It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
December 17, 2012 34 Comments
“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what we’ve read the past week and planning to read next.
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The week
Some of the Christmas cards from the Book Bloggers Holiday Card Exchange have arrived. I’m ashamed for my poor handwriting. These people have really produced works of (writing) art! Must try harder!
I was glad to hear that the postal services are fast. I sent off loads of cards on Monday, and by Wednesday, a card had arrived in England, and on Friday in Spain and the USA. That’s pretty good, I think.
Friday was my real-life book group meeting. We discussed The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling. I loved the book, but one of the group didn’t. We had a good discussion about it and didn’t even get round to the reading group questions which I’d brought along. That’s a good sign!
I’ve bought “almost all” Christmas presents. That’s between brackets because we don’t need that many. We’re only buying for my husband’s family, but not the adults (only his parents) because we all have everything we could possibly want (or close to that) and it’s just unnecessary. So it’s just the children (teenagers or almost that age group) and the one baby (one year old). Buying for the baby was fun! I bought some Nijntje stuff which is typically Dutch, although my in-laws must know the English version, Miffy.
How’s your holiday shopping coming along?
Have a good week!
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Books I finished in the last week: 5
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The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling. Contemporary fiction, 5 stars.
May We Be Forgiven by A. M. Homes. Contemporary fiction, 4.5 stars.
The Ghost of Neil Diamond by David Milnes. Contemporary fiction, 3 stars.
De rode loper [The Red Carpet] by Thomas Rosenboom. Dutch, Contemporary fiction, 5 stars.
Uit naam van de aartsengel [In the Name of the Arch Angel] by Olaf J. de Landell. Dutch, historical fiction, 4 stars.
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Books I’m reading and planning to read
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Reviews
Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris. A young woman working in the stockroom of a run-down department store does everything she can to help the store survive byond Christmas. Contemporary fiction, 4.5 stars
Het bamischandaal [The Noodle Scandal] by P. F. Thomése. Two men take the plane from the Netherlands to Shanghai to track their common friend who has been lured away by a beautiful young Chinese lady. Contemporary fiction, Dutch, 4 stars.
Dickens in December Event: Oliver Twist (The Movie) Review of Oliver Twist, the movie. Classic, 5 stars.
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Other news
I’ve joined the TBR Pile Challenge 2013.
I announced the winner of my giveaway of Without Mercy
On my Dutch blog, you can find a challenge, organised by me, to read more books originally written in Dutch and a giveaway of the new Kingsolver book (in Dutch).
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That’s it!
What are you reading this week?
Hoping to read your opinion on The Ghost. …. as I enjoyed this book. As to my reading at this moment it’s Shusaku Endo’s Kiku’s Prayer interspersed with Identity Parade British & Irish poetry Edited by Roddy Lumsden.
Gary, I saw the book first on your blog (The Ghost of Neil Diamond I mean) but it wasn’t as good as I expected. I will read your review again to see how we differ.
Another busy week of reading for you
I didn’t get in NEARLY as much reading this week…darn holidays 
I hope you have a great week!
Thanks, Jennifer and I hope you’ll get a chance to read more this week!
I’m curious about The Ghost of Neil Diamond…and I hope you have a great week! I do very little shopping anymore. Only for the kids…and they like gift cards. Easy peasy…
Here’s MY MONDAY MEMES POST
Sounds like you’ve got an easy time of it, Laurel-Rain, with Christmas shopping. I hope you’ll have a nice time.
Love Miffy! Sounds as though you had a good bookclub meeting! This week I’m continuing Vanity Fair.
We had a great book group meeting, Charlie. Next we’ll be reading the new(ish) book by Marina Lewycka, which looks good (*Various Pets Alive and Dead*).
Hi Judith! I have to finish shopping too. I actually need/have to bake today since I will be homebound with work. Take gift inventory and finish shopping when my son arrives (he loves to shop).
I have been carrying a book with me for two weeks, have read 76 pages. Sadly I’m enjoying but can’t find time to sit. This should change this week, most a off for the holiday in the states.
Have a great day!
Baking, Mari? You reminded me I want to do some, preferably with the boys – they actually love cooking, only are busy with homework / computer games a lot of the time.
Hope you get some more time soon, to sit and relax and read a book!
5 books in one week-impressive-I flew home last week and did not manage one back all the way from Europe-I did watch 3 movies though.
Esme, watching movies is good fun too, especially on a flight where it’s noisy or when you’re sleepy. Can’t read a book all the time.
You’ve read some great books and you also have some lovely books ahead of you.
Definitely, Mystica. Thanks for stopping by.
I bought two books this week – last week, I mean – because of you, Judith! Love it!
I am determined to read A Christmas Carol this year, I’ve never read it and it just has to be read around Christmas doesn’t it?
You did several cards for the hop? Oh boy, I should check the email you sent and make sure I didn’t miss anything, I only sent one!
Glad I was able to inspire you, Shannon!
If you remember, you could specify how many cards you wanted to send so maybe you asked for just one? Better check, though.
Oh, phew, I’d forgotten about that. I did only specify one.
That explains it, Shannon!
Christmas shopping is done and I have not bought one book as a gift. I have been to South East Asia until last week and everybody I give presents gets something from there.
Sabrina, how exciting, such a trip to Asia! I haven’t bought any books as gifts either… yet!
I’ll be reading Me Before You and A Christmas Carol over the next week, too! Enjoy!
Nice, Beth! I’ve seen positive reviews about *Me Before You*. I finished *A Christmas Carol* already and it was good fun.
Have a great week!
Thanks, Yvonne.
I’ve gotten one card, I don’t know if the ones I have sent have been received yet. Have a great week!
Same to you, Shelleyrae. I’ve received 2 out of 3 so far.
I was considering Me Before You, enjoy it. Wow, you are the first I have seen to enjoy and finish Casual V, well done.
Marce, did other people not enjoy *The Casual Vacancy*? I loved it especially for being so British. As I lived in England for many years it was very recognisable for me. Otherwise, it may have been a totally different read.
I plan to the read The Casual Vacancy during the holidays. It sounds like fun
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Tes. You might want to keep a list of characters, like I did, otherwise it’s hard to lose track.
I must join the TBR title too; I’m in danger of being ‘snowed in’ by books!
Then you certainly must, Sam. It’s a matter of perspective: those older books only entered your house because as some point you thought they’d be really good. And now they sit there and you buy new books that you think are really good. And how are (some of) those new books going to end up? Indeed, with those old ones, lonely and forgotten.
So TBR challenge it is!
I got my card Saturday… that was very fast. My shopping is almost done but I’ve managed to pare down the list to only a few people now. As you say, we just don’t need anything so I’ve gotten almost everyone to agree to exchanging only small, fun gifts. Not much reading going on in my house the past week. Things got a bit hectic.
Busy, busy, Leslie? It’s a good idea to go for small presents. Hope you’ll be able to relax with a book soon!