chesilbeach

I've been thinking more about the music I listen to while I'm reading, and I think I'm going to try and keep a record of which album went with each book reading. Sometimes, if I get it right, it can really add to the mood of the book, so hopefully if I build up some notes on it, I'll be able to flip straight to the record I need to match the mood of the story.

There's only two things that I always do. Firstly, as I usually read where there are other people or other distractions (television, conversation, etc.), then I try to have some music on to drown out any other noise. I try to match the music to the book, for example while reading Twilight, I've been listening to Chopin Nocturnes, or when I read Duende and Andalus I listen to flamenco music. Books based on drama will require something like the soundtrack from the film, The Hours, while something more light-hearted might be some jazz, like Harry Connick Jr Lofty's Roach Souffle or something easy, like the soundtrack from Amelie. I've built up a good selection of albums to listen to while reading - the main thing being there must be no singing in English! I usually prefer instrumental pieces, but I can listen to something like Tango Argentina as the songs are all in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish etc. so I can't distinguish what the words are I'm reading, so distract me from the text. The other thing I always do, is put the train ticket I use as my bookmark between the inside cover and the first page. Apart from that, I don't think I have any other particular habits.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I might well be tempted to try those, but I really do need to get on with my already huge TBR list first! Just finished Breaking Dawn, so that's the entire Twilight series in 48 hours. How sad am I? Will I be able to break the Meyer effect and move onto a proper book? I'm not sure yet, and will leave it this evening (maybe just watch the film again to prevent withdrawal symptoms), and see how I feel in the morning.

Christie, I think you might want to wait until you've read some more of the series before making up your mind about which clan you'd like to be in, as you'll be meeting a lot more clans by the end of it!!

Yes, they are good, but indulgent! I've just finished Eclipse and about to start Breaking Dawn; I only hope I can go cold turkey and read something else after I finish it!

All our attempts at subterfuge had been in vain. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Oh no, I'm feeling very guilty. I know I've had the day off work, but to have polished off Twilight, started and finished New Moon and have made a start on Eclipse, I feel like someone on a diet who has just eaten a huge pizza and a tub of Ben & Jerry's! I'd forgotten how engrossing these books are, and I'm hoping I can put them aside after finishing Breaking Dawn - some time tomorrow, if today is anything to go by! I have two books to read for my reading group in a couple of weeks time, as well as a mountainous pile of TBR books on the shelf, and here I am indulging in those darned teenage vampire love stories again!!!

Finished Twilight this morning, and can't resist carrying on with the rest of the series now Moving onto New Moon now, and will have to resume normal service after finishing Breaking Dawn.

I've just finished re-reading Twilight. I couldn't help myself after watching the film, and then I was sure it was just going to be Twilight before I went back to my TBR pile. But, oh no, they have to put the first few pages of New Moon at the back of the book, don't they, so now, I've started New Moon as well. I can see I'm going to have to do the whole series before I can get back to normal! I think they've done a pretty good adaptation in the film, but I do prefer the book. Some of my favourite scenes had to be missed out or were condensed with others to make it flow better on film, and I did relish being able to read them in full again. Oh, and minor thing, but the Cullen's house didn't live up to my expectations either! Even though it was a beautiful modern house, it didn't actually feel impressive and imposing enough.

Great Apes - Will Self

I'm good, thanks. Hope this finds you good too You will definitely want to hurl Twilight over your shoulder ... I'll probably get shouted at for this, but, it's a girl thing It's not very well written, the main female character is pretty weak and angst ridden, often cited as being anti-feminist but there is something about it that captures first love and makes my heart beat faster and sets off the butterflies in my tummy. It's definitely a guilty pleasure.

In case anyone missed the NM trailer, you can see it on Stephenie Meyer's website on the June 1, 2009 entry.

I think I liked the pacing of the second book more, as I got a bit annoyed in this one when nothing happened for a few months while Wilde was writing The Picture of Dorian Gray and mentioned Conan Doyle writing The Sign of Four, and yet when the "detecting" picked up again, everything was fresh in their memories as if it was yesterday, whereas in Ring Of Death the whole plot is centred around a brief spell in time and has more urgency to it.

I finished this yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I must admit, I thought I knew who the murderer was early on, and although I was wrong, I was on the right track, and as the story moved along, I did guess a few more of the clues. I think I actually preferred the second book, but this was still a great, entertaining read, and I'd recommend it.

I'm really looking forward to Twenties Girl as well. I prefer her stand-alone books to the Shopaholic series, and this one sounds like great fun. The UK publisher hasn't announced any give-aways or competitions that I can see for an advanced copy, but according to Waterstone's it should be available on 16/7/09. Unfortunately, that will be the hardback version, and not sure when the paperback is due out, but with chick-lit, I think they're pretty quick at moving them to paperback, as they know that's where the main market is. I've reserved my copy at the library, but I'm already 4th on the list!

A Patchwork Planet - Anne Tyler

Just checked out the exact quote we've been discussing (page 234/5 in my copy):

Hope you like them, rwemad! I managed to get hold of Cider With Roadies myself today, along with another three books ... so much for not buying any more books for a while! Finished Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders this afternoon, which was very good, although Constance's birthday present was a bit of a surprise, but overall I really enjoyed it. I wonder how many more books Mr Brandreth is planning? Also (re-)read a bit more of Twilight as well.

I'm not sure about the heroin line being in the book, but I have to admit, when I went to bed last night, the book was staring at me from the shelf, and I just couldn't resist starting to read it again, so I'll find out soon. I don't normally read in bed, but last night, I just couldn't resist! I did buy the two disc version, so I will be listening to commentary and watching all the extras over the next few evenings, I expect. I love commentaries, so there isn't any need to convince me that I need to listen to it!

I bought the DVD today, and having not seen it at the cinema, I've just finished my first view of the film. A pretty good adaptation (considering the source material ), but I didn't fall in love with it like I did the book at first reading. But, I thought the inclusion of Stephenie Meyer was very clunkily done and really jarred in an otherwise pretty good film.

A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon

Have you read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke? I can't remember anything explicit that would be disturbing about it, and is a great fantasy/magic book.

The Railway Children - E. Nesbit

I honestly have very few memories of reading during childhood. I know I used to devour the usual Enid Blyton fare, and that a book was always a treat for being good, such as going to the doctor or dentist without grizzling, or spending a whole day shopping for furniture or some such tedious day out. I think nearly all my pocket money was spent on books until I was well into my teens. In fact, the only reason I know which books I read as a child is because they've all moved with me and I still have a couple of shelves full of them. Anything borrowed from the library (4 books every two weeks) is forgotten. I don't remember my parents reading to me, and for the most part, I think they read very little in comparison to me, and most of my reading habits came from school. My school continued "storytime" reading sessions (the last 15 minutes of the day) up until we were 9, and all my teachers were excellent at reading aloud. After the age of 9 and until we went to the comprehensive school, we have a weekly reading time, as well as regular individual discussions with the librarian at school to try and develop the scope and breadth of our reading. But ask me what was read to me, and what books the librarian would have encouraged me to read, and I wouldn't have a clue.