Roland And His Tower and Dandelion Wine

I've had a great week of appreciating books, readers and blogging.  It's been fun.  However, I've been reading some major books this year that I never thought I'd get into if you'd ask what I was going to read this time last year.  
This year I decided to get my nose into 'The Dark Tower Series' by Stephen King.  So far, I've finished the first two books.  They were brilliant, intense and had me on the edge of my seat!  And I loved them.  And there's another six books to go.  What I love about these books is that I have decided to read something in between them to break them up a little.  
I'm getting my nose into 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury.  This is a book I've wanted to read for about a year, and have only just gotten my hands on a copy through QBD.  It's a great book so far; and it has taken me back to when I was young as well, even though it's set in a totally different time.

After the Stephen King 'Dark Tower' series and 'Dandelion Wine', I'm not sure what books I'm going to read next.  However, I know that each year, I do get into some extra-ordinary reads.  No matter who I get my books from, which bookstores stock my books, I always find something great and interesting to read.  And I have always found that I never read the same book twice... isn't that great?  There's enough books in our world where I haven't found time to re-read the same book as yet.  Now, that's what I love about reading books; unlike movies - which are remade every 15 years or so - books are one of a kind.  Until my next post, happy reading!

Book Appreciation: 'House on the Hill' by Estelle Pinney

One of my favourite reads is by Australian author, Estelle Pinney.  She has been a close friend of mine for years and yet 'House on the Hill' has been the only book I've read of her lately.  
However, it's the most beautifully-written books I've loved as well.  It's about three sisters who live in Far North Queensland who come home to stay for a while.  It's a wonderfully-written book about their loves, losses, joys and downfalls and how their lives take twists and turns in the 1920's while living on the Hill.

'When the sun blistered down from Castle Hill, Magnetic Island was a solace and a joy to the citizens of Townsville.  Its hills and beaches were less than an hour away by motor launch.  The surrounding waters were cool and crystal-clear for swimming, and the shaded paths invited lovers to take long, fruitful walks.  Waters lapped against elephantine boulders and parenthesised sequestered covers and secret bays of sand and sea
Fred had kept his promise and Ocean Spray made her way to the island at a modest five knots.  With fresh white paint gleaming, she bounced along on a frisky sea.  The wheelhouse, painted a shade of brick, had reminded Molly when she was first saw it of the stevedore's office down at the wharf.'

I love her way with words as Estelle takes me along with her in this book.  In the above excerpt, from the beginning of Chapter 12, I can smell the salty winds coming off the water, feel the heat of the sun and want to go swimming because it all sounds so very inviting.  And even Fred's little boat sounds pretty nice, even going at a small five knots... but how it looks is just lovely (even if I don't quite remember who Fred is right now).  

This book is a wonderful book to have in your collection - and as it's by a great Aussie author, who lives in Brisbane still - I recommend you find yourself a copy of it and her other books such as 'Burnt Sunshine' and 'Time Out For Living' as they are all set around Queensland and well-written books as well.  Estelle Pinney is one author who is for every generation of our times.  Until my next post, happy reading. 

BBAW - What Book Blogging Means To Me

I've been reviewing books for a few years now; and I started out doing this to see if anyone would read about old, first edition children's books and would like my opinions on books I've read.  It turns out that my ideas were valued by quite a few people out in cyberspace.

As my confidence grew, I thought to build up my blog into something that was a little different and began talking about authors and bookstores.  The more I talked about the people who wrote our favourite reads, the more I wanted to talk about them.  And seeing my obsession with books was something I loved, I found I loved blogging about anything to do with books on almost any day - sometimes twice a day.

I enjoy blogging about books because it's what makes people happy - as well as me.  I know there are people like me out there who are just as collectively obsessed with books as I am.  It's the sharing of knowledge in such an easy way - through the internet - that I love.  We can gather together on a blog and chat and talk about anything to do with one subject and totally enjoy a single thought process and know that - even though we're on different sides of the planet - we're mentally on the same page.

Blogging has become a bit of a big thing for me.  However, book blogging is a special amount of time I put aside each week where I carefully chose what I'm going to say because I know it's going to a particular audience... much like books and the way they're written.  I love book blogging because it's about what's on the page, the beauty of books, the very art of writing and how people's minds and imaginations are opened up to the world through the written word.  
Books - and what is written in them - makes an author vulnerable to reviewers and readers.  Blogging does a similar thing.  I blog about something I'm passionate about - I'm putting it out there for the public to see - and it's something everyone knows about.  However, I have found that not a single person has said anything horrible about my passion of books.  Well... not yet.  
 

Book Blogging Appreciation Week

I have done a dreadful thing.  Honestly!  I have taken part in this wonderful event and didn't have a clue that there were daily events to take part in.  

But this is my first year on this; so really, this is a learning curve.

I hope I can catch up with most of what I need to do in a couple of posts.  Jeez, this really makes me sound desperate, doesn't it?  Okay... here goes.

Monday's topic:  Appreciation.  There's so many blogs I have on my side bar which cover the topic of books, reviewing and blogging about books, it's hard to pick just one.  However, after having a few days to think about it, I would like to choose these blogs (I can't pick just the one like I'm supposed to, sorry) that have really made an impact on me and have been wonderful to read.

The New Dork Review of Books 

The Story Factory Reading Zone

Captivated Reader 

I have had a wonderful time reading through these three particular blogs at some point or another while browsing my own blog; and I'm always adding more blogs onto my side bar that attract me to them to read.  It doesn't matter what these blogs look like to me, it's always been the content that attracts me to them; and isn't that always the main attraction - if not the first thing - in appreciating a book blog?