02/24/2007 — Seven books

Rape: A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates paled in comparison to Beasts. I feel sick that I wasted my time on it, it was no good. I'm hoping the next, actually novel I will be reading by Oates will be good. If it's not I may give up on Oates all together, her only good book would be Beasts.

Since I'm swimming in contemporary, I have to have something old. So I'm reading Against Nature by J.K. Husmans. It should be interesting, to say the least. Also on the way of Classics, or just old books, I found in the local library a version of Faust that was huge in comparison to the 100 or so pages I read of Faust that looked to be the whole entire story. I guess I was cheated, which I hate when that happens. So I'm going to read the actual full length Faust, probably after Against Nature and after the other Oates book.

It looks as if I will never receive the collection of plays by Oscar Wilde. It seems it may have gotten lost in the mail.

Seven books in two months (nearly). Thats about three and a half books a month. I can do better. In March, we should really 'hit the books'. Let get a whole lot of 'em out of the way, shall we?

2/18/2007 — Six Books

Started reading Beasts by Joyce Carol Oates yesterday night, and just finished it a few seconds ago. It was...short. It was good, I supposed. I did really want to finish it, but I think there could have been more. Certainly makes me want to read more by her. She does have talent, and her topics are interesting. I was hoping to find her email address of contact information on the web, but failed to do so. I was really wanting to email her...finally, an author I like that isn't dead, like most of them. But no, it isn't available. Does she not like fan mail? She doesn't even have a site of her own, just a sort of 'unofficially' run one, and the one on her publishers page. How Bo-ring.

What am I going to read next? I'm dying to read my Oscar Wilde plays, but they still aren't here yet. So I think it will be A Sportsman's Notebook by Ivan Turgenev which I bought from my local library for a dollar, in very good condition. Quite proud of that snag, hoping it will be good. Nothing is funner than 19th century Russian, Eh? I also have Paint it Black on hold, by I forget who. It's odd, as I'm waiting for all my old books to show up, I'm reading contemporaries. This isn't normal. Though, I doubt it is a bad thing.

I should eventually read Ada or Ardor, shouldn't I? And I should eventually read House of Leaves. I always have a list... I was told to read Twilight and its equal, but reading the first few pages, I decided not to. It wasn't for me.

02/13/2007 — Five books

I started reading An Unexpected Pleasure by Candace Camp Sunday, but really only got in about ten or so pages, but I just finished it midday. I don't know if it was good, or not...

I have to say, the romance pulled me in, though I really wanted more and it didn't satisfy me. The ending wrapped it up but...could have been better. What am I wanting? A life story afterwards? I was annoyed by the overabundance of cliched scenes/lines and plot holes. I'd have to say the book leans on plot holes! The hole story is started because of a girls paranormal dream about her "dead" brother. So they go hunting for the brother. They push the paranormal to an insane point, and I guess most romance novel readers are too stupid and so the suspension of belief can be pushed to its very limits. Because I doubt about 75% of the reason for things happening in that book. I will say though, she must have either made up a lot of bull about the Incas, or she did a lot of research. Bravo, on which ever that was!

And I cracked up, side splitting, when this happened. The main character is Irish, and she is talking about this stone-rock-diamond-thing she found when she was sixteen. I'd find the exact quote, but I am some what lazy. "I found it in my room, and ever since, it has been my lucky charm" *proceeds to die laughing* I could only think of Lucky Charms, and Irish, and....I'm sure you get it.

Not sure what is up next. I need to read Shakespeare, but I think I'm avoiding it. (Why?) I'm worried I won't be able to understand it, and then feel like an idiot. I'm not very skilled in that field of literature, though I thought the same thing of The Metamorphoses and I only got confused in reading that if I spaced out for too long and missed something important. So maybe I doubt my own skills?

And of course, I started The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde. I should read it just to finish it, since I DID start it about three weeks ago.... -sigh- I'm a book fiend. My father is right, I must dream about books eating me alive, all I can think about is the long list of books I want to read.

I'll find something to read. It's not like I've been writing...


Le Lecteur

02/10/07 — Four Books

Finished the most amazing, The Metamorophoses, and am hoping to have Ovid's words grace my eyes again sometime soon.

Not so sure what's next on my list. I've been reading a bit of the poetry book, and its horribly disappointing in some places and so I may skim through it more than read it in its entirety; some of it I just don't need to read. Other parts are worth the while. I'll probably start the stupid Candace Camp romance novel I HAD to get last weekend, to have something contemporary contrast the age that The Metamorphoses holds.

As for what may be coming up, I've still got Shakespeare to read, and I have a collection of Oscar Wilde's plays on the way. I also have The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde to read. So I am certainly not dry on reading material, but how shall I choose? I love reading! *melts in excitement for another book*

Until the next read,
Moi.