Book Reviews

Musing Monday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading! This week’s question:

Do you review books? If so, for who? If not, have you ever thought about doing so? Why, or why not?

Oh, book reviews. When I started blogging, I thought it would be so easy to review books. I mean, I love to read them, talk about them, share them with people I lnow. So why not write reviews for the ones I read? Why not, indeed. In reality - I am kind of lazy about writing reviews. It seems the only books I review are ones that I have committed to reviewing, such as the selections I've read through Barnes and Noble's First Look program. Otherwise, I just haven't been reviewing the books I read. I keep telling myself I will but then I don't. I'm lazy about reviewing. I really need to try and be better about it.

Reading Amidst Noise

Musing Monday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading! This week’s question:

"Can you read amidst distractions? (tv, others talking, sporting events, etc"

Yes, I can read while other things are going on around me. I don't always choose to do so but I can when I want to. I grew up in a house where the television was always on. I learned very quickly how to block out the TV and read my book. It drove my parents (most especially my father) nuts! My husband also likes to have television (or music) going almost all the time. And I almost always prefer a book; so most definitely yes, I can read with distractions.

Oh, and I quite like taking some me time and going off to Barnes and Noble or Starbucks to read my books. I lose myself in the story and the surrounding noise doesn't bother me. Writing is an entirely different story, though. I can't get any writing done amidst noise and chaos. I'm not sure why it's different for me but it is - and I'm off on a tangent. LOL

Thank Goodness for Bookish Friends

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This weeks pondering:

"Do you have friends and family to share books with? Discuss them with? Does it matter to you?"

Yes, thank goodness I have friends to share and discuss books with! I am in a real-life book club with a few female friends and love the book discussions we have. I also love the guaranteed girl-time that book club creates.

I have to agree with the 'thank God for the internet' sentiment, as well. I have several friends that I keep in touch with through e-mail and blogs that have given me wonderful suggestions for books. As I hope I have for them. I love the fact that books (good and not-so-good ones) bring people together - whether in-person or online. I am forever grateful to my bookish friends.

You Want to Love a Book - but Don't

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This weeks pondering:

Name a book or author that you truly wanted to love but left you disappointed. (And, of course, explain why.)

Musing Monday's this week was about hyped-up books and I feel that this post ties in with my response to that rather well.

There's a little book called The Help by Katryn Stockett that seemingly everyone loves. Yes, I say 'little' facetiously because this is one of those books that it seems everyone is talking about. There are so many reviews of the book and every one I've read or heard is full of glowing praise. My friend G loves this book. She went out and bought it after having checked it out from the library to read. She bought it 'just to have it on her shelf'. The thing is - I completely understand the desire to have a book you love so much. Often, G and I have very similar taste in books but not this time. I have tried to read The Help twice and can not get into this book. I want to like this book but I find the thrashing of the English language in the beginning of the book absolutely annoying! I understand that Stockett is writing the way her character most likely would have spoken at the time - I get that but still it grates on my nerves.

This is a perfect example of why I generally try to stay away from reviews. I had super high expectations for The Help and twice have started it and taken it back to the library. Maybe it just hasn't been the right time for me and this book. That's happened to me before. I tried to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society twice and was bored silly. Then I tried a third time and completely fell in love with the book. I honestly believe a book has to be read at the right time in a persons life - but that's a post for another time.