Monday 21 March 2011

Lounger with a view

Hi.

This was the glorious view from my lounger where for the last ten days I've done lots of reading. Lots of reading......including:

Human Croquet and Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson. If you haven't read any of her books I urge you to try them. I haven't finished the second one yet but very enjoyable so far.

Lustrum by Robert Harris. Not my favourite of his books and certainly not as enjoyable as Pompeii but found in the library on holiday so thought I'd take the opportunity to read it.

The Immortals:Evermore by Alyson Noel. Another found in the library and consumed in a day a bit of a guilty pleasure it being one of those teenage goth/vampire type books (although they're not vampires). Great fun. The little library/bookshelves set up on holiday are a great way to find your next favourite author. The Maldives is where Kathy Reichs and I first got acquainted.

Not forgetting my two book night freebies......

Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes. As I've found with all of her books I've read very entertaining. The story features Rachel who is a recovering drug addict which although sounds a bit depressing the book isn't at all.

Unfortunately or fortunately I don't have this book to give away as it plucked from my grasp by one of the staff on holiday. I had just finished reading it and was on my way to get another when I heard a cry of 'Hi sweetie have you finished with that book........oh is it Marian Keyes I've heard of her?' She had such a look of excitement on her face how could I say no? Afterall that is the point of World Book Night and now Rachel's Holiday is doing the rounds in Antigua. I just hope she isn't offended by sex and bad language.

Which brings me on to Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. I had no idea about this book so came to it with an open mind. It had rave reviews and there were bits of it that I really enjoyed and there were bits of it that I just I could quite easily put the book down and not gone any further. But I am one of those people that once I've started reading a book I have to finish. The book features six stories that all interlock and is quite cleverly written. Spookily I have a birth mark just like the one described in the book (it will make more sense if you read the book, Sarah you'll know what I mean). The bits I liked best were the science fiction of the future in An Orison of Sonmi - 451, a really interesting and quite scary view of what the future could hold. I could have read a whole book of Half-Lives - The First Luisa Rey Mystery and The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish had me laughing. Sloosha's Crossin' an' Ev'rythin' After drove me to distraction and  probably only a stiff G&T got me through it.

If you would like to read my slightly used well travelled copy of Cloud Atlas and be a part of the celebration of reading please leave me a comment and I'll make a random draw. All I ask is that you register when you have read it and pass it on to someone  too.

So, to give me time to make my own registration I'll leave this open until Midnight next Monday 28 March and I'll announce the next owner later that week.

3 comments:

Sandra said...

I'm just enjoying the view too :) Sounds like you had a lovely holiday. I've joined a book club recently, but struggling to find the time to read - although I'd happily find time, if I had that view :)

Sian said...

I found Cloud Atlas a hard read I have to say.

Lustrum is being passed round our family at the minute, after we all read Pompeii.

But, out of all your reads, give me Jackson Brodie any day :)

alexa said...

Oh my goodness, what a view! I am surprised you could read a book with all that glorious colour in front of you :). You seem to have worked your way through a fair few, and great to have recommendations.