American Gods - how's it going

I'm a terrible, terrible readalong host, and have a feeling I should never do this again - lol.

So. We're what, about ... two to three weeks into it, right?

How's it going?

How far along are you? Are you enjoying it? Have you inhaled it already? Are you finding it a struggle? What do you think of the basic concept of the story?

Of Shadow? Of Gaiman's narrative voice?

I'm something like ... 200 pages in. But I have read American Gods before, and I love it. It's such a beautifully simple idea - that when people immigrate to America, they bring their gods with them. I haven't had a chance to do what I really want to do - sit down with it for a few hours and really get stuck in - for me, American Gods isn't really a pick-up-put-down kind of book: it demands time, and attention. Hopefully this weekend I can take American Gods on a date.

So - how are you going? Thoughts? Either discuss in the comments, or leave a link to your blog post and I'll drop by.

Er. Probably. I'm a little forgetful.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I have, finally, started American Gods. Only something like five days late for my own readalong, but better late than never?

I've read American Gods before, and so far (70 or so pages in) it's turning out to be a very pleasant revisit. I love re-reading old favourites – it feels like I'm visiting old friends, which is why, I think, I've read Lord of the Rings so many times. Nothing like the occasional visit to Middle Earth to brighten my day (although I'm STILL stuck on The Two Towers from our readalong earlier in the year ...)

Uhm ... let's see, what else. I finished The City & The City last week, and will be co-reviewing that with Jodie at http://bookgazing.blogspot.com/ - we've already had a very interesting discussion about the book, and have decided to expand on that. :)

I'm trying to think of what else is coming up ... oh! The Enchantment of Flesh and Spirit by Storm Constantine – probably after American Gods – and then possibly Middlemarch, for Nymeth's - http://www.thingsmeanalot.com/ - readalong. Possibly.

I also still have Gone With the Wind, The Two Towers and Horns on the nightstand, although I think I'll have to re-start Horns when I come back around to it.

I'm also going to have to start a book-buying ban, because I'm getting stupidly out of hand. Books aren't cheap here, and I seem to be coming home with at least one book every week. I've started a spreadsheet, and I'm up to 70-something already – and that's basically just the books on my spare nightstand that are piling up. (It includes 12 library books, but still ...)

So I don't have anything in mind, really, except for MAREE DON'T BUY ANY MORE BOOKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, OKAY? So I'm going to try that whole reading my own books thing.

I hope.

Happy reading!

Two short reviews

Short reviews again. (Also as an aside - that might be my most favourite picture of Patrick, ever).

First up is Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Jack Morgan is an ex-CIA agent who owns Private, the most exclusive and possibly most expensive, PI agency in America. There's always plenty going on at the agency for Jack and his crew of talented employees. However, when Jack's best friend's wife is murdered, Jack finds himself in the middle of something completely unexpected.

I have to say, I enjoy Patterson. He's especially good for a reading slump because all of his chapters are, like, a page and a half long. I think Private was my speediest read so far. And it's a good story; it was suspenseful enough to keep me reading, and the cases were intriguing and unusual.

7/10 Someone else cooks dinner – yay!

Next is Blackwork by Monica Ferris

Blackwork is part of a Needlework mystery series, centred around Betsey Devonshire, who owns Crewel World - an embroidery store - and finds herself periodically caught up in evil doings. As you do.

Halloween is approaching, and the small town of Excelsior, but the residents are distracted when town alcoholic Ryan McMurphy is found dead in a closed room. Suspicion centres on Leona Cunninghahm, a practitioner of Wiccan. It's up to Betsey and co to find out the truth.

I like the odd cosy mystery, and I enjoy this series partly because of all the needlework references. For me, the case is secondary to that and the interactions between Betsey and her friends. It's a fun diversion though.

6/10 Leaving work 30 minutes early

It's Monday, What are you reading?

Hosted here: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/

Hmmm ... my book pile this week is the same as last week, except I've given up on The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao for now. I was enjoying it but hit a wall halfway through, so I've set it aside. My reading is so patchy right now that if I'm battling with a book, I'm going to set it aside for a bit.

Sorry, Oscar Wao. But I have plans to return sooner or later.

Primarily this week I'm reading The City & The City, with http://bookgazing.blogspot.com/ and I'm also reading Trespass by Rose Tremain. My plan is to have them both finished by Saturday, so I can kick off the American Gods readalong in style.

You should join us!!!

Happy reading :D

It's Monday! What are you reading?

The endlessly interesting question is asked here: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/

That picture to your left? represents the books that are currently residing on my bedside table. All of them - apart from American Gods - have some kind of bookmark in them. I've started them all, but they're a fairly accurate representation of just how slow my reading is going this year - I don't think I've got past page 50 in any of them yet.

On the other hand, in the past two weeks, I've finished two books: Private by James Patterson; and Blackwork by Monica Ferris, who writes cosy needlework mysteries.

If you're peering at the titles, or if they're hard to read, they are - from top to bottom:

The Two Towers; American Gods; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao; Horns, Gone With the Wind and The City & The City.

That's pretty much my reading pile for the forseeable future. Not bad; not bad.

Happy reading!

Guardian of the Dead review

You know those books, that you start reading and kind of make you a little bit flaily from the start and you hope that the rest of the book lives up to the flail and then it does?

Yeah. Guardian of the Dead is definitely one of those books.

I can't put my finger on exactly what it was about Karen Healey's debut novel, but I clicked with it right away.

Main character Ellie is awesome - brave and funny and so very, very human, as she negotiates daily life as a boarding student at Mansfield College in Christchurch - a far cry from her home in Napier, but with her parents overseas, boarding school it is.

So far, so very normal ... until Ellie accidentally touches the charm bracelet worn by mysterious student, Mark.

Then all hell breaks loose.

Guardian of the Dead is the kind of New Zealand novel that I love - it's very, very Kiwi; while at the same time, it definitely has universal appeal. It's steeped in Maori myth and legend, which is fantastic, and it just ... I don't even know how to describe it properly. The whole book just works.

Anyway. It turns out that Mark is one of the last of a very long-lived race, who are trying to become immortal - by distracting Hine-nui-te-po - goddess of the underworld - with enough death that she forgets about them.

Mark - who has a human father - is determined to stop them, and although Ellie gets drawn into events by accident, it turns out she has latent powers of her own.

I seriously cannot adequately describe my love for Guardian of the Dead, and Ellie as a heroine.

The fusion of the modern world, and the Maori myths is amazing; all of the characters are sharply realised and it's incredibly easy to read. A+. Will definitely read again.

8/10 That movie that you've watched 100 times and you never get tired of

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I haven't done this meme in the longest time! Hosted here now: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/

Hrm. I'm still having a very slow reading year; so I probably don't have a whole lot to report.

What I'm reading now - and I'm nearly finished as a matter of fact - is Private, by James Patterson. I like Patterson for fast reads that don't take up too much brain power, and Private is no exception.

After that ... would you believe I'm still reading The Two Towers? And the LOTR readalong finished in APRIL!!!

I have so many books on my want to read list that I really don't know what's going to be next! Although I should finish The Two Towers, and possibly restart The City & The City. I started the latter some time ago, but it's been long enough that a re-start is in order, rather than a pick u where I left off. And I do want to read it - it has a very intriguing premise.

So ... what are you reading?