Tag: book

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.

Book Club: Full Dark, No Stars

Posted on by Shawshank

So here is where our chat about the third short story in the book Full Dark, No Stars – Fair Extension would be, had I read it.

And I feel very terrible and guilty about not reading it. This past week has been totally busy and insane. It was my first full week at work, I’d get home from working and just be so mentally tired, I couldn’t read. I planned on reading part, if not most of it yesterday; but it was my first day solo on the shop, I couldn’t even concentrate on a cooking show.

I know, excuses, excuses. I don’t know how y’all other bloggers can manage to balance everything.

So hopefully you guys forgive me. I’ll do better in the coming week to get it read.

Please, stick around. I’m not usually this useless!

5 books I’m glad I read in 2020

Posted on by Shawshank

2020 was a year to be sure. I had a lot of time to read. A lot. Let’s just leave it at that. I wished that I had written down all the books I read this year, but sadly I didn’t. There’s so many books that affected me, and I just can’t remember them.

But here’s the top 5 books I’m glad I read in 2020. And only one made me cry. I’m so damned emotional sometimes. I guess that means I really got into the book, huh?

1. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

This was the first book that Crystal sent me. It was a complete surprise when I got it. I didn’t know a lot about the book before I read it, but I recognized the cover – she had the same copy.

I didn’t want the book to end. I started it over 5 times. I like to say I read it 5 times the first time. I didn’t want it to end. I actually got anxiety when I got to the mid point, so I’d start it over again. My motto for this book, and every book I read after was;

You can only read a book once, for the first time.

This book seriously saved my life. And even now I’ll take it off my book shelf, and. Just hold it and flip through the pages. I gotta move on the the next book, I’m getting a little emotional. This is my favourite book.

2. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Laugh all you want, about the book, but this book (and the rest of the series) really helped me get through a tough time. It holds a special place in my heart.

3. Going Somewhere by Brian Benson

I resisted the whole let’s travel someplace and grow as a person book for a while, and then read 3 pretty much back to back. This one was cool, because yes the main character (real life people) grew, it was and it wasn’t a happy ending. I cried at the end of this. It wasn’t the ending that I expected – books like this have the happy ending. This one didn’t.

4. Honour Among Thieves by Jeffery Archer

This one like literally watching a big screen blockbuster in my mind. I blew through it in about 4 hours. Then read it again. I keep on the look out for this book when I’m at the second hand stores.

5. Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco

This book is dense. So much information about secret societies. I had to read it twice, just to figure out what was going on. I loved every second of it!

So what’re your top 5 books of 2020? I can’t wait to read about them!

Anonymous Bookaholics tag

Posted on by Shawshank

Here’s another fun little bookish thing. 5 questions, and the first couple don’t count for me, but I’ll answer them as if they did count.

I know, I know I should be tagging back to the original poster, and then tagging people I want to hear from. I’m just answering these for fun.

1. What’s your favourite bookshop?

My favourite books shop would have to be the Barnes and Noble in Warwick, RI. I just wish that they’d concentrate more on books, and not toys and junk like that.

2. Do you preorder books?

I don’t. Well, that’s a fib. I’ve preordered once. I preordered Written in My Own Hearts Blood. It was ok, it was delivered to my kindle on release morning.

3. Do you have a monthly buying limit?

Lol I buy exclusively at second hand stores, where the books are .50c-$1 each. The selection sucks most of the time, but sometimes I get lucky and find some pretty awesome books.

4. Is your book wishlist big?

I don’t know how to answer that. Size is relative. I have about 25 books in my wishlist. I’m sure others out there have 100s in the lists. So, 25 would be small.

5. What 3 books from your wishlist do you wish you had now?

Wow, now that you put me in the spot, this is a really hard question to answer. There’s so many good books on my list that I want to read this is actually giving me some anxiety. I mean what if I choose wrong? What if y’all think I’m just choosing books to look cool, and I’ll never read them? What if my choices are stupid?

  1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab
  2. The Troop by Nick Cutter
  3. The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

I’m gonna have to hit post, because I’m second guessing all my choices. Would it be easier if it were 5 books? Probably. It’d give me some padding at least!