Tag: books

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!

First Line Friday

Posted on by Shawshank

This one is simple. I post the first couple lines from a random book on my shelf, and you try and figure out which book it is. The answer will be posted the next Friday, with another first line! Sounds like fun.

And away we go!

I still get nightmares. In fact I get them so often I should be used to them by now. I’m not. No one ever really gets used to nightmares. For a while I tried every pill imaginable. Anything to curb the fear.

Got a guess? Post it in the comments, and may the odds ever be in your favour!

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!

He never hit the brakes when he was shifting gears

Posted on by Shawshank

It’s dark out there. Like pitch black. And I’m awake. Coffee is brewing, and I’m just waiting for it. I slept pretty good until 6:14, when I think I was nervous about not hearing my alarm. So I was tossy turny. I did notice when I got up one of my blankets was on the ground. No wonder why I was chilly this morning.

Quick question; will weighted blankets help tossing and turning?

This is my first full week of work. I’m still very nervous, but excited. I really hope I can do everything. I need to save the money for when Crystal gets here.

Speaking of books, this isn’t a book haul or anything like that. Talking with Crystal last night. I said I found THE book. I don’t have to buy anymore books. That’s it, I’m done. I present to you

Boom. Mike drop.

Book Review: Sharp Objects

Posted on by Shawshank

So I watched the HBO miniseries long before I read the book. I loved the series, so I really wanted to see how the book was.

I loved the book as much as the miniseries.

Newspaper journalist Camille Preaker, is broken. Mentally broken. Fresh out of a recent hospitalization for self-harm for carving words on to her body. Camille is sent back to her hometown to investigate 2 brutal murders, as well as navigating and interacting around her family, including her 13 year old half sister.

I really liked the grittiness of the book, and the descriptions of her family and what it was like growing up in a small town. Since she’s a reporter, no one what’s to talk to her on the record, but she persists, and ends up figuring it all out.

Did I mention the twist ending?

I think I just did, but you have to read it for yourself. But when I first saw the twist on the show, I was shocked, repulsed, disgusted all at the same time. It was great. The book lead up to it as a slow burn.

I just wish I could read it again for the first time. Go out and get it!