Its Monday! What Are You Reading? Halloween 2011

Well I’ve actually had quite a good reading week this week dispite still being very busy!

Books Read

I managed two books this week. The first was Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. This was fantastic. The second was Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson.

Reading Now

I’m currently reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. This is for the BCF November reading circle and im enjoying it a lot more than i thought i would.

Reading Next

Next up is the same book from last week as i actually picked the wrong book of the shelf! So its My Best Friends Girl by Dorothy Koomson.

Books Brought

Just the one book last week and that was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

 

sorry for the short post but im now off to bed 🙂

Marshmallows for Breakfast – Dorothy Koomson

Synopsis – When Kendra Tamale returns to England from Australia she rents a room from Kyle, a divorced father of two, and begins a new job. She’s looking forward to a fresh start and simple life. Kyle’s five-year-old twins, Summer and Jaxon, have other ideas and quickly adopt Kendra as their new mother – mainly because she lets them eat marshmallows for breakfast. Kendra eventually becomes a part of their lives, even though she’s hiding a painful secret that makes her keep everyone – especially children – at arm’s length. Then Kendra bumps into the man who shares her awful secret, and things fall apart: she can’t sleep, she can’t eat, she’s suspended from work, and the kids are taken away by their mother. The only way to fix things is to confess to the terrible mistake she made all those years ago. But that’s something she swore never to do …

My Thoughts – To start with i was a little unsure about this book, as the first few pages didnt hook me too much. But I’m so glad that i perserved, because i ended up really liking this book. It centres on Kendra who is a little bit of a woman of mystery. She has moved back to England under a bit of a dark shadow. She ends up in the middle of a family and has to make choices.
Also, different points of veiw are spoken within this book which i really really liked. I also liked the length of the book, not too long and not too short. i was hooked when i picked up the book too.
I have a couple more books by this author and i cant wait to read them! A good, easy chick lit read.

Rating – 4/5

World Book Night 2012 – A Reading Challenge

Well, I understand that World Book Night is not a reading challenge, its about encouraging other people to read, but this list looks so good!

I have had a look through and made a new page for tracking my progress HERE

Looking through this list i have already read 14 books and probably have half the books on my TBR pile and wishlist.

I’m excited to do this challenge, i can’t find it anywhere else on the internet either. The books overlap a lot of other challenges too, so I’m excited to start this!

Booking Through Thursday – Hard

What’s the hardest/most challenging book you’ve ever read? Was it worth the effort? Did you read it by choice or was it an assignment/obligation?

 

The hardest book i have ever read by choice is one of the books i have recently read. it was The Ambassadors by Henry James. I haven’t read many classics and really found it difficul to understand and really couldn’t get into the story. James seems to have a way of using 5 sentances where one would have really done.

Probably the hardest book i ever had to read in school was Macbeth by Shakespeare. I was around 13 years old and really had a thought in my head that i wouldn’t like it, so i think that effected me a lot. However, now that i am older, i love Shakepeare, Hamlet is my favourite!

WWW Wednesdays (26th Oct)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme held over on Should Be Reading. To play along just answer the following questions

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson. I’ve not read anything by this author before, but i have several on my huge TBR pile. So far, I’m really interested by this book. I want to know more about the story and the secrets within the book. So far I’m enjoying this book.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

The last book i finished reading was Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. This is very different to many other books that i have read as i takes the form of letters, emails, faxes, text messages, instant messages and answer phone messages. i loved this book as it showed many of different opinions on the story lines. Cecelia Ahern is fast becoming one of my favourite authours.

What do you think you will read next?

I have a choice of two books to read next. The next book off my TBR mountain is My Best Friend’s Girl by Dorothy Koomson so it might be that. I’m also awaiting The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie for next months reading circle so if that arrives before i will read that!

Where Rainbows End – Cecelia Ahern

Synopsis – The new novel from the number 1 bestselling author of PS, I Love You is a bittersweet tale of childhood friends Rosie and Alex whose relationship must survive many trials and tribulations, not least the discovery of their true feelings for one another. From naughty children to rebellious teenagers, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But just as they’re discovering the joys of teenage nights on the town and dating disasters, they’re separated. Alex’s family moves from Dublin to America — and Alex goes with them. For good. Rosie’s lost without her best friend. But on the eve of her departure to join Alex in Boston, Rosie gets news that will change her life forever — and keep her at home in Ireland. Their magical connection sees them through the ups and downs of each other’s lives but neither of them knows whether their friendship can really survive the years and miles — as well as new relationships. And at the back of Rosie’s mind is whether they were meant to be more than just good friends all along. Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them out of each others’ arms, but when presented with the ultimate opportunity, will they gamble everything — including their friendship — for true love? Destiny, Alex and Rosie discover, is a funny thing and fate isn’t quite done with them yet…

My Thoughts – This is the third book by Cecelia Ahern that i have read, the others being, If You Could See Me Know and of course P.S. I Love You. Both of these books were fantastic and i had high expectations of this book, and i have to say i wasnt disappointed. it is not like any other book that i have read as it is all written in notes, letters, faxes, emails, texts and answer phone messages. before i had read this book the format would have put me off, but it really really worked. The story spans 50 years, starting when the main characters are both 5 years old and continues until they are 50. It includes many of their relations and friends too, friends, daughters, sons, partners, husbands, wives, parents etc. I read most of this book in one night and once i had picked it up i couldnt put it down. It is a brilliant love story and shows the love between so many people. It kept me guessing until the end, and i actually almost cried too! Such a great book and highly recommended!

Rating 5/5

Its Monday! What are you Reading? (24th Oct)

Hello all 🙂 Its been another really busy week for me, i only have another week like it hopefully and things should hopefully slow down!

Books Read

I finished just the one book this week again, but i am actually quite pleased that i managed to finish it at all! It was The Ambassadors by Henry James. I havent read many classic books but this one was just so heavy going and i just didnt understand the language. Hopefully not all classic books are like this.

Reading Now

I’m currently reading a fantastic book, Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. this is fantastic, ive almost finished it but it is such a brilliant book i would highly recommend to anybody!

Reading Next

Next up is My Best Friend’s Girl by Dorothy Koomson. I’ve not read anything by her before but i do have several on my TBR stack!

Books Brought

Nothing again this week, but i have more than enough to be getting on with!

The Ambassadors – Henry James

Challenges – BCF October Reading Circle
1001 Books You Must Read

Synopsis – Concerned that her son Chad may have become involved with a woman of dubious reputation, the formidable Mrs Newsome sends her ‘ambassador’ Strether from Massachusetts to Paris to extricate him. Strether’s mission, however, is gradually undermined as he falls under the spell of the city and finds Chad refined rather than corrupted by its influence and that of his charming companion, the comtesse de Vionnet. As the summer wears on, Mrs Newsome comes to the conclusion that she must send another envoy to Paris to confront the errant Chad, and a Strether whose view of the world has changed profoundly. James’s favourite novel and one of the greatest of his late works, The Ambassadors is a subtle and often witty exploration of different American responses to a European environment.

My Thoughts – I was so looking forward to reading this book, having not read many classics, but unfortunatly i just didnt like it. The language really really really put me off! I actually couldnt understand a lot of it and Henry James seemed to have a way of using far to many words say a simple thing. Maybe this was just me not being able to understand it, but it made the book very difficult to understand. I was reading sentences over and over again, and this really slowed down my reading and enjoyment of the book.
I’m hoping not all classic books are like this as I’d love to be able to read more of them!

Rating – 2/5

The Classics, Easy or Hard?

Well I’m currently reading The Ambassadors – Henry James as part of a reading circle, and this is probably one of the few classic books that I have read.

But, the problem is, I’m struggling. I can’t get into the language and I can’t actually follow the plot at all.

So, I’m wondering if all classic books are like this, or whether it’s just this one. I am hoping not, because i WANT to enjoy these books but i cant get into it. Also, i know many people who regularly  read the classics, but maybe I’m not clever  enough for them.

Booking Through Thursday – Vacation

 

I’m on vacation this week. I didn’t go anywhere exciting or exotic, I’m just not at work. Spending time puttering around the house, playing with the dog and … oh yeah. Reading. A lot.

Do your reading habits change when you’re on vacation? Do you read more? Do you indulge in lighter, fluffier books than you usually read? Do you save up special books so you’ll be able to spend real vacation time with them? Or do you just read the same old stuff, vacation or not?

 

Well first, that is my favourite type of holiday, not going anywhere, just chilling and reading, absolutly perfect!

I read so much more when I’m on holiday, probably because i can read before getting out of bed,in the morning, whenever i like, because i am not rushing around like a mad woman, and as I’m less tired in the evening, i can just read all i like!

Now onto what i read. I don’t change what i read because i have a ‘reading system’. Everytime i buy a book it goes onto the bottom of my TBR pile. And stays their until it works its way around to the top of the pile. This is so i read books i brought a while ago and they dont stay on the shelf gathering dust! Also this encourages me to buy less books too.

So while my reading material doesnt change while I’m on holiday, the ammount i read does!