debbie about what he fears about Kim. Debbie works for abusive women and saved a lot of them. But like any other women, wants love. And she too is guilt ridden, with no fault of hers. When Rick almost hits their baby, Kim knows she has to save that innocent life, no matter what. She doesn't care anymore that Rick may let out her secret crime into the open.
The lives of Kim, Joshua, Debbie are tied up to each other. Joshua's 4-year old daughter Maddie is a cherub. From page one, this novel grabs the reader. And tells us past wounds can be healed with sensitivity, love and forgiveness.
Follow Friday, is hosted by ParaJunkee and Book Blogger Hop, is hosted by Jennifer (Crazy-For-Books), check both out and follow/hop to some new blogs.
Jennifer asks: "When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?"
I leave it and get to another book. Sometimes I come back, many a times I don't. It depends on my mood mostly
Meanwhile, you can explore my blog. You will definitely find something that interests you. I read wide range of genres, except maybe for a few. I also write poetry. You can read that on my other blog, rooted. Feel free to explore both of my blogs!
Enjoy!
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Friday Find
One ordinary summer's day a young girl disappears while cycling to volleyball practice. Her abandoned bike is found in exactly the same place that another girl was assaulted and murdered thirty-three years previously. The perpetrator was never brought to justice so the authorities suspect the same killer has struck again.
If you could rewrite the ending of any book, which book would it be? And how would you change it?
There are in fact numerous books, where I thought the ending should have been different. I know that is a different line of thought than what is asked here. Getting back, I did not like the ending of the seventh and last Harry Potter novel. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling has a nicely tied up ending which did not gel with me. The novel otherwise has some very finer points, very mathematical and symbolic. But making all of them grow up, marry and with children was a bit too much for me. The book somehow lost its innocence. If I had my way, I would have kept them all young. Not that I desire another one in the series but there is nothing wrong with speculations.
I say, give me a break!
Title: Grace Under Pressure
Author: Julie Hyzy
ISBN: 9780425235218
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime/2010
Pages: 310
Grace Under Pressure is set in a Manor in Emberstowne and is a cozy mystery. Grace Wheaton is the assistant curator of Marshfield Manor. Just when she thinks her life is settled, the curator of the Manor is murdered. It seems like a mistaken killing as the killer wanted to get the owner Bennett Marshfield.
Grace takes over as the curator and starts to investigate the murder in her own fashion. She discovers that everyone is trying to get a piece out of the owner. She discovers some dubious financial dealings. And while searching through her own papers left to her by her mother, she finds a link with Manor.
Grace does whatever it takes to save the Manor despite the skeletons tumbling out. It is good cozy mystery and Hyzy has created a good character in Grace. This is the first book in the Manor of murder mystery series. Worth looking at..
She thought for a moment before she looked at him again. "How's the old bastard doing?"
"Who? You mean-"
"The one who came in the same time as I did."
~Page 138, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
Right now, my reading is slow. I am only able to read a few pages at a time. Better than, not reading anything though. And I so want to finish this novel fast!
Mailbox Monday has moved over to She Reads and Reads, for the month of October.
I received four books, in the past week, thanks to the authors/publicists:
1) Velocity by Alan Jacobson (Crime Fiction)
2) Out at Night by Susan Arnout Smith (Crime Fiction)
3) Cry Ohana by Rosemary and Larry Lidd (Crime Fiction)
4) The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel (Women's Fiction)
And lastly, I bought:
5) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
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I read two books for the 24 Hour Readathon:
1) Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy
2) The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel
I will be reading
Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
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In regards to books, reading, the publishing industry, etc… What are you most grateful for? Why? Have you ever done anything to tangibly show your appreciation?
All I do is, read! And review, discuss. Not much else! Maybe I should send out letters to the publishing houses, showing my appreciation. Should I? I am not sure! What do you say?!
Books Read: 1) Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy (310)
2) The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel (316)
3) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson(110/743)
Pages Read: 310+316+110=736
Books Finished: 2
Cups of tea drunk: numerous
Mini-challenges participated in: 4
Cheerleading: as and when
I am back to square one! I read two books and could only manage 110/743 pages of the third one, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson. I simply couldn't go on. However, 736 pages is not bad for someone who was in a major reading slump!
End of Event Meme:
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
After 13 hours. I slept for two hours but still did not read much. I
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
More of cheerleading!
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Mini-challenges gave everyone ample time to participate
5. How many books did you read?
Two+
6. What were the names of the books you read?
1) Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy (310)
The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel (316)
3) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson(110/743)
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson(110/743)
8. Which did you enjoy least?
The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel (316)
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I pre-wrote some fun cheers. And cut and pasted those starting from the bottom of the alphabet alloted to me. I tried to cover all and then some more! I kind of missed the regular readers of my blog. Suppose they were too busy!
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Reader and Cheerleader, both! I enjoyed!
1. What are you reading right now?
Out at might by Susan Arnout Smith
2. How many books have you read so far?
two!
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Not really!
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Yes! Entirely my fault. I chatted for more than two hours over the net! But I don't regret it.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
Nothing as yet!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Will talk about it later!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Not much change!
9. Are you getting tired yet?
Yes! I live in India. I have not slept the whole night. And feel sleepy in the morning now!
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
For readers, go easy on reading. Get up and walk around. For cheerleaders, visit as many blogs as you can. In my initial hours, I was not much visited by the cheerleaders. It really affects reading!
Books Read: 1) Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy (310)
2) The Weight of Shadows by Alison Strobel (316)
Pages Read: 310+316=626
Books Finished: 2
Cups of tea drunk: 4
Mini-challenges participated in: 4
Cheerleading: as and when
I have finished two books, not very breezy reads either. I am happy with it. I did Yoga and now drinking a cup of tea! As I haven't slept a wink, I will lie down for two hours. And again reading!
Books Read: 1 and 3/4
Pages Read: 310+215=525
Books Finished: 1
Cups of tea drunk: 2
Mini-challenges participated in: 4
Cheerleading: as and when
Was planning to sleep but it did not come by. So finished 80 more pages!
Books Read: 1 and 1/2
Pages Read: 310+135=445
Books Finished: 1 and 1/2
Cups of tea drunk: 2
Mini-challenges participated in: 3
Cheerleading: covering the alphabet M! And also some others!
It is 1:54 AM. I started at 6:30 pm my time. More than hours. I was fast in the first three hours, now a bit slow. Considering I was chatting with someone for more than two hours, I have not done badly. I read 135 pages since 11: 40 PM.
Now I will go to sleep for at three hours. Will get up around 5 AM.
Happy reading all!
Shake Those Pom Poms with our Head Cheerleader, Jill from Fizzy Thoughts
I don't have pom-poms
nor short skirts, high heels
What I have is best wishes
cyber kisses, & good will!
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come near me, my dearie
here is your friendly fairy
to hug you
cheer you
so that you don't get jittery!
Books Read: 1
Pages Read: 310
Books Finished: 1
Cups of tea drunk: 1
Mini-challenges participated in: Non
Cheerleading: Visited 13 of those!
Happy reading all! I am doing good. I have finally broken the reading JINX!
Hope all are set for the 24 Hour Read-a-thon! It is 6:30 pm here. I too am ready. To read and cheerlead!
24 Hour Read-a-thon is only a few hours away. I have always participated as reader. This time I will be cheering too. I opted for three hours. I might do it for more hours. Mainly because, due to my reading slump, I might not be able to read! Please do pray that I am able to read something, even if only one book.
I have been alloted to cheer those whose names/blogs start with M. However, that does not mean I will not be visiting my regular blogger friends! I wish all of you a happy 24 Hour Read-a-thon. Reading is important but enjoying it is more so! So, go, readers/cheerleaders, go!
I don't have short skirts or pom-poms! If anyone wishes me to gift those, feel free to do! :D
Follow Friday, is hosted by ParaJunkee and Book Blogger Hop, is hosted by Jennifer (Crazy-For-Books), check both out and follow/hop to some new blogs.
Jennifer asks: "What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any? Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?
I am a die hard tea drinker. Any time!
ParaJunkee asks: How many reviews do you like to do a week?
3-4. Not more than that. Lately not more than one as I am not reading anything!
Meanwhile, you can explore my blog. You will definitely find something that interests you. I read wide range of genres, except maybe for a few. Do check it out!
When you travel, how many books do you bring with you? Has this changed since the arrival of ebooks?
When I travel for a week, I usually carry 4-5 books and each book is more than 400 pages. I do take a mixed genres of books. I don't really pressurize myself to read when I am in a vacation. I read as and when I really wish to. AS I don't own an e-reader, arrival of ebooks have not affected my carrying books in anyway! Maybe someday...
Today is one of those days. I have not felt like doing anything. I have simply sat at one place and stared at the wall, trying to blank out my mind. Maybe I have also stared at my computer screen, unseeing. Thinking, thinking, thinking. The whys in our life don't let us live. Whenever I had such phases, books helped me out of it. This time, I have not been able to reach out for any book. I simply stand in front of my bookshelves and walk away from it after a while.
I even went out for a few hours but even then my mind was not in it. I wanted to get back and be on my own. Now that I am on my own, I seem to be more troubled than I was before. I am writing poetry. That's about the only good thing about this state. I won't call it depression. Because it is not going to last more than few more hours. Until then, I suppose I will dwell in self pity!
Any help from anyone? I have tried to listen to music, watch a movie, read blog posts, gone out, even did some cooking, solved math puzzles and wrote poetry. What else am I supposed to do?
As I have not been been reading anything, I thought I will pick a teaser from an old read of mine. I have read this novel several times and it still remains one of my favourite reads. I read it first in 1984. My copy is yellowed and much loved.
This following paragraph is about the vet and a bull. The vet had come to treat the bull of some ailment:
There was no malice in his behaviour - he was simply having a comfortable lean against the board and I don't suppose he even noticed the morsel of puny humanity wriggling frantically against his rib-cage. And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Bill (the bull), started to rub himself up and down against the partition. So that was what he had come round for; he had an itch and he just wanted to scratch it.
~page 38, Vet In Harness by James Herriot
I think I will re-read it. It might get me out of the slump!
Mailbox Monday has moved over to She Reads and Reads, for the month of October.
I received two books, in the past two books:
1) Angel Mine by Sherryl Woods from Stacy of Stacy books
2) The Big Ten of Grammar: Identifying and fixing the ten most frequent Grammatical Errors by Dr. William B. Bradshaw from the publicist.
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I have not read anything at all this past week unless you count numerous scientific articles and poetry. I did review Angel Mine, which I read on the 26th of September.
I don't really know what I will be reading, if at all I will be reading.
What am I supposed to do in the readathon, if my slump continues?
Cheerleading, what else!
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What’s your favorite “cozy” book — and, by that, I’m meaning “curl-up-on-a-cold-day comfort read“? Or, if you don’t have a particular book, what genre do you most feel like reading when the weather starts to turn colder?
There was a time when I used to go for those Mills & Boon and Harlequins for cozy reading. But that was a long time ago. I had the graphic novel phase too. In those days, Tintin and Asterix were very common. I loved to cozy up with those albums. Not any more. Presently, I continue with whatever I am reading. Anything goes!
