Sunday 24 March 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


This is a book meme by Sheila of Book Journey. A fun way for everyone to share their reading week

This month has turned out to be a great month reading wise. Even if I finish no books this week I have read the same as January and February combined. This means that I am catching up in my good reads target. Fingers crossed that after this week I will no longer be behind. I got some pretty new books which I can't wait to get to. I have managed to do a fair few reviews and I'm slowly catching up on those too. I was saddened to hear about the death of James Herbert. I used to devour his books in my teen years.

Last week I read;


The Wind Through The Keyhole - Stephen King. I was disappointed with this book. Not up to the Dark Tower standard although it gave me a taste of how much I loved that series.


The Sunset Limited - Cormac McCarthy. One of the library books I picked up on a whim. I read it in a day but I am still thinking about it. Not sure what I make of it yet.

Just now I am reading;


Amsterdam - Ian McEwan. Proving to read this quickly too. Enjoying it so far.

Next I plan to read;


The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton. The last of my library book pile. I am looking forward to this as I haven't seen a bad review for Morton. Everyone seems to love her books.

Chinua Achebe also passed away. I didn't do a post on him as I haven't gotten round to reading any of his books although I have almost bought one a few times. I did consider reading him for last years Classics challenge. He was a famous African author who was prominent in politics and was notable for criticising Joseph Conrad. His most famous book is probably his first called Things Fall Apart. Have any of you read him? Would be interested to hear your thoughts?

How has your week been?

26 comments:

  1. It's odd, but when authors die, I somehow expect them to keep writing.

    Here's my It's Monday! Hope you'll stop by!

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  2. For me when Colin Forbes died I was very sad as a teenager I read all his books and awaited each year his new release and I still remember reading his last book and then reading at the end the insert to say after handing that book into the publishers he passed away a few weeks later. I still miss the books. Anyway have a good reading week I've see The Forgotten Garden roaming round a few of my friends to read piles and with some is currently being read so it will be good to hear a few more reviews on it.

    http://ruthsrunningstitch.blogspot.ie/2013/03/its-monday-what-am-i-reading-5-with.html

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    1. I hadn't heard of Colin Forbes. Looked him up though. Wow, he has written quite a few. I imagine if you had read that many and invested so much time it would make the loss seem all the more sad.

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  3. You have been reading some great books... I hope April will be a good reading month for me ;)

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  4. I have never read Kate Morton, but her book covers are always gorgeous and lush. At least the ones I have seen. Have a great week!

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    1. Me neither. I just noticed that a few of my friends have read her and rated her books highly. They managed to keep that secret from me. Looking forward to it. Thank you.

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  5. I'm interested in your thoughts on the McCarthy. Those books that we don't know what in the world to think about are always interesting to me ;) I hope you have a great week!

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    1. It will be one I will be thinking about for a long time anyways. Thank you.

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  6. I just picked up Kate Morton's The House at Riverton over the weekend. I haven't read any of her books before so I am excited to start on this one. I look forward to your thoughts on The Forgotten Garden. Have a great week!
    Happy Reading,
    Rebecca @ The Key to the Gate

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    1. Would I be wrong in thinking that was her first book? Hope you enjoy it too. I am just about to start Forgotten Garden tonight.

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  7. Hi Karen, I remembered a time when I was deeply into Stephen King - I must have devoured almost all of his novels when I was in the university. I haven't had a chance to read his new novels though, as well as this one. I think I must have missed out on The Dark Tower Series too. We had Ian McEwan's Amsterdam as one of our book prizes for the Award Winning Books Reading Challenge - I heard that it's a real good book. Enjoy your reading week. :)

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    1. Hi,

      Yeah, I devoured his books in my early teens and I didn't really let up until I had read almost everything. By that point he hadn't written anything new in a while. His newer books don't really cut it for me. At least not as much as the old. The Dark Tower was good mind you but he was writing that on and off from his early years.

      Amsterdam was good. Again different from his other books (the only two that I have read). I am starting to see a common theme though.

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  8. Enjoy Kate Morton. Have a great week!

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  9. I have liked every Kate Morton book I've read so far. Have a great week of reading.

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  10. I think I may have come across that Kate Morton book as I was re-organising my bookshelf (I found so many books I had forgotten I even had), but if I do have it and it's a great review I'll have to bump it up a bit.

    I don't think I've read anything by James Herbert (but Google tells me he writes horro, which I rarely read, so that's why). I have only read one novel by Achebe, Things Fall Apart (shamless plugging of review here: http://killmeifistop.blogspot.se/search/label/Chinua%20Achebe) but I remember talking a lot about him when I was reading Heart of Darkness the first time around in 2000 and also in relation to African studies. I always feel like I neglect African (and Sounth American and Asian) writers and need to stop being so Euro-centric in my reading (I must find a challenge or it'll never get done).

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    1. It's good so far. I have a feeling I will want to not bother with any course work and just read this all day. Which is why I am about to head into the uni library early to avoid that temptation. I have no will power.

      Yep, I don't think he ever tried his hand at other genres unlike Stephen King although a few of his did have a fantasy element. I can't remember what it was called but there was one that involved fairies (sex mad fairies).

      Plug away, I like your reviews and so far I haven't read any for Achebe. Will give me something to look forward to when I get home this afternoon.

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    2. Sex mad fairies you say - ha ha ha, that's so far from my comfort zone I may just have to look it up for the sake of it.

      *runs off to google*

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  11. I love Kate Morton books. I must get her new one soon.

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  12. I would love to read the Sunset Limited-- thanks for sharing!

    My Monday Post

    Eva @ All Books Considered

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  13. Looks like good reading! I have The Distant Hours by Kate Morton....but haven't gotten to it yet. Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. According to my library you should read Forgotten Garden before Distant Hours.

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  14. New follower here!

    I keep seeing Stephen King pop up in the blogosphere... and it's got me itchin' to read some of his work! Criminal, but I haven't read the Dark Tower series... so I think that's next on my list.

    http://littlesqueed.blogspot.com/2013/03/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_25.html

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    1. Thanks for following. I highly recommend the Dark Tower series. It's lots of fun.

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