I was looking at my account on Goodreads today and I read 85 books last year! I was astonished. Some of them were cookbooks, and health books, and such, but still I did read them. I read some really good books, and some really bad books. But when everything else was kicking me in the butt, and I couldn’t do much of anything, I could read….and I did.
I already have a good start this year… I already have 5 books marked as read in 2011. 2 are Cookbooks, but I swear I read them. One of them wasn’t that great, but one I actually bought, and it is really good. One of the books I started in 2010 and finished it on New Year’s Day. Still, I haven’t been feeling well this week, and I can’t hear very well, so I read.
Most of the books I read are a lot of paranormal, fantasy, mysteryish books. My favorite authors are Christopher Moore, Neil Gaiman, Carrie Vaughn, Mary Janice Davidson, Stephen King (especially the Dark Tower Series), Kelley Armstrong, Charlaine Harris….
My favorite books are Lamb by Christopher Moore (please don’t let this offend any of my Christian readers. I don’t think it is meant to. It is a cute story told by Biff, Jesus’s childhood friend. It tells the story of all the years that the Bible leaves out while Jesus is growing up. It is very funny, and I think very thought-provoking.) To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (what a brilliant piece of literature, everyone should read.) Neverwhere, Graveyard, and the SandmanSeries by Neil Gaiman (I guess Neil Gaiman is just one of my all time favorite authors. I love all of these books for different reasons. Neverwhere is a fantastical book. Graveyard is a piece of juvenile literature that is such a good read. and the Sandman Series is a series of Graphic Novels that morphs the after life with mythology with fantasy….it is just deep and so well illustrated. And last but not least Stephen King’s Dark Tower Series, this series of books is beyond fantasy. It is a different world, and yet part of it happens in our world. It alludes to many of King’s different novels. A graphic novel series has begun about this series and it is beautifully illustrated. I don’t usually read graphic novels, but a friend recommended Sandman and I’m so glad I decided to read them. Then I saw the Dark Tower Graphic Novels and they were just so beautiful, starting before the first book, you know what is going to happen, yet you find yourself wanting to change it.
I also read a lot about health, diet, and anything I can think of that might help me deal with things. Of course, I also read cook books, because I love to cook, and I’m always experimenting on cooking healthier tastier meals.
What do you read?
Do you have any favorite authors? Any favorite books?
Picnic with Ants 
I also like reading, but Isometimes find it hard to read”the normal way – with my eyes” because it makes me dizzy. So the last years I´ve started to listening to books. I can connect my hearing aid wireless to my ipod and can listen to books this way. It´s a very different way of reading books. I am a fast reader and listening to someone reading for you is a slower way of reading a book. I use to take a walk with my dog while listening. Lying down or sitting too comfortable makes me fall asleep. 🙂
I often choose crime fiction. I like Peter Robinson, Peter Lehane and Stephen Booth. Right now I listen to an icelandic (from Iceland) author named Arnaldur Indridasson. He makes the characters become real and describes icelandic nature well. I would love to go to Iceland!
One of my favourites is a book by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. In swedish it´s called “The shadow of the wind”. It´s not a crime fiction, more like a fairytale for grownups. But if I like a book or not often depends on who the reader is. The best readers can make a simple book fascinating!
I also read books my daughter recommends so we can discuss them. She is a teenager and the books are about love, relations, friendship – things that interests me, too. And they are easy to read.
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It’s funny, I used to listen to books more than I do now. I used to plug my ipod into my car and listen while I was driving, or while I was walking. Now, I don’t drive, and I don’t walk very well either. : ) Actually, I can’t hear my ipod very well. I can’t get hearing aids yet because my hearing fluctuates so much, it’s very frustrating.
Now I find that focusing on the book itself helps my dizziness. Trying to watch TV doesn’t work, too much movement. And I can’t keep looking up from the book, that makes things go a little crazy, but if I just concentrate on the book, I’m good. Of course, I have to use bifocals now, or pull my glasses way down on my nose. (I’m showing my age.) But I don’t care, reading helps and I’m glad.
I may check out some of the authors you mentioned. Especially, Zafon, the fairy tale for adults sounds like it would be right up my ally.
Our exchange student from Norway last year, loved the Twilight books. Oh, how I hated those books. And I like paranormal books. But those books made the girl so weak. It was the Cinderella complex but with Vampires and Werewolves. (“Oh some day my vampire will come…”) I like books with strong female characters, non of that, “oh come save me” stuff for me.
Maybe that’s why I hate that I have to depend on my husband for so much. (oh how I really do hate that.)
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