It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
January 9, 2012 42 Comments
“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what you’ve read the past week and planning to read next.
*****
I read 6 books in the last week
Really only 5, as one book I abandoned 100 pages in. Two other books were carry-overs from the week before. I seem to be reading mainly easy reads at the moment so I read a lot.
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. About a girl who has been in care for most of her life. At 18, she becomes independent, but doesn’t make a good job of it. Until her love of flowers helps her make some money and some friends. She has a secret from her past, from the only period in her life that she was happy, and she needs to deal with it before she can start working on her future. 4.5/5
The Look of Love by Mary Jane Clark.
Room by Emma Emma Donoghue. A five-year old boy and his mother have been locked away in a room by a man. Sounds awful, but it’s so wonderfully told by the little boy. 5/5
De asielzoeker [The Asylum Seeker] by Arnon Greenberg (DNF). Hundred pages was enough to discover this wasn’t my kind of book.
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley.
The Starlite Drive-in by Marjorie Reynolds. 1950s USA, a 12-year old girl falls in love with a man that comes to work for her father. But he is more interested in her mother. 5/5
Currently Reading
Vanished by Liza Marklund. Murders at Stockholm’s port, and one surviving woman. Journalist Annika Bengtzon investigates and gets into dangerous situations.
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Reviews:
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. The story is told by one of twin brothers who was born from a nun and possibly the doctor she worked for. A good, but slow read. 4/5
Eleven by Mark Watson. Eleven people are influenced by a chain of events started by a late-night radio host. A fun read with a narrator that not only knows what happens now, but also what will happen in the future. 4.5/5
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. Three long short stories about love and loss. 4/5
*****
Check out my Best Books of 2011!
And here are the results of my challenges for last year. I didn’t do all that badly…
Wondering what books have arrived at chez Leeswammes recently? Look here.
That’s it! What are YOU reading this week?
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Wow, six books in a week is an impressive tally. I’m still ambling through Vanity Fair, which I started just after Christmas. Since I’ve had to ration my reading time I’ve kept my reading list to a distinctly modest ‘2’. George Gissing’s ‘Workers in the Dawn’ is waiting in the wings for when I finish William Thackeray’s tome.
I’ve never read Vanity Fair, Robert. At the moment I’m more of a quicker-reads person, although I do like a classic every now and then.
Looks like a great selection- must look up some of the books for my own wish list!!!!!!!! I’m struggling to get back into my reading since the New Year for some reason. But looking for great books to add!
Kim, sometimes it takes a really good book to get back into reading – and the time, of course. Hope you find both, soon.
You have a nice mix of reads here. I read Yoshimoto’s The Lake and did not like it but I have heard such a lot of good things about her writing that I must go back to another of her books.
Mystica, maybe Yoshimoto is not your kind of writer. But it would be interesting to see if you like her other books better. Meanwhile, I’m getting more and more curious about The Lake.
Wow! So many books! I am still reading The Kitchen Daughter 🙂 It will be my first book for the foodies reading challenge, which I still need to write my sign up post for XD
Ah, Uniflame, a foodies reading challenge – just your kind of thing! Good luck.
I am reading my travel guide about Albania 🙂
Sweetkitten, I didn’t even know there was one! I’ve heard it’s beautiful there, but the people very poor. Will you be going there soon?
Actually, I had to look very hard to find one. The Viking and I will be going there during summer.
Sounds a very interesting place to visit, sweet kitten!
Looks like you had a great reading week with quite a few 4 and 5 stars. I can’t belive I haven’t gotten to Room yet!
Tanya, Room is a quick and easy read and surprisingly good (given the hype).
Still working on your review for Jeanne? I’m curious about what you thought.
I loved Flowers and Room. Great choices for this new year.
Here is my It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? I hope you will stop by!
Review is coming soon, Debbie! Happy reading.
I loved Room too. Felt wrong to like it so much. It was early last year when I read it and it still disturbs me now. Don’t think that book will ever leave me.
Karen, I thought Room was very disturbing when I really started to think about it more. Little Jack tells it so easily but of course, there are great horrors and dramas underlying the whole story that he doesn’t understand or know about. That makes it worse!
Great reading week! I read about 60 pages last week… 😦
I’m posting my review for Language of Flowers this week, I’m still uncertain to how I feel about this book. I did enjoy it, just not as much as you did.
Room… The author lost me when the boy escaped, that never would have happened (the man not looking, really?).
That wasn’t much reading, Mari. Hopefully it means you have a lot of fun things going on (training!).
Looking forward to your review on *The Language of Flowers*!
Room – I agree, that was a bit unlikely, but the rest was so good – how they tried to fit in the ‘real’ world, it sounded very believable to me.
That is a productive week! I can’t wait to see your review of Room.
Have a great week….
Thanks, Suzanne. I’ve had a bit of a holiday (at home) with my sons, doing a lot of board games and reading. I think this week things will slow down.
Room and Vanished look very intriguing. I hope you enjoy them!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
I am certainly enjoying Vanished (Room was great too!), Majanka.
I’m probably the last book blogger on the Net who hasn’t read Room yet. I should bump that up my TBR list. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
I thought I was the last one, Teacher/Learner. It’s a good and quick read so don’t delay! 🙂
The Language of Flowers is everywhere but here on my shelf. Must remedy that.
Have an awesome week!!!
Thanks, Dollycas. You should read *The Language of Flowers*, it’s great! 🙂
Happy New Year! My post reflects two weeks of reading. Please come see what I’m reading now.
The Language of Flowers is on my wishlist. I think I’ll put Starlite Drive-In on there too. I’ve read Kitchen twice and wouldn’t mind a third read.
We seem to have a similar taste, then, Puss! Happy reading.
6 books?? You had a fantastic reading week! Enjoy your upcoming books!
Thanks, Alita.
The Room is such an intriguing book, and the book trailer is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I think I’ve watched it half a dozen times.
I haven’t seen the book trailer, Lena. Thanks for the suggestion!
I loved Room. It was disturbing, but I powered through it with a great need to find out the resolution. Have a great week!
Yes, it was a great book, dixie. Happy reading this week!
I’m glad you loved The Language of Flowers as much as I did. I’ve added the Starlite Drive in to my wishlist
Wishing you a great reading week!
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out
Shelleyrae, I’ll post the review of *The Starlite Drive-in *this week or the next. I’m pretty sure you’d love the book.
I wanna have the Language of Flowers right now 🙂
Yes! A book you will enjoy, Tes.
Wow so you have been reading a lot again? I have finally finished the Vampire Academy series… 6 fat books… now I went back to some easy reading material… “The Importance of Being a Bachelor” by Mike Gayle… I would say it’s chicklit, except for the fact that it’s a story about 3 brothers, written by a guy… Let’s see what that will lead to… 🙂
Roxanne, I’ve read a few books by Mike Gayle and I loved them. I’d call it ladlit, which is like chicklit, but meant for men (although obviously women can enjoy them too). I’ve got My Imaginary Girlfriend waiting to be read. Hope you enjoy your book.