Tag: book lover

Book Club: Full Dark, No Stars

Posted on by Shawshank

Finally I got some time to do some reading. And since I was behind a week, I decided to read the last two stories in Full Dark, No Stars, our book club book. Now, we’re back on track.

Fair Extension

This was a disturbing one, at least for me. It shows that even your best of friends could hate you. The short story was short. Like really short. It’s the story of a guy dying of lung cancer. So one night he’s driving home, and sees a guy with a little sore front set up by the side of the road. He goes over to talk to him, and finds out that this guy can give him a fair extension. This extension comes at a price. Money of course, and someone that he hates. Truly hates to transfer all his bad luck too.

It left me feeling unsettled. But I’m sure that’s what King was going for.

A Good Marriage

This one started out so normal and happy, which from what I can guess means this King novella is going to go down hill very quickly. Which it does.

Can I spoil a book that came out 10 years ago? I mean, I’d be upset that it got spoiled for me. I’m just getting to know Stephan King. But on the other hand, it has been 10 years.

Ok, I really enjoyed all the short stories in the book. I liked how he explored different takes on retribution, and revenge. I personally can’t wait to read another King book.

See you again next week, where I talk about my initial thoughts and questions on Brave New World. Y’all though I forgot about it, huh? Nope!

Book Review: The Raw Shark Texts

Posted on by Shawshank

Welcome to my book review of The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. As I was gathering a couple pictures, and reading the synopsis of the book to refresh myself on the book, I could swear that I’d done a review on it before. So I went to my site, and looked, I couldn’t find anything, but then again, I didn’t look too hard. It want checked off on my list, so here we are!

Imagine waking up in a strange house, with no memory of being there, no memory of yourself, no memory of anything. That’s what happened to Eric Sanderson. There’s a not to call this number, and it signed by himself, or so the note says. He calls the number and it’s his psychologist, and she tells him he has a condition.

Following a trail of clues and notes, Eric finds that he’s being hunted by a conceptual shark called a Ludovician.

I really liked this book. You can really identify with Eric, as you are going into this as blind as he is. You, like him, don’t know if you can believe the Eric that’s writing the notes. You even start to feel a little paranoid as Eric explores his past with the help of some mysterious characters that help him a long the way.

Like House of Leaves, this has some interesting printing in it. Some pictures formatted from words. At one point you actually turn what you’re reading into a flip book.

This book really does need to be on more people’s to be read lists. I really enjoyed this book, and more people should as well.

First Line Friday

Posted on by Shawshank

So did everyone guess correctly? Was it too difficult? Will this one stump you or not?

Ok, last weeks book was: House of Leaves. Quite possibly my favourite book. If you haven’t read it, you probably should.

And now this weeks:

The naked child ran out of the hide-covered lean-to toward the Rocky beach at the bend in the small river. It didn’t occur to her to look back. Nothing in her experience ever gave her the reason to doubt the shelter and those within it would be there when she returned.

Until next week my friends!

Book Review: Midnight Sun

Posted on by Shawshank

The book I didn’t think I needed to read! It’s not secret that I loved the Twilight Saga (although, I haven’t finished any other Twilight book since I got here), I didn’t think I needed to read a, and let’s be honest, a retelling of Twilight.

I was wrong.

This book is pretty much all Edward, all the time. He’s so far in his head, that I don’t think he’s ever be able to claw his way out of it.

There is one funny scene that I remember. It’s shortly after he’s met Bella, and he’s imagining/day dreaming of killing everyone in the class, especially Mike Newton, whom he just hates on a visceral level, just so he could drink all of Bella’s blood undisturbed.

While Edward’s side of things was very interesting, I loved learning more about his family. Alice is amazing in this book.

Just wait until you get to the “Phoenix Incident”. It’s glorious, and makes the whole book a show stopper.

Now, I want a book from Alice’s POV.

Books books, books (sung to the tune of Girls girls, girls)

Posted on by Shawshank

So today, with moms approval, I was allowed to move the “Romance Rack” – consisting of at least 80-90% of Nora Roberts complete library out of my room, and back into the living room, where they came from.

The Romance Rack with all the dust catchers on it.

I waited until my mom and grandmother left for a hair appointment, then moved the bookcase out, and through multiple trips? Brought all the bodice rippers out.

So then, I had to move my bookcase over a bit. You see the chunks of wood there? I cut those, with no adult supervision! It only took a few seconds to figure out how to turn on the table saw. I need them there because when I moved moms bookcase, my books fell to the floor.

Wood paneling AND that carpet. Hello 1972!

Shady Acres is taking a nap. Then we’re off to SlightlyBiggerTown, and I think this’ll be the first week in a long time that I won’t look for books. For two reasons:

1. I’m out of money.

2. I’m out of room on the bookcase.

This will be the week that at least 1 of the books on my want list will be there, and someone else will pick it up. I just know it.