Sunday 30 August 2009

Sunday Salon - fabulous books this week.


I have had one of the best reading weeks ever. I have managed to finish five books and three of them were mind blowing.
I started the week with 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff on Sunday and fell in love with Hanff's writing style. It was quite a short book, which I managed to read in one session. The review for this book will be posted tomorrow.
This was followed by Indian Mutiny, one of those My Story books aimed at teenagers. I have heard good things about these books but this one didn't really appeal to me. The story had too many Asian words in it that were not translated in the glossary and I find it very frustrating to have to keep looking them up on the Internet.
On Wednesday I picked up a long awaited for book from the library, If I Stay by Gayle Forman and delved into it straight away. Wow - what a book, now I can see why it has been so popular. I sat down and read this in one session too. Absolutely loved it and now wondering will Gayle Forman be able to top it with her next book.

During the week I had started The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, but I kept putting it down as I found the writing style a little annoying. However, once I got past page 30, I was completely engrossed in the story and could not put it down. Though I wish someone had warned me about the sad bit, which made me put the book down for a while. Real tears in my eyes for that one.
After finishing The Knife of Never Letting Go, I quickly moved onto a much better My Story book - Mayflower, the Diary of Remember Patience Whipple and found it to be more enjoyable than Indian Mutiny.
So out of the 5 books I read this week, three of them were just superb, if I did a rating system they would have got 10 out of 10. The other two were OK, short reads which helped my count this week.
This is definitely my best reading week, I have never read five in a week before. What is most books you have read in a week?
I found that as soon as I finished one book, I was desperate to start the next book and I wondered if I was the only person who did this. I have to start a new book as soon as I finish another, I can never leave a breathing space in between? Do you need to start a new one straight away or do you like to digest the book you have just read by leaving it up to a day before starting a new one?
This weekend is a Bank Holiday weekend for us, so I am off to the bootsale to sniff out some bargain books and then round to a friends for my first BBQ of the summer! The weather has been just pants this year and really not BBQ weather - that is my excuse anyway, the fact that I hate cleaning the BBQ has absolutely nothing to do with it. I may get around to some reading this evening, but that really depends on my wine intake this afternoon.
I now have two books on the go today, Angelica by Arthur Phillips and Flyte by Angie Sage.
Have a great Sunday.

14 comments:

  1. You sure had a great reading week :D
    Mine, not as good, but now I have free time again and will get some reading done

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  2. The weather has been better the last couple of weeks here in Essex - you can bet the next couple of weeks will be gorgeous because I'll be stuck back in a classroom and unable to wear the new knit dresses I brought for school!

    As to reading, I don't just need to start another book right away I need to know while I'm reading one book just what I'll read next. I'm having the opposite reading week to you I just can't get into my current reads at the mo, grrrr... might need to give them up and start something else

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  3. I'm glad you had such a marvelous reading week! I've had 84 Charing Cross Road on my TBR list for so long; every time I read another review, I want to bump it up more!

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  4. what a terrific reading week, and even better that you really enjoyed the books as well :)

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  5. You’ve been tagged to participate in a fun meme. If you have time, stop by:)

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  6. You left a comment on my blog the other day that made me wonder if you were reading The Knife of Never Letting Go...

    I'm one of those people that hates to not be reading a book. I pick one up as soon as I'm done, assuming I'm not already reading more than one at a time.

    Great week, though. I love those 5-in-1 weeks. :D

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  7. You did have quite the bookish week. I usually read 3 or 4 books a week - the only time I can read more is when we're at the beach and I'm away from my daily chores. I'll be looking for your 84, Charing Cross Road review.

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  8. What a great reading week! I stalled on my reading this week with trip and some other stuff happening...

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  9. I usually have so many books in the process of reading at one time that I don't really take a break in between. I do, however, try to vary between fiction and nonfiction, or other genres. That way if I read something that's really emotional I can take a break by reading something that's more factual.

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  10. I want to read Angelica. Arthur Philips is the author that wrote The Egyptologist, right?

    Come check out the award I have passed on to you:

    http://marireads.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunday-salon-83009.html

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  11. So glad to hear you liked 84 Charing Cross Rd. I'll be back tomorrow to see your review. You had a great week! Hope you have another one this week.

    As to reading, as soon as I finish one book, I'm on to another one.

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  12. Sorry not to have warned you, Vivienne! It's just that it's such a spoiler. I'm very happy you loved the book, though, and I can't wait to read your review.

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  13. 5 books in one week is great! I think the most i've read in a week is two.
    I like to read one book after another, unless the book I just read is very long or emotional. Then I like to reflect on it.

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  14. The Knife of Never Letting Go was my favourite book of last year. I have the sequel waiting for me, but I kind of like the idea that it's there. Does that make sense? I'm loving the anticipation of it before reading it. Much like Catching Fire except I haven't actually gotten my copy of it yet (!!)

    I don't know what the most books I've read in a week was, but I remember recently reading three books in one day. It was one of those rare childless days and it was amazing..

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