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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Never Ending Snooze

Of course I have awoken. I may not have blogged, but I never stopped reading. Therefore I too have so many plots and authors in my head that I can't determine where to begin.
Heart Shaped Box, by Joe Hill, is the one book that I was desperately waiting on after Christmas. Finally I was able to read it and was not disappointed. To say that it was worth waiting for, might give you a clue of what I thought of it. However let me expand upon this with a heart-felt thank you to the person that loaned me the book. Joe Hill as you know is one of my favorites and I thoroughly enjoyed my all to brief stay with his characters in this book. There were ghosts, tragedy, blood, death and finally redemption. It was a wild, suspense filled ride, and at times I was afraid to be a part of it. I must admit though, I got right back in as soon as I had a moment to do so. I soo look forward to being a part of the next wonderful, awful journey.
The books I am currently enjoying are definitely not in the same category as Heart Shaped Box, but are something I would recommend to anyone who needs a laugh and likes a good happy ending. The first is actually a series by Julia Quinn. The Duke And I, is just one story in eight about the Brigerton family. I loved this book and the other two I've read in the series. In the Duke And I the main characters are very funny and extremely likable. Julia Quinn has a wonderful way of making you feel as if you truly know her characters. I suggest everyone give this series a try.
As you probably know Eloisa James is another lady author that I adore. I truly feel as if her friends( characters) are my friends. Her Duchess series is simply marvelous. I have read each one so far and can't wait for the next installation. Some of the characters remain the same throughout these books and I must say they're some of my very favorites. You have to give these books a try if your married or in happy expectation of that event. She gives us wonderful insight to the trials and tribulations of marriage.
I'd like to take a minute to tell you about another book I was fortunate enough to be lent. Burned, by Ellen Hopkins is layed out completely in poem form. This is the first of her books I have read, but won't be the last by any means. After my confused brain adapted to the layout I was sucked into this story in a way that I had not expected. Be prepared for a turbulent and frustrating experience when you take this one home. Also be prepared to be very glad you read this story about lost innocence and the kind of love that not everyone has a chance at.
Well that's it for now. I shall attempt to be more dedicated to sharing my other reads with you.

Pools, books and umbrella drinks! Hildi

Thursday, June 25, 2009

so it's your turn...

It was your turn but you snooze you lose sister! Bless me father for I have sinned...it's been months since my last book blog...

And once again I've read soooo many books I don't even know where to start. I know that I'm always raving about the Stephen King but seriously, the dude is a force to be reckoned with. Having no new books to peruse by his majesty I went back and read an old one that I had missed. I missed it mostly because I was too little to read it when it was actually published! It was of course, Salem's Lot. That was some serious "leave the lights on" wordage there, let me tell you! It was an awesome read of course. I remembered seeing the miniseries when I was maybe 10 or 11 and the one image has stuck with me through the following twenty odd years...when the one boy knocks on the other boys window...and he's all fangs & glowing eyes floating out there in the fog. I swear that I didn't look out a window at night for the next decade! I knew that they had made a newer miniseries starring Rob Lowe. Well par for the course, none of the rinky dink video stores near us had either miniseries in stock, so I did what any good fan would do...I hit up amazon. I got the newer miniseries and watched it. Poop on that!!! I freakin hate it when they take an amazing book and change everything around. WTF??!! How on earth does it follow that if the book was a fantastic read, the movie adaptation will be better if we screw with the storyline??! I do not get it, not one little bit. So I'm going to have to order the original miniseries and re watch it. The new one...not even scary either. On a scale of one to ten, my disappointment level was probably hovering near fourteen.


Let's see...I also read Elizabeth Berg's Say When. I do believe that this woman is also a master in her field. I have never read a book by her that I wasn't completely engrossed in. She's much more mainstream then most of the authors I read daily and definitely has a literary bent. This book centered on the separation and imminent divorce of the two lead characters. It's told from the man's point of view. It was fascinating. Mostly because I could see my own husband having the very same thoughts as this character! Getting the opposite perspective was very refreshing.


Of course I read another Julia Quinn...in her Bridgerton series. Amazing as ever! I laughed, I cried, I devoured the book in 24 hours. And a nod to Eloisa James and the Desperate Duchesses series as well. She also can make me run the full gamut of emotion in a single book. And a nod out to Julia London as well...loving the Scandal series! And Mary Balogh has a great 4 book series out. I devoured the first three as quickly as they were released and eagerly awaited the 4th and final book. My disappointment knew no bounds when it was released in hardcover!!! Why do they do that?? The first three were paperback and then wham-o! Please spend 3 times the money for a hardcover edition. No thanks. I boycotted. I refuse to buy the hardcover on principle. (And the fact that it totally messes up the order in the bookcase!!!)


I read a Nicholas Sparks, The Choice. I haven't read many of his books, mainly because they are such tearjerkers and always end badly for the characters, but this one was definitely worth the read. I won't spoil the ending but it was probably only a 20 tissue read, instead of the whole box!


And then my daughter pressed upon me a Sarah Dessen novel. This Lullaby was beautifully written. I think Ms. Dessen perfectly captures the drama of young adult lives and the struggle for independence in all of their relationships. It was a good read, and fantastically funny.

Well dear fellow reader...that is nowhere close to all of the books I've read in the past months! But it's all I have time for now. I will try to be a better blogger and stay more up to date in the future!!!

Many happy page turnings to all,
♥Gert

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