Tag: talking about books

Where’s your reading nook?

Posted on by Shawshank

What’s your favourite place to read? Your Fortress of Solitude? Do you hid in the bathroom to read to get away from your kids? In the bathtub after a hard days work? Where’s your book nook?

Me? I’m a simple guy. I like to lay on my bed. That’s my Fortress of Solitude. I’m left alone when I’m in my room. When I’m in my room, I’m surrounded by friends. My friends are my books. Crystal is in my room too. There’s pictures of her all over the walls there. I’m not alone when I’m in my room.

I do all of my reading in there. It’s quiet and for the most part mine.

It makes me happy in there.

What’s one book that you wish you could read again for the first time?

Posted on by Shawshank

I’ve always said that you can only read a book for the first time. You can only be surprised by a twist or a cliff hanger once.

Which book do you wish you could read again for the first time?

For me, it’s A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin. Yes, that one. For those in the know, they know what I’m talking about. Crystal does for sure.

This is the one book that I’ve thrown across the room once I hit that certain chapter. Do you know which one I’m talking about?

The North Remembers.

Yeah, I’m talking about The Red Wedding. Martins writing in that chapter is flawless. He navigates with expertise, I didn’t know what was happening until it was over. Cue throwing the book, and just rushing to get it, and rereading the chapter over again.

I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Why do you read?

Posted on by Shawshank

I read for a number of reasons. Before, I didn’t have anything else to do. So I read to pass the time. I hoarded books under my bed. I think before I left, I had about 20 books in my “TBR” or to be read pile. Some of them looked promising, others were junk that I could blow through in an afternoon.

My favourite ones that I’d already read, were on display, against the rules on my desk. The Twilight series, and the books that Crystal had sent me. They were, and still are comfort books for me. I may not reread them often now, but I’ll still pick up and flip through House of Leaves. In its pages are treasures. Seriously, there’s metaphorical treasures, and physical ones as well. That’s the book I flip through when I’m really homesick. When I’m on the verge of tears, I’ll pull out that book, and if I squeeze my eyes shut hard enough, I can almost see Crystal doing the same thing, and flipping through the pages.

Sounds kind of stupid, huh?

I read to escape. I’ve been reading now for a hobby since mid February, and now I’m starting to notice that I can picture what’s going on in my minds eye. That surprised me. Before, I’d read and see nothing in my mind. It’s slowly coming back to me, that makes me excited to keep reading.

I read to laugh, to cry, to be transported some place different. To meet and interact with characters much better than me. I can dive into a book, and not be myself for a little while. I can be a hero, a side character, or just be invisible to watch how things unfold.

To me a book can be way better than a movie or a TV show. So much more detail, more…. humanity I guess. I mostly buy books that their cover catches my eye. Then the back of the book

Will this book take me away on an adventure? That’s my ultimate goal – to escape for just a few precious minutes. To become someone that’s not me just for a second.

Why do you read?

Book Club – The Guest List

Posted on by Shawshank

Welcome back to The Lockup Library Book Club! A book club for the new year! On that note, happy new year as well! Like the title says this weeks book club is The Guest List by Lucy Foley.

I’m about 70% of the way through it. I have a hard time putting it down, it just sucks you in. It’s a slow paced book, with shorter chapters to make it really feel fast paced. But at the heart of it, it’s a slow burner.

I’m really liking this book. I have no idea who the murderer is yet. Or even the fact that they haven’t found a body yet.

But like true murder mysteries, everyone is a suspect. Everyone has a past.

I can’t wait to see how this turns out. I’m really digging the writers style. I don’t mind the fact that in each chapter it’s either after the wedding, or before. That takes a little getting used to and a few seconds to figure out which time frame you’re in.

So far this book is awesome.

First Impressions – The Guest List

Posted on by Shawshank

So this is a new thing I want to try out. I’m calling it “First Impressions”. I’m only a handful of pages into The Guest List by Lucy Foley, and I just want to talk about what I’m thinking about the book as I read the opening chapters.

It’s gonna be a wild ride, methinks.

Reese? Oh Witherspoon, not John Conners dad from The Terminator. Good to know.

So like A Song of Ice and Fire, each chapter is dedicated to one character in the book. We’re introduced to the bride, the plus-one, the best man, the wedding planner, the bridesmaid, and the fiancé. You really get to know them in the opening chapters. But at the end of each chapter, you’re left wanting more.

The other character in the book is the small Irish island out in the Atlantic Ocean. Lucy Foley is doing a great job of describing the island as both menacing, and gentle. I believe I’ve gotten to the point where all the characters are now on the island, and soon, I’m sure, all hell will break loose.

And I can’t wait to see how all this plays out.