Ten Day Challenge: Four Books

Okay, this one is gonna be hard because I love to read and have so many favorite books! Here goes nothing...

 

1. Rebecca - This is hands down my very favorite book ever. My grandmother told me for years and years to read it and I was all "Yeah Grammy, that book is old, it's probably boring." Then I finally read it. It's so, so amazing people. Read it, love it.

 

2. Harry Potter - Yes, all seven. I don't care if that's cheating. If you made me pick, I'd say Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite, though. Or the first one. That one still gives me chills every time I read it. I can remember what it felt like before all the books came out and you had no idea what was coming next, but you knew it would be magical (pun intended).

3. Catcher in the Rye - Oh Holden. I want to name my son after you but I worry he'll end up troubled. Plus, we'll never be able to afford all those boarding schools. You're the boy all the girls want to "fix."

 

4. Practical Magic - I am an Alice Hoffman fan, mainly because my mother is an Alice Hoffman fan, and also because she is a really spectacular writer. This one is my favorite though. I also love the movie even though it's not really like the book.

That was painful. First, I had so many books I wanted to include, and then I got really strict with myself and couldn't pick just four I liked the best. I tried to pick something somewhat representative of all the genres I like. But I can't help myself:

Honorable Mentions:

Jane Eyre - crazy woman living in attic, hello.
Great Expectations - an old lady who stopped time on her wedding day catches fire, hello.
Shopaholic series - Obviously.
Hunger Games - It pained me to leave this off. I really love them, so much.
Unbroken - Seriously one of the best books I've read in awhile.
Water for Elephants - They made a movie so I felt the need to read the book. The book was great, haven't seen the movie yet.
The Help - Same as above, only the book was far better (still love you though, Emma Stone!).

Okay, I'll stop now, because this is a slippery slope.

What I'm Reading: July 21, 2011

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Suzanne Collins

I'm sure this is old news to everyone. And to be honest, I finished these weeks ago. It took me about three days to read them all. They're that addictive. Reading the synopsis of the first one, it definitely did not catch my attention. It's not something I would ever pick up. But the girls I work with were all raving about them and I trust their judgement in books so I went to Barnes & Noble, gift card in hand. And these did not disappoint. Join the herd, they're right this time. 

This isn't like that whole Twilight debacle. The herd lost some street cred with that crap. 

Even if it was addictive crap.

P.S. The price for the whole boxed set (linked above) is really good!

what i'm reading: may 14, 2011

 

Water for Elephants

Sara Gruen

You may have noticed that I read really quickly. I can't help it, I've always been that way. Especially if I really like a book. And I really like this book. I figured if they were making it into a movie it must have some merit, and it did. The story was unique and had a good ending. I won't tell you what the ending is, in case you want to read it, but I liked it. And I don't like circuses one bit. So that's saying something. I suppose I ought to see the movie now, though something tells me it won't hold a candle to the book. The movies seldom do.

what i'm reading: may 8, 2011

 

Unbroken

Laura Hillenbrand

  

Not something I would have picked up on my own. Not something I would have thought I'd be interested in. I could not put this down. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Everyone should read it.

what i'm reading: april 27, 2011

The Red Garden

Alice Hoffman

My mother is a big Alice Hoffman fan, but I have to admit I haven't read very many of her books. Of course, I love Practical Magic, who doesn't?

This book was really good. I could barely put it down. It tells the story of a small Massachusetts (shout out to my home state yo!) through it's founding and the generations of inhabitants that follow. Just a collection of wonderfully told stories and local fables centered around this town. It definitely made me want to sit down and write out some short stories. I think the short story may turn out to be my genre of choice, if I can ever sit down and write something!

I have so many posts lined up, as I keep saying, but I honestly have been so pressed for time! I've been working overtime for work this week so that cuts into my afternoons a bit. Back to normal real soon though!

What are you reading?

what i'm reading: april 7, 2011

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Stieg Larsson

I waited and waited for this book to come out in paperback, since I have read the previous two books in the trilogy and have them in paperback and wanted the complete, matching set. But finally the guy at Barnes and Noble told me there were no plans on the horizon at all for this to be released in paperback, and I couldn't wait another second, so I bit the bullet.

I found this one to be a bit slower paced and drier than the first two, but it was still interesting and it ook me awhile to finish it, which is always nice for a speed reader like me. However I took this with me to jury duty when I went last month, and I wish I had brought something that was more of a page turner. So if you plan on reading for almost six hours straight, this may not be the book you want to go with.

I highly recommend the first two (obviously) and this book definitely rounds out the trilogy nicely. 

what i'm reading: january 2011

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

I picked this book up at the beginning of the week, and I haven't been able to put it down since. This was the case with Morton's first two novels as well. 

Morton writes fantastic Gothic-style novels - there is always the requisite big, creepy old house and secrets and mysteries on every page. I love, love Gothic novels and Morton's books are no exception. I am on a self-imposed snow day today (work isn't closed, but all the schools in all the towns on my way to work are, and it doesn't look like anyone has plowed, so I opted to stay home) and I look forward to spending the rest of the day curled up in bed with some coffee and this book.

There is nothing like a good page turner that you can get totally lost in, and this is definitely one of those kind of books. It's also nice and big, which is good for me since I'm such a fast reader. I burn through shorter books too quickly, so having a nice long one to take up my time is nice.

What's your favorite literature genre?

what i'm reading: sellevision

I've been thinking about doing a little something like this for awhile, and I had a delightful snow day yesterday and started a new book, so here is my new pet project!

I thought it might be kind of fun to share with you guys what I happen to be reading. Then you guys can share what you're reading, or let me know if you've read the book I'm reading and tell me what you thought. I'm always looking for book recommendations, so those are always welcome too!

My first book up is Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs. I've read a bunch of Burroughs' other books, if not all of them. The others I've read are his memoirs, which are laugh out loud hilarious. This one is a novel, and I'm about half way through right now and while it's not quite as hilarious as his memoirs, I've enjoyed it so far.

Have you guys read this one? Like Augusten Burroughs? Have any similar recommendations? Let me know in the comments or shoot me an email!

*Note: I am a really fast reader, and from the time I began this post yesterday afternoon to tonight when I finished it...I finished this book. Stay tuned for my next choice! I'll probably wait until next week to post it though.