paperplane Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) I read three books last year. Three. Appalling I know, what made it worse was they were trashy receptionist by day, high class escort by night. In My Skin by Kate Holden was the most bearable of the lot. Having not read 'properly' since High School I think it's time to get stuck into it again. So far so good. Books highlighted in this colour I absolutely loved and highly recommend! Other Books - Read Quite a While Ago: Harry Potter 1-4 - JK Rowling The Dumas Club - Arturo Perez Reverte Animal Farm - George Orwell In My Skin - Kate Holden Sugarbabe - Holly Hill Belle De Jour - Belle De Jour 2009 - Have Read So Far: Bright Shiny Morning - James Frey American Psycho (Half Read) - Bret Easton Ellis Zodiac - Robert Graysmith The Nightstalker: Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez - Philip Carlo Helter Skelter - Vince Bugliosi Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess Picnic at Hanging Rock - Joan Lindsay Valley of the Dolls - Jaqueline Susann 2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C Clarke 2010: Odyssey Two - Arthur C Clarke Cujo - Stephen King 2061: Odyssey Three - Arthur C Clarke Nightwork - Thomas Glavinic Dracula - Bram Stroker The Slap - Christos Tsiolkas 3001: The Final Odyssey - Arthur C Clarke The Raw Shark Texts - Steven Hall 1984 - George Orwell Twilight - Stephenie Meyer New Moon - Stephenie Meyer Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer The Beach - Alex Garland Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris The Birds & Other Stories - Daphne Du Maurier No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde The Seance - John Harwood And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies - William Golding The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie The Thirteen Problems - Agatha Christie* Have abandoned Paranoid Park - Blake Nelson Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov Blindness - Jose Saramago Jamaica Inn - Daphne Du Maurier The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath Currently Reading: Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte Next to be read: Next to be bought: The Blood Countess: Erzebet Bathory - Valentine Penrose Body Copy - Michael Craven Countess Dracula: The Life & Times of Elizabeth Bathory - Tony Thorne December - Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop Earth Abides - George R Stewart Familiar Scars - Christy Stewart Heart of A Dog - Mikhail Bulgakov High Rise - J.G Ballard House of Leaves - Mark Danielewski How Late it was, How Late - James Kelman Janet Frame: An Autobiography - Janet Frame Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy L.A Candy - Lauren Conrad The Little Friend - Donna Tartt Little Girl Lost - Drew Barrymore Madapple - Christina Meldrum Marching Powder- Rusty Young Metropole - Ferenec Karinthy My Cousin Rachel - Daphne Du Maurier Parasites Like Us - Adam Johnson Post Office - Charles Bukowski Procession of the Dead - D.B Shan The Quiet Earth - Craig Harrison Queenpin - Megan Abbott Shantaram - Gregory Davis Roberts The Shining - Stephen King Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed,Chunked and Spewed - Lance Carbuncle Sorceress - Celia Rees Strangers on a Train - Patricia Highsmith To Catch A Thief - David Dodge Vertigo - Pierre Boileau The Voice Imitator - Thomas Bernhard Watership Down - Richard Adams Witch Child - Celia Rees We - Yevgeny Zamyatin Wonder Boys - Michael Chabon The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman To be continued... Edited November 22, 2009 by paperplane Quote
Kylie Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 I like your reading choices. You seem to have similar tastes to me. I'll be interested in your thoughts on Valley of the Dolls as that's one I've been wanting to read for a while. I don't think I could stomach American Psycho, but I'm getting curious about it. And you've already more than doubled last year's total. Good for you! Quote
Andaira Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 Currently Reading: Valley of the Dolls - Jaqueline Susann I've wanted to read this book since I was 15, and I still have not gotten around to it . I'd love to hear your thoughts on it once you finish it. And happy readings to you Quote
Nessicle Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 I like your reading choices. You seem to have similar tastes to me. I'll be interested in your thoughts on Valley of the Dolls as that's one I've been wanting to read for a while. I don't think I could stomach American Psycho, but I'm getting curious about it. And you've already more than doubled last year's total. Good for you! Actually I quite want to read American Psycho. A few work colleagues have said it's very disturbing but a good read if you can stomach it lol. I'm intrigued though now Quote
Ben Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 Actually I quite want to read American Psycho. A few work colleagues have said it's very disturbing but a good read if you can stomach it lol. I'm intrigued though now That's the thing about disturbing reads, they're the ones that always make you interested despite not necessarily wanting to be. Quote
kernow_reader Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 You have some good choices on there. I love Fear and Loathing. That's a great read. I've also read The Bell Jar, Jude The Obscure and The Yellow Wallpaper. Happy Reading! Quote
chesilbeach Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 I hardly think the phrase "Happy Reading" and the book "Jude The Obscure" should be in the same post Quote
paperplane Posted February 6, 2009 Author Posted February 6, 2009 (edited) I was fine with American Pyscho for the first half, but read to a certain point which I don't think I want to continue anytime soon! Valley of the Dolls, I didn't think I'd like for the first few pages but it has gotten quite interesting. Edited February 6, 2009 by paperplane Quote
everydayxangels Posted February 6, 2009 Posted February 6, 2009 I have heard of a few of your books, but I know I LOVED The Bell Jar and somewhere in far future, I will read Sylvia Plath's unabridged journals. She is one of the those, not only talented but fascinating authors. I'm excited to hear what you think of it. Quote
frankie Posted February 6, 2009 Posted February 6, 2009 I have heard of a few of your books, but I know I LOVED The Bell Jar and somewhere in far future, I will read Sylvia Plath's unabridged journals. She is one of the those, not only talented but fascinating authors. I'm excited to hear what you think of it. If you're that interested in Sylvia Plath, then I would definitely recommend Ronald Hayman's The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath. It's one of the most interesting and gripping biographies I've read. I used to think Sylvia was just a real nutcase (stupid old me ), then I happened to see this book in the library and decided to give it a go. It really opened up my eyes and made me understand her personality and character. After reading it I immediately ordered Bell Jar and The Unabridged Journals (I haven't read those yet. I'm planning on reading the biography again before those two. Make it a marathon ) Quote
Andaira Posted February 6, 2009 Posted February 6, 2009 Valley of the Dolls, I didn't think I'd like for the first few pages but it has gotten quite interesting. I'm glad to hear that it has potential. I might pick me up a copy if available at the library this Saturday. What's another book to add to my already humongous TBR pile right? Quote
paperplane Posted February 10, 2009 Author Posted February 10, 2009 Finished Valley of the Dolls last night I'd give it a 5/10, it did start off okay, got interesting then dies down in the middle and at the end I felt 'oh nooo!!!' and felt like shaking some of the characters to get some sense into them. It wasn't what I expected, wasn't a bad or good read really. Have just started 2001 Space Odyssey which means I get to go book shopping as I have no new books ready waiting in line from my TBR pile! Quote
Andaira Posted February 10, 2009 Posted February 10, 2009 Oh my... (on Valley of the Dolls). I suppose I'll still give that one a go since I've been highly curious of the book since years ago. A shame it wasn't to your liking though. Happy hunting on your book buying, paperplane! Quote
paperplane Posted February 17, 2009 Author Posted February 17, 2009 Have since finished 2001 Space Odyssey and am half way through the second. I did however see the 2001 movie before reading but both are great! After reading this one I'll have to try to get a hold of the 2010 film. Quote
paperplane Posted February 24, 2009 Author Posted February 24, 2009 Have now finished 2010 a while ago and started Cujo which is a bit dissapponiting I'm not feeling the style of writing as it feels as though he goes off on a tangent but I'm forcing myself through so it's done and out of the way then I can get started on 2061. Quote
paperplane Posted March 19, 2009 Author Posted March 19, 2009 I had to take a little break from reading as I was then finishing then diving into the next one which got a bit tedious. Finished 2061: Odyssey Three this morning and really didn't like it. It was all over the place and didn't really go anywhere, I still want to read the last book 3001 but need a rest from that series. So for now I bought Nightwork by Thomas Glavinic which sounds interesting and Dracula by Bram Stroker. Quote
paperplane Posted March 21, 2009 Author Posted March 21, 2009 Just finished Nightwork this morning and absolutely loved it, it's definitely one of 'my' type of books. Now off to start on Dracula... Quote
paperplane Posted April 7, 2009 Author Posted April 7, 2009 I have a new book to read on the way home, The Slap. I still have a quarter of Dracula left to read but it's so uninteresting now I can't be bothered forcing myself to finish it. Quote
~Andrea~ Posted April 7, 2009 Posted April 7, 2009 I have a new book to read on the way home, The Slap. I still have a quarter of Dracula left to read but it's so uninteresting now I can't be bothered forcing myself to finish it. If it's any consolation I think it does pick up a bit towards the end. I found the third quarter of the book extremely dull and if that had been removed I think it would have been great. I enjoyed the first half (especially the opening four chapters). Quote
paperplane Posted April 29, 2009 Author Posted April 29, 2009 I've fallen off the wagon a bit after finishing The Slap, which was great by the way!So I'm going to get 3001: The Final Odyssey today to finally finish off the series. Quote
paperplane Posted May 3, 2009 Author Posted May 3, 2009 I finished The Raw Shark Texts on the weekend, it's a strange little book but it did keep me interested the whole way through! I still don't know what to make of the ending however. Apparently for every chapter of the book there is an 'unchapter' or negative, I've managed to read a few online but some are still missing. I'd give it about a 7/10. Having started 1984, I keep imagining the novel being set in the 1940's even though it's meant to be the opposite! Quote
chesilbeach Posted May 4, 2009 Posted May 4, 2009 Glad you liked The Raw Shark Texts - I read it when it first came out. I thought it was inventive and thought provoking, but did require a lot of effort to stay with it until the end. I was going to recommend it to my reading group, but I didn't think they'd get it. Quote
paperplane Posted May 6, 2009 Author Posted May 6, 2009 I have a confession to make...I started Twilight only so I can see what all the fuss is about so I can move on to my other books. I've found it's rather easy to keep reading and forget how much time has passed! Finished 1984 last night, It's not something I'd normally pick up, but I've always seen it on those top 100 to read lists so I thought I'd give it a read. I liked how it was written, it flowed nicely and didn't waffle on, but it's not something I'd find myself re-reading in the future. So it's about a 6/10. Quote
DanC_84 Posted May 6, 2009 Posted May 6, 2009 I have a confession to make...I started Twilight only so I can see what all the fuss is about so I can move on to my other books. I've found it's rather easy to keep reading and forget how much time has passed! Finished 1984 last night, It's not something I'd normally pick up, but I've always seen it on those top 100 to read lists so I thought I'd give it a read. I liked how it was written, it flowed nicely and didn't waffle on, but it's not something I'd find myself re-reading in the future. So it's about a 6/10. Haha. And so another one falls... Quote
rwemad Posted May 8, 2009 Posted May 8, 2009 Haha. And so another one falls... The Twilight series have landed at my house too .... not ordered by myself I hasten to add. I may......... I may not. Quote
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