#FridayReads 25th July 2014

I have one aim for the coming days - get my arse into gear with this 

I am reading this as a Buddy Read and I am letting the side down. I'm 350 pages in and hoping to smash it out of the park this weekend. Yeah, watch this space. 

#FridayReads 11th July 2014

If I had done a FridayReads last week it would be almost identical to today's. Not that I haven't been reading, honest, just the books I am reading are deliciously chunky and I am savouring every second.

The Son by Philipp Meyer

Epic in scope this tale of the fortunes of one founding "white" families in new state of Texas over several generations. Yes, this means multiple narrators and a non-linear story arc, so if that's not your jam I would steer clear. I have found myself flicking back and forth to the very handy but very needed family tree to try and keep track of who is who. Unfortunately this has spoilt my flow on several occasions, finding myself wandering over twitter so my brain hurts less. That being said I am invested in the story. The depth of research Meyer must have gone into to give this book a feeling of authenticity boggles the mind. Somehow he even managed to keep my focus during a chapter dedicated to the killing and various uses of a Buffalo carcas. As a on/off veggie it turned my stomach but I found myself congratulating them on their ability to use every single part of the animal. I hadn't realised how important animal cartlidge was....but I shall leave that there as it's lunchtime. 

I am currently on page 210/600. I hope to make a nice dent in that this weekend.

I am also re-reading  A Storm of Swords #2 and loving it. I'm only a couple of chapters in, I'm very much looking forward to the wedding festivities, hope nothing bad happens.....

June 2014 TBR

I'm excited for June! This month I will be taking part in a week-long 'TBR Toppler' which is organised by the Goodreads group You'll Love This One (YLTO) from Saturday 7th. I hope to get through 4 or 5 books, some of these i've been meaning to read for ages, particularly Fahrenheit 451 :

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is the Writers of Color choice for this month on Goodreads, and I am also hoping to read it alongside Katy from Katylovestoread because she is great fun and buddy reading with her will really help me get through the mountain of books I have planned.

Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie is the final book I have to finish from the Bailey's Prize Shortlist, with the winner announced on Wednesday the 4th. I am really looking forward to seeing which book has won, it was such a great shortlist and I have really enjoyed following it. I will definitely do the same next year.

[I have now finished this and I enjoyed it - review to follow. I would like A Girl is a Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride or Burial Rites by Hannah Kent to win!]

I picked The Sparrow up on a whim and it sounds good so I am going to see if I can read that before the Toppler starts.

I have 8 books to read to reach my 50 book challenge, so hopefully by the end of the month I should be close to that target! Happy reading everyone :))

Monday, Monday

It's the beginning of a new school term here in the UK, my teenage daughters have just left the building in what can only be described as a New Year miracle - there were no arguments, the house didn't get turned upside down, and I am feeling positive. Maybe, just maybe, we were a little more organised this morning? It feels that way.
I do, do this....I have a habit of getting super-duper organised, an organisational warrior, if you will - but it never lasts. Before too long the snooze button on the alarm clock gets pressed a few times too many, the shoes are never in the place I swore I left them the night before and  chaos ensues. But, the world likes a trier, so with that in mind, here is my weekly bookish to-do list -

READ THE LUMINARIES - I am prioritising this in the Bout of Books readathon so with some luck I will get it finished. By the way folks, it's massive (832p), it's complex, it's written like a Victorian novel and has about 20 main characters. All things I love, all things that take time to digest.  Review it.

Ugh, this cover is porn

WRITE SOME REVIEWS - aka Project Blog Revival, I read some great books in 2013 and I need to write about them.

I have a good chance of completing these things because it's January and, if I was an unfortunate sufferer of bi-polar, this would definitely be classed as a manic episode of a month for me. I am on fire. Whether it'll be a flash in a pan or an eternal flame who knows (one thing is for certain, my fire analogies are amazing).

Bout of Books 9.0

I'm quickly hashing a post together to say that the BoutofBooks readathon starts tomorrow, hosted by Amanda @ On a Book Bender, and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. and I will be joining in!

It lasts from Monday 6th Jan-Sunday 12th. For more info go to boutofbooks.blogspot.co.uk

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This readathon comes at a perfect time for me; the kids are back at school, I have some free time and there are some massive books on my tbr.

So, here are my quick ideas of what I would like to read and all that fun stuff -

Time devoted to reading:

I'm reading The Luminaries at the moment and it isn't a "quick read" so I plan to give that book at least two hours a day. I'm mixing it with other stuff so hopefully another hour on top of that, but life.

My goals:

Ultimately I, once again, would like to revive this blog and hopefully this can help towards that by participating in the challenges.

Bookishly, I'd like to finish The Luminaries (it's fricking huge) and maybe start on the rest of my Jan tbr. I am NOT going to be reading quick and easy books, so my total book count will reflect that. 

Books to read:

The Luminaries, obviously, and possibly The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibon; The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey and Fingersmith by Sarah Waters are both books left unfinished from 2013 and I feel guilty, so probably those. 

I will update this post with my progress. Have fun everyone! HAPPY READING!

Wishlist Wants!

Just take a look at this gorgeous new Hardback Deluxe box set edition of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, due to be released (in the UK) on the 24th of October by Harper Collins. They are so beautiful!

I actually need these for my bookshelf! 

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Continuing with the fantasy theme Harper Voyager are releasing (just in time for Christmas) a book about my favourite character in the Song of Ice and Fire series, Tyrion Lannister. 

Anyone that has read George R.R.Martin's epic fantasy series will know that Tyrion gets ALL the best lines. In this Hardback edition they illustrate some of his infamous quotes.

"My sister has mistaken me for a mushroom. She keeps me in the dark and feeds me shit."

This book is released in the UK on the 7th of November

What books are you looking forward to being released? Leave me a comment with your linky and I will come and take a look!

Top Ten Books I was Forced to Read

TOP TEN BOOKS I WAS FORCED TO READ

This meme was created and is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

I can't say I have ever been forced to read anything, although obviously school required me to read during English Lit classes. Here are 3 I loathed and 7 that I liked or loved.

LOATHED *but might like now*

 

The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Brecht - A play we studied that I strongly disliked

The Canterbury Tales - I understand its historical importance but at 14 I found the language confusing

Beowulf - An epic poem that I couldn't be bothered with at the time 

LIKED *should re-read*

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller - Great atmosphere in this book

Dubliners - Obsessed with all things Irish as a teen

The Tempest - The first Shakespeare play I "got"

Selected Poems of Tennyson - I went to the same school as Tennyson and a lot of the inspiration for his writing came from the area where I live, I related!

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas - I was amazed by this book

LOVED *influenced my reading*

 

Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - I found a love of 19th century lit from reading this. Hardy is not a favourite now, however

Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood - A great book to read in high school, I also loved her writing style.

 Drop me a comment and your TTT link and I will come and check it out!