I LOVE a good book!
Apr. 19th, 2015 12:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sinkwriterIt's been AGES since I've had time (or made time) to read a good book. AGES!
But I recently borrowed the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy from my mom. My parents will be back from Florida soon and I should give her books back, so over the past week I started reading the first book. I finished it on Friday, and immediately started in on the second book, which was so captivating that I spent much of last night until the wee hours reading and finished it today. I've gotten other stuff done here and there throughout the day today, but interspersed with duties like laundry or dishes or cooking I've already read about 250 pages of the third and final book in the series. I'm half-tempted to stay up into the crack of dawn again tonight. At this pace, I may finish the third book by sometime tomorrow.
It's so fun!
The books themselves have some terrific intrigue, which I love -- gotta love a good mystery! -- and a strangely sympathetic (though highly complicated) lead female character named Lisbeth Salander. Sometimes the prose gets bogged down in details when I want it to keep moving into the next bit of important conversation or action, but in general it's got a good pace and a complex, fascinating story.
I know this is probably old news for many out there, as these books have been around for quite a while (and even had films made from them, in Sweden, and one so far in the U.S.). But I've always come to things at my own pace, in my own time, so... there you have it.
Nevertheless, I just wanted to talk about it for a moment. I feel like a lot of my entries these days, however sporadic, have been either about silly things like insomnia or "negative" things like my health or my previous job or other complicated frustrations of the sort. So I feel an increasing need to find better balance in my life, both mentally and physically, and this is one step I'm taking to achieve that. I'm reading more, I'm working harder with my therapist, I'm investigating potential avenues (like yoga) that used to be highly helpful to my overall sanity and positivity and mental strength, and I'm trying to clear out some of the physical and mental clutter.
As Spring inches its way into the surrounding areas, bringing with it sunshine, greener grass, and the start of buds on the trees, I want to let that newness and warmth seep into my bones and keep propelling me forward in these attempts to revitalize.
And there's nothing more revitalizing than reading a good book!
;)
What are you all reading these days? Anything good? Anything you want to recommend? Let's hear it!
But I recently borrowed the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy from my mom. My parents will be back from Florida soon and I should give her books back, so over the past week I started reading the first book. I finished it on Friday, and immediately started in on the second book, which was so captivating that I spent much of last night until the wee hours reading and finished it today. I've gotten other stuff done here and there throughout the day today, but interspersed with duties like laundry or dishes or cooking I've already read about 250 pages of the third and final book in the series. I'm half-tempted to stay up into the crack of dawn again tonight. At this pace, I may finish the third book by sometime tomorrow.
It's so fun!
The books themselves have some terrific intrigue, which I love -- gotta love a good mystery! -- and a strangely sympathetic (though highly complicated) lead female character named Lisbeth Salander. Sometimes the prose gets bogged down in details when I want it to keep moving into the next bit of important conversation or action, but in general it's got a good pace and a complex, fascinating story.
I know this is probably old news for many out there, as these books have been around for quite a while (and even had films made from them, in Sweden, and one so far in the U.S.). But I've always come to things at my own pace, in my own time, so... there you have it.
Nevertheless, I just wanted to talk about it for a moment. I feel like a lot of my entries these days, however sporadic, have been either about silly things like insomnia or "negative" things like my health or my previous job or other complicated frustrations of the sort. So I feel an increasing need to find better balance in my life, both mentally and physically, and this is one step I'm taking to achieve that. I'm reading more, I'm working harder with my therapist, I'm investigating potential avenues (like yoga) that used to be highly helpful to my overall sanity and positivity and mental strength, and I'm trying to clear out some of the physical and mental clutter.
As Spring inches its way into the surrounding areas, bringing with it sunshine, greener grass, and the start of buds on the trees, I want to let that newness and warmth seep into my bones and keep propelling me forward in these attempts to revitalize.
And there's nothing more revitalizing than reading a good book!
;)
What are you all reading these days? Anything good? Anything you want to recommend? Let's hear it!
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no subject
Date: 2015-04-19 09:25 am (UTC)My reading pace this year is way behind where I'd like it to be (I blame it on it being a rough year, because I certainly have more time at home, so I really don't have any other excuse...), and been all over the place as usual... James Ellroy's newest, working through more of Mailer's backlist, an early novel by my friend Carol, fiction and nonfiction... I've finally picked up the galley I'd been sitting on on Hanya Yanagihara's latest (which I waited on so long it's since been released!), since I loved her first People in the Trees, and A Little Life is also supposed to be excellent. It's a beast, but I wanted something immersive.
no subject
Date: 2015-04-19 10:32 am (UTC)Third book finished. I couldn't resist staying up to finish it. *GRIN*
Going to go crawl into bed now... oy, I'm going to be dragging my butt today when I finally regain consciousness. LOL.
P.S. Remind me of your author friend's name, the guy who's also a doctor? I've been meaning to check out his writings ever since you mentioned them. What are his book(s) called? :)
no subject
Date: 2015-04-19 10:57 am (UTC)My friend is Josh Bazell. I became friends with him because I adored his books (Beat the Reaper and Wild Thing, more to come eventually), and I'd highly recommend them to anyone. I've sold hundreds of them over the past few years, and have never heard anything other than positive feedback, if not rave reviews, amazingly!
no subject
Date: 2015-04-19 07:40 pm (UTC)My current favorite author is probably Juliet Marillier. Some of her books are retellings of fairytales, but take place in Ireland during the time of the druids. Historical, with a nice fantasy element though some books have more of that than others. She's a good writer, too. I picked up Daughter of the Forest 2 years ago and have been a fan since then.
I'm also a fan of Brandon Sanderson. High fantasy is one of those genres where I've always wanted to love it more than I actually do because on one hand YAY IMAGINATION and all, but on the other hand it's very male oriented and there are lots of elements that make me uncomfortable. But Brandon Sanderson writes a lot of wonderful female characters and he's very creative.
no subject
Date: 2015-04-19 07:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-04-20 08:28 am (UTC)Right now I'm on a heavy J. G. Ballard roll, read High-Rise twice (going for thrice next week) and I'm onto his complete short stories. Absolutely in love with his writing!
Super constructions
Date: 2015-04-29 03:05 pm (UTC)