Showing posts with label Booking Through Thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Booking Through Thursday. Show all posts
Booking Through Thursday: Fluff!
Hilarie
Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Callista83. This week Callista asks:

What’s the lightest, most “fluff” kind of book you’ve read recently?

As I pondered this question, one book came almost immediately to mind. It is, Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. You can read my full review here. This was a fun read, and one that would be a perfect break between more serious reading selections.

This is an interesting question, because I think it really depends on what you personally define as "fluff." For instance, I have a friend that feels that any book that isn't a certified classic is a waste of time and not worth reading, while another feels that the shopaholic series should be required reading in our consumer driven society. Personally, I consider a book of fluff to be a fun and somewhat frivolous read; one that doesn't really require me to ponder any personal or societal beliefs. In short, I consider a fluff book to be the literary equivalent of a Disney cartoon like Sleeping Beauty; a whole lot of fun and leaves me with a smile as the credits roll. What is your idea of fluff?


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Booking Through Thursday: Recent Worst
Hilarie
Be sure to check out Booking Through Thursday to see what everyone has to say! I have been pretty lucky of late as almost I've enjoyed almost every book I've read. There is one that sticks out though, although I am in the minority on this one. I really didn't enjoy, "The Strain" by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, and after completing over half the novel I finally decided to leave it unfinished. I still can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like this book. I really had high expectations, and am usually very appreciative of new entries in the vampire genre. I also had high hopes that Del Toro would create something truly amazing, as I have enjoyed his work in the past; I mean, I even loved Hell Boy and the sequel, and don't even get me started on Pan's Labyrinth. I think my dislike was the result of the vampires themselves. I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone, so I won't describe the origins of the vampires in this novel in detail, but this was probably what killed this book for me. There was also an ick factor involved for me. As I said, I think I am one of the few that really didn't like this book, and since I didn't finish it in its entirety, I don't feel qualified to write a full-fledged review. What books have disappointed you lately?
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Booking Through Thursday: Unread Books
Hilarie
Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Callista83. This week Callista suggests an idea that was inspired by The Toddled Dredge.

“So here today I present to you an Unread Books Challenge. Give me the list or take a picture of all the books you have stacked on your bedside table, hidden under the bed or standing in your shelf – the books you have not read, but keep meaning to. The books that begin to weigh on your mind. The books that make you cover your ears in conversation and say, ‘No! Don’t give me another book to read! I can’t finish the ones I have!’ “

This question is like a guilty wake up call, because I do have books that I know I should be reading, and I keep putting them off for new books. Honestly, I want to read every book on my shelf, but knowing that I need to read a particular book because of a reading challenge or a review request makes it feel a bit more like homework, and suddenly that book seems less interesting. Currently, these are the books that have been persistently getting the shaft.

1. Methland by Nick Reding
2. Ravens by George Dawes Green
3. Hollywood is Like High School with Money by Zoey Dean
4. The Count of Monte Cristo, Unabridged Version by Alexander Dumas
5. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
6. Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp by Lauren Lipton
7. In the Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor
8. Death Piled Hard by W. Patrick Lang
9. North From Calcutta by Duane Evans

I have more, as sad as that is, but as we are in the midst of preparing for an out of state move, those are the ones that I can remember. The rest are packed away in boxes for the movers. Has anyone ever read any of these? What books are on your shelves?

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Booking Through Thursday: Celebrity Memoirs
Hilarie
Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme, hosted by Callista83. This week, she poses the following question about celebrity memoirs:

Do you read celebrity memoirs? Which ones have you read or do you want to read? Which nonexistent celebrity memoirs would you like to see?

I read Couplehood by Paul Reiser, which I guess can be considered a memoir of sorts as he writes of many of his own experiences throughout his marriage. I did like the book, especially since it seemed so much like Mad About You, which was one of my favorite TV shows for a while. In general though, I think I tend to steer clear of celebrity memoirs. I get so tired of seeing their faces plastered everywhere I go. It seems as though I can't escape hearing about their lives, and I can't imagine actually seeking out more information about them. Also, the more I learn about a celebrity is seems the less I admire them. For example, I used to really enjoy Tom Cruise as an actor, but after seeing countless youtube videos of him on Oprah's couch I have a hard time watching him on film. I do want to read the Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell, which is as close as I ever hope to come to the genre.
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