Sunday 4 September 2011

IMM/ Mailbox Monday

I've been a pretty good girl this week, and have only bought two books- that this is the case is probably helped by the fact that I've been ill since Tuesday (although I did buy one of the books on Tuesday...) and so have pretty much just been in bed since then. There is, of course, still the internet, so I could have done a LOT worse, but I did in fact only buy one book online too. I feel like I need masses of praise for this fact, so please don't hold back in the comments!

The book I bought on Tuesday, which I put entirely down to peer pressure is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, a book that has been so thoroughly over-hyped by book bloggers that it had better be the holy grail of YA Dystopian novels, or I am going to be severely disappointed with it! I am pretty excited to read it though, and hopefully it will be as good as everyone claims it is... I am a bit torn about it at the moment, because on the front there is glowing praise from Stephanie Meyer, which makes me shudder a little bit and not really want to read the book, but on the back there's a compliment from Stephen King, and I just don't know how to deal with the disparity of talent that both say this is a good book! So, basically, I'm just going to have to read it for myself and form my own opinions of it. *Sigh* like I don't have anything better to do... (no really, I don't have anything better to do...)

The only other book I got this week was George Orwell: A Life in Letters, so that 1) I can completely over-extend myself for October reading and basically know everything there is to know about Orwell for Orwell October, and 2) because I really love reading other people's letters. I have said on here before that I sort of hate it when people's diaries are published post-humously, but I see letters as being completely different, in that they now belong to the people they were sent to, and you wouldn't put anything in them that you didn't want other people to know anyway. So, yeah, I'm pretty excited to read those anyway, and if Steinbeck's life in letters is anything to go by, they're clearly going to be amazing!



Being ill this week, while severely unpleasant, has allowed me to do much blogging (and I even have posts ready! In advance! Trust me, this never happens...) and also to watch quite a few films since my head is all stuffed up and not always in a reading mood. So there might be a fair few film reviews to come in the next few weeks. This week, however, has been a bit of a mixed bag:

On Monday, I reviewed Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, and discussed its various merits and negatives, with an inconclusive verdict on my final thoughts about it,
Tuesday was, as always, a day for me to make lists with much excitement, this week discussing the top ten books I want to read this autumn,
On Wednesday, I declared my interest in R.I.P., a reading challenge where I can read many Stephen King books, and maybe scary books by other authors too (are there any other authors?) as well as reviewing The Astronaut's Wife, a film that was only scary in how awful it was.
Thursday saw the announcement of Frances and Laura's unread book club, where me and my friend read books that we both own and yet haven't read yet- so if you own The Golden Notebook and want to read it with us, head over there now and tell me about it!
On Friday, continuing on with my Stephen King Quest, I encountered another man on a quest in The Gunslinger, starting me off for the second time on my journey through The Dark Tower series,
And finally, on Saturday, I revealed my not-so-secret love for Luke from Gilmore Girls, in a list of carefully considered character traits that are all great reasons to love such a man!

And that's what my week looked like! Except, imagine more phlegm and swollen tonsils and temperatures and stuff, and that's what it actually looked like. But online, it was a lot less painful...

19 comments:

  1. All I can say is give Hunger Games a chance. I was definitely a little apprehensive going into me, but I fell for it just like everyone else. I'm sure once you start reading you're not going to be able to put it down.

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  2. I love The Hunger Games. Just ignore the praise on the front by Stephenie Meyer, it's much better than anything written by her!

    Books of Amber

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  3. Okay, Hunger Games definitely isn't the best YA ever. But it IS a trilogy that I really, really liked. It's an interesting concept, it came out just when dystopian YA was exploding all over the place, Katniss is a good character, there's no real insta-love, and it's fast-paced and fun. I hope you like it and all the hype hasn't ruined it!

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  4. I hope you're feeling better! I was gifted The Hunger Games but haven't read it yet. I'm feeling dubious. Can't wait to see what you think of it.

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  5. Loved Hunger Games. And a hell yeah for Luke of GG!!!

    Check out our Mailbox at Book Sake.

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  6. I loved the Hunger Games. I teared up. Not exactly digging the cover though. I don't know why though.

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  7. I really enjoyed The Hunger games and I hope you do too!

    Check out my IMM here - http://lostinayabook.blogspot.com/2011/09/in-my-mailbox-8.html

    Emma @ LostinaYAboook.blogspot.com

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  8. I liked Hunger Games but I don't like that cover--the original cover is better IMO, but then I'm a reader, not a celebrity watcher

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  9. I've never seen that cover of Hunger Games, but I hope you'll be glad that you bought it! I bought the entire trilogy and felt it was definitely worth it.

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  10. New cover for me (for Hunger Games) hope you enjoy all your reads.

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  11. I hope you enjoy The Hunger Games as much as I did. It has a cute cover by the way.

    Happy reading!

    Here's mine The Blair Book Project IMM

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  12. I'd be leary of Hunger Games too, if they'd plastered a Meyer quote on the front of the one I got too. I've yet to read my copy, but its the original cover.

    Luke is awesome

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  13. And here I thought I was the last person in the world to read The Hunger Games. I hope it exceeds your expectations.

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  14. I still haven't gotten to The Hunger Games :-)

    I'll bet Orwell's Life in Letters is fascinating!

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  15. "a book that has been so thoroughly over-hyped by book bloggers that it had better be the holy grail of YA Dystopian novels, or I am going to be severely disappointed with it"

    Right?? I'm kind of scared to read it because soo many people have freaked out about its amazingness. Know what IS really amazing? Mysterious Benedict Society. Bam!

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  16. I was apprehensive of The Hunger Games also. I am not a huge YA reader. I finally broke down and read it and loved it! I hope you enjoy it!

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  17. I'm with you - I love reading other people's letters. Enjoy the Orwell's Letters!

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  18. I read Hunger Games awhile ago and enjoyed it..I hope you do too!

    Here is my Mailbox

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  19. I hope you enjoy The Hunger Games. Sometimes expectations can be too high with books like that that get so much hype.

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