Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Reading lists

Before I became a mom and when my oldest was an infant, I read *all* the time. Back then, I had two favorite authors with VERY different writing styles. Stephen King held my attention b/c I love a good, scary story. I'm still a King fan. I think I've read almost everything he's ever written. My absolute fave short stories are "Popsy" and "The Night Flier", and "Misery" is still my fave novel of his. My friend Tracey introduced me to VC Andrews' stories when I was around 19, and she remained one of my favorite authors thru my early 20's.

As time went on, my second child came along, they both got older, and life got in the way, I didn't take time to read. I figured seeing the movies would suffice. In the past few years, as I've gotten older and (I hope) wiser, I've started taking time again for things I love.

What jumpstarted my reading again was actually a movie. The Hub had read many Dean Koontz books and told me he thought I'd really like them. I always used the excuse, "I don't have time to read a book." One night "Intensity" was on TV, and he told me that I should really sit down and watch it. I became so enthralled in the story that when Koontz came out of left field on me, I couldn't disguise my shock and surprise. That instant, I became a fan. I went out and bought "Whispers" and read it cover to cover and couldn't get my hands on another Koontz book fast enough.

The Hub got a huge kick out of my reaction to the last Koontz book I read. Several people had told me "You just HAVE to read 'Life Expectancy' if you like Dean Koontz." I did and got SO into the story that it was too late when I discovered there was a murderous clown in it. I have a HUGE dislike of clowns and always have. Why? Because THEY KILL PEOPLE! ~When I watched Stephen King's "It", I had nightmares. Don't Like Clowns At All.~ But, I finished "Life Expectancy", and it was a GOOD book, in spite of the clown.

I became a Nicholas Sparks fan when "The Notebook" came out. It's SUCH a great love story! As rough and tough as I can be, I still have a mushy side. ;) After I saw the movie, I *had* to read the book. I borrowed it from my mom and started reading it on my way from SC to NC when The Hub deployed last time. Normally I can't read in the car, but I was so into the story, I somehow escaped the usual car sickness that accompanies even trying to look at a map. I finished the entire book in less than five hours. I've read a few other Sparks' novels since then and plan to read "True Believer" next.

A few years ago, I bought "The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice. I thought, "Hey, the vampire movies based on her books ROCKED, so this HAS to be good!" To date, I've *tried* to read that thing about 4 or 5 times now. It was so slow in the beginning that I just couldn't get into it. I'd put it down, read something else, and come back to it after I'd forgotten what I'd read so far. This last time I got farther than ever before, but once again I put it down. This time, I was into the story, but I couldn't get past my revolt of the incest in it. When the one witch held her father prisoner so she could have sex with him to have a child of "pure blood", I knew I couldn't keep reading. So once again, I put it down. Who knows if I'll pick it back up again.

My grandma has tried to loan me some of her MANY Danielle Steele books over the years. Although I've never actually read one, I don't think they could hold my attention. If I could get a review from someone other than my very sweet and *still* naive, 78-year old southern belle grandmother, I might give one a chance. I couldn't love the woman more, but she still turns about 12 shades of red when "an ugly word" slips every once in a blue moon.

Today I picked up a non-fiction from the library. It's "Daddy was the Black Dahlia Killer" and is based on one of the co-author's memories of childhood that she had repressed for 40+ years. She claims that she witnessed her father murder Elizabeth Short, "The Black Dahlia" in 1947. Not sure if I'll like it or not, but I'll let you know.

2 Comments:

Blogger Sue said...

Dee with the exception of your last mention, you and I could be reading side by side. I love Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Anne Rice...girl, I have not read anything in so long...this makes me want to go and check out all these authors lastest!!

9/6/06, 4:26 PM  
Blogger Nesa said...

the book about the black dahlia sounds very interesting. i'm wanting to get the book about the black dahlia murder and read it. i have a thing for true crime/murder stories. yep, i'm weird.

and it took me a bit to get into the witching hour, but now that they have tied the vampire novels in with the mayfair witch novels, i think i will need to start them over.

9/6/06, 5:05 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home