Book Fiend

Sometimes when I'm in conversation with another book lover, I find that they will make a comment about some classic book that they just assume you will have read. I then find myself in the embarrassing position of having to admit to not actually having read it, at which point they will look at me in astonishment! Do you ever find yourself in this situation? For me the main books are: To Kill A Mocking Bird - I've been meaning to read this for years, it's sat on my bookshelf patiently waiting. In fact, it's always the book I'm going to read next, but for some reason I never get around to it! Anything by Charles Dickens - I've never liked any Charles Dickens adaption that I've seen on TV so, I hate to admit it, but I have no intention of ever reading any of his books. They just all seem so depressing! The Lord of the Rings - I tried, I really did, but I just found it impossible. I gave up after 100 pages. In my defence, I have read The Hobbit Jane Eyre - Once again, it's on my bookshelf and I will get around to it eventually! Wuthering Heights - I admit it, I'm probably never going to read this. Until very recently Lord of the Flies was also on this list, but I read that last month

1. I'm a terrible fidget. I find it almost physically impossible to just sit still, I'm always tapping my feet or playing with a pen or something (On the plus side I've read that you can burn 300 calories a day by fidgeting!) 2. I have lots of moles and I'm really paranoid about getting skin cancer, but I love to lay in the sun, so I do (with suncream!) and then worry myself silly about it. 3. I'm very very clumsy. I just randomly walk into walls and door frames and bits of furniture. I also break a lot of things which can drive my parents a bit crazy. 4. I've been driving for 7 years and I've never driven on a motorway! 5. I'm quite paranoid about there being information about me on the internet, which sometimes stops me posting in this forum even though I really want to

Oh I have a bit of a crush on him as well! He's so funny and he seems really intelligent. He's also quite a big man which I find strangely attractive, just because he looks like he could protect you from a bear or something I have a bit of an odd crush on Noel Fielding at the moment. I was watching him on Never Mind the Buzzcocks last night and he's just so adorable!

I'm so overly emotional that I cry at practically every book I read! In fact, if a book doesn't produce at least a few tears I feel let down because it means that it hasn't really touched me. However there are a few books which literally reduce me to floods of tears, and can actually make me cry for several days whenever I think about them again! The main ones are: Captain Corelli's Mandolin The Amber Spyglass The Book Thief Every book I've ever read by Robin Hobb The last 3 Harry Potter books I can't think of any more at the minute, but there is some!

We had a big discussion about this in my book group!

I'm very bad at updating my list! I've finished two books since I last did it, Life of Pi and The Golden Fool by Robin Hobb. First - Life of Pi. I read this for my book group, although it was something I'd been meaning to read for ages. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It was funny and scary and shocking and the most original book I have ever read. It definately gets a place on my list of favourite books! Then I finished The Golden Fool. This is the 2nd book in the Tawny Man trilogy, so it was a bit lacking in action. It felt very much like it was all middle, without a proper beginning and end, but I think this is just because the author is getting everything in place for the final book, which is sitting patiently on my TBR pile, and which I expect to be absolutely amazing!!! (I so hope I'm not disappointed!) I've just started reading Lord of the Flies now, and to be honest I am struggling a bit! I just find the writing so difficult. If it wasn't for the fact that it's a classic (and a very thin classic!) I would probably give up, but I'm going to try my hardest to finish it. I am intruiged by the idea, I just wish it was written differently!

This is exactly what I like about first person, I just feel so much more of a connection to the character. I think the best example is in The Vampire Lestat. I love the character, and I don't think I would have loved him as much if it was written in the third person! However I also agree with what some other people have said about the pit-falls of books written in the first person. I'm not a writer but I imagine writing in the first person would be much more difficult than writing in the third person. However I've been fairly lucky and most of the first person books I've read have been really good. I think the thing with first person books is that when they are good, they're very very good, and when they're bad they're terrible!!

What do you prefer, books written in the first person or the third person? I was speaking to somebody the other day who told me they don't like books written in the first person, which really surprised me. Personally I love books written in the first person, I just think it makes it so much easier to connect with the character. I love the fact that it feels like you're in their head hearing their thoughts. Generally I also find them easier to read, they just seem to flow better. I'm really interested to hear what everybody else thinks.

I was reading a Christopher Pike book once (can't remember which) and about half way through there was a chapter from a completely different Christopher Pike book! I noticed because I'd read the other book, and because there were two chapter 9s and no chapter 10! Unfortunately the chapter that was missing evidently contained a vital piece of the story, because after that it didn't make much sense! Lucklily it was a library book!

I was really ticked off, but it's a credit to Joanne Harris that despite my little tip off, I still wasn't 100% sure until near the end! I will definately be reading more of her books, I was very impressed. I have Chocolat on my TBR pile, which I have heard is very different but still very good. You should definately give The Dice Man a try, it raises some very interesting points about how people behave and conform to certain ideas. It did make me think about giving it a go, just role the dice and see what it says!! (obviously my options wouldn't be as extreme as his!)

Have you read the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman? All the books are very good, but the 3rd book (The Amber Spyglass) is the most uplifting, inspirational book I've ever read. I think it's the only book I've ever read that's really changed the way I feel about life.

Finally got around to updating my reading list after literally months! I'm so sorry Frankie, I completely missed your message!! Anyway, if you're still interested, I found the Dice Man a nice fast paced read, not exactly easy (mostly because from what I can remember there's quite a bit of psychiatrist talk, which is interesting) but definately enjoyable, and definately not to be taken seriously!! I actually found it very very funny. Anyway, it's been an odd few months reading wise. I've been quite busy with other things, so my reading has been neglected lately. Since I last posted I've read The Lovely Bones (really wasn't impressed), Carrie (very good) and Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. It was my first Joanne Harris novel, and I thought it was brilliant. I read it for my new book club, and I'm so pleased I did. I took it on holiday with me and I just couldn't put it down. It was fast paced and easy to read, with fantastic characters. The only downside was At the moment I'm ready The Golden Fool by Robin Hobb, and Life of Pi for my book club. I don't like reading two books at once, but it's a necessity as I have to finish Life of Pi by next Wednesday, and I'm only half way through The Golden Fool. My new book club is very good. It's part of the social activities group I joined. I've only been to one meeting, but it was very fun and informal. A few people seem slightly *tries to think of a nice way of saying snobby but fails* about their reading choices. One woman seemed to think that because Gentlemen and Players wasn't fantastic literature with a deep and meaningful message, that meant it wasn't a good book. But hey-ho we all have different opinions I may not have been very good at reading books lately, but I've managed to buy quite a few I went to Waterstones a few weeks ago to pick up Life of Pi, but it was 3 for 2 on ALL fiction!! So I HAD to buy 3 books, then because I had spent over £10 I could have The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood for £4.50, so I HAD to buy that as well. In the end I got 4 books for £20ish pound, which is a complete bargain, but very very bad when you've only gone in for one and are trying to cut down.