Showing posts with label confession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label confession. Show all posts

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Confessions of a Weird Reader #7: Me vs. Book Reading Slump


Hello everyone and happy Saturday! Today I want to talk about reading slumps. They're a bitch, aren't they?


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January was a really weird month for me in terms of reading. I actually started the year with a reading slump, if you can believe that. Here I have all the time in the world to read and I didn't like anything. Now, when I say anything I might be exaggerating just a tiiiiiiiny little bit, but I didn't enjoy a huge chunk of my reading material either.

So I decided to try something I have never done before. The idea came from another blogger (sorry if I don't remember who you are!) that last year decided that for one full month she was going to read books written by African-American authors. Cool, awesome idea that I decided to borrow, with a tiny twist.

February and March were both a little mixed. I read backlist books, mostly from Marc Levy, which you all know I adore and love. Apparently I also succeeded in kicking my reading slump's behind, because the ugly thing never showed its face again.

For some reason I got really excited last Friday when my eyes just happened upon my non-fiction shelf. I don't own a lot of those, and most are either psychology books or history books. BUT I've decided to make April a mostly non-fiction month. I will probably also read some fiction along the way, especially before going to bed, but so far I'm really enjoying this idea.

As you probably also know this about me, I'm a huuuuuuge freebie ebook hoarder. Because of that, May is going to be the month of the freebie reads. (I feel like I should mention this: legal freebie reads! Kobo/Kindle freebies are the best and I hunt them down any chance I get <- all="" at="" didn="" p="" scary="" sound="" t="" that="">
Anyway, this is my "magic" solution to avoid a reading slump this year. I hope it works, because I say this again, I hate reading slumps. And I'm sure so does everybody else who identifies as a bookworm.

What is your magic solution to get out of a reading slump? Any tips & tricks?

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Confessions of a Weird Reader #6: To All The Reads I Put On Hold

Happy Wednesday everyone! Today I want to talk to you about a special kind of books, the ones I decide to put down for a little while.

As you probably already know, I have no issue DNFing a book. If I don't enjoy it, I don't finish it. Seems reasonable, right? But what happens with those tough-to-read books? Those are really painful to DNF, mostly because I really don't want to. The decision to put them aside for a little while isn't easy for me. Which is why this blog post is dedicated to them, to the books that I just had to put on hold for a while in 2015. Here we go!


Things I Want My Daughters To Know - Elizabeth Noble

How much I read: 22%

Why I put it on hold: It's not you, it's me. You had the misfortune of being picked up right after I finished reading Somebody Up There Hates You by Hollis Seamon, a book with an equally sad topic. I thought I could read you right away. I was wrong.

Will I finish it: Definitely. The story is sad, but also inspiring. It also shows how different people react in very different ways to the same situation, even if those people are siblings. It's a great story and I do plan to finish it.







The Dream of the Child Who Walks On Snow Without Leaving Traces - Gabriel Chifu

How much I read: 56%

Why I put it on hold: The subject is a difficult one to read about. It's about the communist regime in the 70s in Romania and the saddest part about this book is that most of this stuff (if not all of it) actually happened. To real people, in real life. It's not just some what-if situation, it's a real life story at the end of the day. It's hard to get through without wanting to scream. Or cry. Or both.

Will I finish it: Yes. I do. I will. Maybe that could be January's resolution!





The Strange Journey of Mr. Daldry - Marc Levy

How much I read: About 50%

Why I put it on hold: It was you. Well, kind of. Mostly me. See, I'm used to Marc Levy writing great stories, stories that don't always make sense right away. Stories that aren't always light and funny. I picked up this book, feeling hopeful. I also had super high expectations. It is possible that those expectations were way too high. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, maybe it's my fault.

Will I finish it: I think so, I'm not sure. That's the sad part, because I do want to know how the story ends, what they find on their journey.





Let's talk. Did you put aside any books last year? Or this year? Why?

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Confessions Of a Weird Reader #5: Me and Comic Books

Ever since I can remember I've had this big moments in my life as a reader. The first books I ever read were the Disney tie-in books that I absolutely adored. Then came the moment I discovered my love for fantasy. Then I discovered vampires, romance novels and contemporary books. Last year I discovered TV fanfiction and I have never been the same (because really, sometimes I need more scenes with my OTPs than I could ever get from the show itself). Aaand now I've gotten the comic book/graphic novel bug. 

The first time I was ever read a comic book was when I was around 9 I think, when my parents got me Asterix and Cleopatra. I remember looking at that book and noticing how pretty the drawings were (though Cleopatra did have a big nose in that book). But I also remember being utterly unable to wrap my mind around how to read it or how the dialogue bubbles made a story. It just never made sense to me. Then as I got older and I started reading more and more books, I didn't quite find a subject or story that made me want to delve into the world of comicss. Sure, I grew up watching Wonder Woman and Superman (the movies and the TV show), but I didn't exactly wanted to read more about them. And I know, it sounds strange when you think about it, especially since I'm the one who refuses to watch certain movies The Hunger Games before reading the books. Then earlier this year I decided to try one out, mostly because I was frustrated with the short and few scenes that Hawkeye got in the first Avengers movie. He needed more screen time.

Fast forward to this week and I now am exploring. Best way to explore? Free comic issues on comiXology and Amazon. I might have created a monster with this. But I've discovered a few things this week:

             -  I like colored comics more than black & white ones (although if I ever get to buy paperback versions of b&w comics, I could try to color them in... don't judge me!);
             - I do, in fact, want to read lesser-known graphic novels, not just those with the famous superheroes;
             - I might be willing to read an insane amount of movie/tv show tie-in comic books *cough*Buffy*cough*;
             - The most important discovery of all: comic books are fun to read!

I never thought I'd get to enjoy reading comic books as much as I am currently. I also caught myself searching for old issues at flea markets. Sadly, I don't think I'll ever have enough money for those. Shame, really.

Anyway, it's nice to spread my wings as a reader and discover new books. I feel proud of myself, to be honest.

So let's talk about comic books. Do you read them? How did you start?

PS.: If you happen to read comic books and know some good ones, do recommend me some. I am new to this and looking at the different story lines for the superheroes I have to admit, I'm a lot a bit scared. But don't limit yourselves to superheroes. Like I said, I'm willing to read other comics besides Marvel/DC books.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Confessions Of A Weird Reader #4: Book Titles and Songs

Hey there book lovers! Happy Saturday!

Here's the thing. I love music. A lot. I probably know more lyrics and songs than I know books and authors. That's not bragging, by the way, that's just stating a fact. A sometimes annoying fact, because, honestly, who wants to have that much information clogging their brain? Except on those occasions when I can annoy other people with said information, which is gratifying as hell (teehee!), but that's not the point here. The point is that I know a lot of songs. Which gets me to books.

Authors sometimes do something incredibly awesome, which is to use song titles or lyrics as titles for their books. I usually love to see book titles being song-related, because it makes me feel like a smart cookie - thumbs up for self-esteem! - and I can say "Hey, I know that song". (I was also the slightly annoying kid in school that when I knew the correct answer, I waved my hand excitedly to be picked by the teacher. In middle school anyway.) But here's where the weirdness gets bigger. Two things:

  1. I sing the title in my head, I don't just read it like I would a regular text. If I make the connection between the title and the "correct" song, I sing the title in my head.

  2. Carlton Banks bailando It's not unusual

  3. Sometimes, I get an earworm because of it. Which is annoying as hell. I am one of those poor, unfortunate souls people that wake up with an earworm already there. (This could also be fate's way of punishing me for my very limited attention span).
 Please tell me I'm not the only one suffering here! Pretty please?!

Anyway, sometimes I end up adding those books on my TBR, because I must know why that song and why that lyric. I'm curious that way.

How about you? Are you attracted to books that have song-inspired titles?


Saturday, August 23, 2014

Confession Of A Weird Reader #3: Reading The Last Book In A Series

Hey you all, bookish people! Let's talk about the last book in a series. In the last couple of years some of my favorite series ended and I think a lot of us had to go through the heartbreak that comes right after reading the very last sentence in that particular book.

The news that a series is going to end always makes me anxious. It's one of those things I dread with all my heart and I always hope I don't see it on an author's website. And even if it's not about those big series, of over 6 books in it. Even just the release day of the third book in a trilogy that I loved makes me anxious.

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I'm not ready for a series to end. I know at some point it should, but I don't want it to end. Not only because I'm so invested in the story, the characters and the world in that series, but because really, that series has become like... a magical portal to this incredible world that gives me immense joy and sometimes heartbreak. I know those characters. I cried for them, I jumped with joy or moped around with them. They're like friends.

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Yeah, it might sound weird to non-bookish people, I know. But let's be honest here. Not only have you read their stories and seen them grow and develop and become great men and women, they've also changed you in a way. It always makes me angry when I hear people saying books don't teach you anything and I want to just smack them so hard, but I hear it isn't polite and that it's illegal in some countries *rolls eyes*

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So, here comes the confession part of this post (it is titled that way, after all). I have yet to read the last 4 books in Women Of The Otherworld. It's not because I've stopped loving that series, I haven't. And I do want to read about *SPOILER ALERT* Savannah and Adam. But reading these last 4 books means reading the end. I don't want that. I've literally picked up those books and put them back on their shelf dozens of times just because of that reason. 

Not to mention that I've delayed reading the last Harry Potter book for a year after it came out, because I didn't want to read about any of my favorite characters dying in the last battle. Guess why I haven't yet read Allegiant and tons of other series endings. I had the courage to read Beautiful Redemption only because I knew there's a sequel. I'm a chicken sometimes, okay?

I have a hard time reading the last book in a series. Okay, so some authors, like Kelley Armstrong, are nice people and write little "What happened after" stories or novellas. It's not the same. And I know, I know, I said I love re-reads and I do. I stand by what I said. But it's still going to end again and again and again. Now, I know I could read stand-alones. But again, I love series. They're big and they give me time with characters that I love and they tell me more stories than you can ever fit into a single book. Plus, with series, there's a certain ease you have when reading from your favorite character's POV. It's like you're meeting with friends. 

What about you? Do you have a hard time reading the final THE END in a series, or is it just as easy as if it were a stand-alone?

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Confession Of A Weird Reader #2: Why I Love Re-reads

I've been preparing for an exam these last few days (as shown by the lack of posts). I didn't have time for reading new books and, though it's extremely frustrating because it seems like all the new, shiny books are rushing to come out DURING those times, this gave me a great idea for today's confession post.

Whenever I'm studying for an exam, unless it's a book I've been dying to read that gets published during that time frame (like it happened with Lover Mine, when it was published a week before my finals), I generally stay away from new books. The reason is quite easy to understand, actually: I want to take my time reading it without feeling guilty about procrastinating. Plus, I generally don't have much free time on my hands and because I'm weird about my studying (I generally do my best studying at night) I'd rather sleep a few precious hours.


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And a second reason that is a little weird: if I end up loving the book, I'll have an incredibly hard time going back to nonfiction and boring, stuffy text books. Which is why I re-read.

Now on to the weird part of this confession, shall we?

Re-reading a book that I loved, to me, is liberating in a way. For one, I know for a fact that I'll love the book. There hasn't been a book that I loved the first time I read it that I didn't love at a second or third read. So when you think about it, I don't have to worry about not liking a book. Or felling bad that a book has disappointed me (especially if a book was written by one of my favorite authors).

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Secondly, while I still focus on the main characters, I can now pay attention to all the little details in the background, the subplots, the hints for future books (if it's in a series), the secondary characters. I can't begin to tell you the amount of stuff I missed when I first read Harry Potter or any other book for that matter. But because I already know what happens, I can sort of stand back and really focus on other details and I'll usually have an "AH-HA!" moment every two, three pages.

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There's a third reason for why I love re-reads. While I love discovering new books, new adventures and characters, new worlds and the authors that created them, re-reading a book is really like visiting an old, very dear friend. I know, it sounds strange, but I get this sense of peace that I've never felt while reading a book for the first time. Of course, some of the excitement of finally reading a book that I've been waiting for isn't there at a second read. And there isn't that sense of dread when something somewhat worrisome happens to a character. Unless I'm reading one of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books. Then I always cry like a baby. But I get this "Oh hey, I've been here before" feeling that is amazing for me. Don't get me wrong, this feeling can turn out to be very bad when it's with a book I'm reading for the very first time and I'm anticipating EVERYTHING (don't you just hate that? The fact that a book doesn't surprise you?)

Also, the nerd inside me is adult enough to admit that re-reading is like a time machine. I can't do it in real life, but I can damn well do it with my books.

So this is why I re-read and why I love it. One last thing. Re-reading helps me get out of a reading funk or if I'm having book hangovers. Gets me out of those blue moods every time :D

Oh, and in case you where wondering, I did pass my exam this week *bouncing*

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Confessions Of A Weird Reader #1: How To Make Sure I Won't Want To Read Your Book

WARNING: Spoilers for True Blood in case you haven't watched it. Also, this post will be long-ish.

Last week, while reading Charlotte's post about if "The Next..." really works or not, I realized something. I stay away from books that are randomly compared to other books. The last book I actually read (and yes, I did love it) that has something similar on the cover was Beautiful Creatures. In case you haven't seen the back cover of the edition with the movie poster on the cover, it says "Give this to fans of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight or HBO's True Blood series".

After reading this book, I must say I have no idea why they compared Beautiful Creatures to either of those two. Here's why:

  • Twilight: There's no sparkling, whining vampire, there's no "woe is me" heroine. So I've NO clue why it's compared to that book *confused* Granted, I only saw the movies, but my BFF Lucy read the books and she told me in details what was different from the movies and I've read enough reviews about the series to be pretty sure about the lack of similarities.
  • True Blood: Let's remember that this TV show is based on a book series. This is the first thing that baffles me, why compare a book to a TV show based on a different book, when you can actually compare the two books/series? But maybe my brain is wired differently. Let's stick to the original comparison, okay? There's no mind reader, no sexy viking vampire, no confusing creatures that get killed just 'cause it makes the book interesting (remember Claudine in Southern Vampires? Yeah, I wanted her in the show!) Oh, let's not forget how in TB everyone seems to be horny all the time (I'm not a prude, I'm just saying that the show has more sex than Sex And The City ever did)
So really, why compare this book, or any other book for that matter? Maybe it attracts readers, but the way I see it, a comparison like this can make a lot more damage than good. Think of your favorite books of all times. Now imagine a book you've never heard about that it's being compared to it. The first thing that actually comes to my mind when I see that is "Copycats!". I swear, I have an insane fear it will be so similar with the original book that it's being compared to. (Think Black Dagger Brotherhood - Midnight Breeds similar). So I will definitely won't want to read that book. Then there's the thing about expectations. If they're comparing the new book to a book I loved, I will have expectations so high, chances are I won't like the new book. If, however, the comparison is with a novel I didn't like, my expectations will be low and, as such, I won't be reading that book.

Because I have no clue how marketing is supposed to work, I must wonder who's bright idea was it to start this trend. And does it really help the fans having honest feelings about the new book? Is it the story they like, or the apparent similarities? Would they be looking just at those similarities and say "Yes, this book is good" or do they look at the whole package? I would be looking for those similarities, unfortunately. And I know I'd probably say things like "Harry wouldn't have done that" or "Frodo would have said something else" or "Sookie would've banged the other guy". Maybe that's just me? 

And another thing. The fact that you're comparing two books is like comparing lemons and oranges. After all, they're in the same extended family - literature (or is it prose?). But comparing movies/TV shows and books? That's similar to apples and carrots or saying an eagle and a snake are similar. They're not. Books are books, movies are movies. I have no idea why someone would compare the two. 

Now, this has nothing to do with the connections someone might do or write about in a review of the book. If the reviewer says it's similar to some other work of fiction, I just shrug and move along and either buy the book because I want to or I don't. Just because someone noticed some similarities doesn't mean I will. But when it's on the cover of that book, that's when I get weary. 

What about you? Do you care about these comparisons or do you just ignore them?
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