My Big Book Hangover

I like Big ****s and I cannot lie

You other readers can’t deny

That when…….

Rapid Fire Book Tag: As seen on Nut Free Nerd

#8 The last book you finished?

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

#15 Long or Short Books?

Medium?!?!

I’ve just finished the fourth book in the Outlander series and I think I’m done. Did I like it? Yes, yes, yes but at 1185 pages it was long long long. I started reading this series, this year after watching the first two seasons of the Outlander tv show. All have been amazing. But now at the end of this fourth book I feel like a lot of ends have been tied up and I’m not convinced any further books will add value to this beloved story. I sadly found myself skimming through some pages in this volume just to get to the answers in the plot. I didn’t enjoy the journey of this book so much I just really really wanted to know what happened to the characters. I’m not a terribly patient person so having to get through 1185 pages was a hard slog for my happily ever after. So whilst I still loved this book, and seeing what was happening for my beloved characters it was just tooo long 😦

Secondly I didn’t quite find the love story of Brianna and Roger as captivating as Claire and Jamie’s. But I have spent all night and morning thinking about the book so I am no doubt hooked.

 

I told you I suck at book reviews :p

Have you read the Outlander books?

How do you feel about big big books??

 

ps By the looks of GoodReads other readers felt similarly

pps Another review reminded me of Lord John – I really loved how he helped Brianna

 

 

 

 

 

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WWW Wednesday 14th June

I’m back!

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s fun and simple, you just have to answer the three W’s: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next? You can also join by answering and linking your blog post back on Sam’s post.

What are you currently reading:

On the back burners Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert and Silence by Shūsaku Endō

What did you recently finish reading:

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (book #3 in the Outlander series) – this book was my long weekend, handed in a big assignment treat. And what a treat it was. There were a few things I was perhaps a bit disappointed in but overall I just love the passion between Jamie and Claire and all the adventures they manage to find themselves in and the characters they surround themselves with. I was just mostly disappointed with how the Jenny/Laoghaire/Claire issue was resolved. Diana amazed me with her plot creativity

I also finished  The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton somewhat recently after a mammoth effort – the thing about audio books is you don’t know how big they are (page wise) when choosing and this one was a 700 pager!

What do you think you’ll read next:

The Messenger by Markus Zusak, our next bookclub book. I’m pretty keen to get into Outlander #4 too!

Plus

Which children’s book I liked:

Graeme Base’s Little Bug Books very cute, cool opening flaps and my 4 year old loved finding the bug!

 

 

I’ve also made some progress on the When are you reading Challenge

Progress Tracker

Pre 1500 – The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

1500-1599 –

1600-1699 – in progress….Silence

1700-1799 – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

1800-1899 – The Luminaries – Eleanor Catton

1900-1919 –

1920-1939 – The Small Woman by Alan Burgess

1940-1959 –

1960-1979 – Exposure by Helen Dunmore

1980-1999 –

2000-Present – (big little lies?)

The Future –

WWW Wednesday

I’m sure it’s still Wednesday somewhere!! Instead of blogging last night, (and going straight to bed which was my first plan when I got home from work!) I read. I’ve almost finished a book so only planning to publish this when its done!

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in her comments for others to look at. Here’s my weekly update:

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Finished reading: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, just then! A friend passed it on to my husband via her husband at cricket training last thursday. I put my other reading on hold and was swept away into the Scottish Highlands. It was superb, just like the tv series and I am thoroughly in love with Jamie Fraser! Not only is his darn handsome, he has am amazing way with words. There are 8 books in this series….I’m not sure whether to be relieved that the story goes on or worried about how my life will handle anymore book hibernations!! I think my Outlander craving has been somewhat satisfied (for now) and I shall attempt to wait to read the next book closer to the release of the third tv series

**edit just wanted to add I was impressed with how close the series was to the book, main difference for me was the character of Alec Macmahon, who was aptly replace with Murtagh in the series. Plus I loved being able to read more about the brothers Colum and Dougal.

Currently reading: So now that’s finished I should get back to ‘Exposure’ except I’ve passed the library copy I had on to a fellow book-clubber and am still awaiting my own delivery. Instead I will start reading the book she gave me – ‘5 ways to be famous now‘ by Maurilia Meehan, January’s book club choice. I have read the first line to ensure I’m not lying in this blog!

Reading next: I’ll have to get back to Exposure and I’ve still got Contance Hall’s book but I’m thinking I might get to something else from my piles around the house or else as away on holidays next week I may broach Ken Follett’s Pillar of the Earth. I’ve read and enjoyed his Century trilogy and this would be a good pick for my When are you reading? challenge.

Progress Tracker

Pre 1500 –

1500-1599 –

1600-1699 –

1700-1799 – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

1800-1899 – 

1900-1919 –

1920-1939 – The Small Woman by Alan Burgess

1940-1959 –

1960-1979 – In progress … Exposure

1980-1999 –

2000-Present –

The Future –

AWITL or ROMW

A week in the life…..or if you prefer reflections from my week

Last Saturday night I sat on the couch with a dear friend and we started watching Outlander. I’d bought volume one and two that day, 2 for $40 – go me! I’d heard about it from cousin last year and recently tried to start it at a friends house on Netflix but alas the cherubs had interrupted.

Sunday I woke up sick although not too bothered. I thought I’d be able to stay home while Hubby took the kids to church but no he didn’t feel up to that challenge by himself so I simply slept the day away. And then stayed up all night watching. Was nice to think to myself it was school holidays so surely I wouldn’t suffer too much for a late night, hmmm.

So four days later I was still feeling nauseas and bought a pregnancy test to pee on in the public restrooms while taking a lunch break at work – negative PHEW. I went from terrified I might be pregnant, to trusting God knew best,  to seeing it all as a confirmation that I don’t want anymore children. Even if my boy is terribly cute with babies.

Anyway back to Outlander – I finished the season and LOVED it. Strong-willed woman meets handsome outlaw Scotsman, my review in under 10 words. Now I want to read the books – although I am current reading Magda’s memoir for bookclub and was going to start re-reading Tomorrow When the War Began (John Marsden). Book dilemma’s….

So that’s my week in a nutshell Outlander, Sickness and which book next? well you know plus kid wrangling, work, cleaning, washing….