Books and Reading Wednesday: Books on my Bookshelf

Doing the bookshelf tag last week got me thinking about all the books I own and the selection I have, but also the memories that come with them.

Books aren’t just books, I don’t just read a book, I experience a book.

A whole bunch of memories linger with the books I own.

So, I thought it would be nice to go through my books and make a post about the ones I own.

It won’t be reviews, but more just about the book and the experience I had with it.

I will be including all books: paperbacks, hardbacks, eBooks (kindle is still my bookshelf, just an electronic one!), audiobooks, etc.

So to start this series off I have Neil Gaiman’s, ‘Fragile Things’, which was included in the tag last week.

Please excuse the terrible quality picture taken on my bed; I was in a bit of rush!

I received this book for my birthday a few years ago. It was the first time I’d heard of Neil Gaiman, I didn’t even know he was a famous author! I was dubious about reading it, as it really didn’t seem like my kind of book, especially due to the fact it had ghost/horror stories in it.

I don’t do horror at all!

But anyway, out of a sense of obligation, I started reading it. And it took my breath away.

I couldn’t stop reading the selection of short stories contained in this book. I knew they were going to give me nightmares, but I didn’t care, I had to keep reading!

One of my main memories about reading this book was sitting in bed and it was very late and snowing outside. I’d just reached a short story about this kid who sees a gypsy woman beneath a lamp post, I won’t spoil it, but it creeped me out because the conditions (snowing, night, etc) were very similar to what was happening as I was reading it.

Then the lamp post outside my window flickered and I was done! 😀 It wasn’t even that scary of a story, but the way he wrote it had my heart leaping into my throat. I slammed the book shut and had to continue reading in the daytime.

I think my favourite story out of the whole book was one about the seasons, where the seasons were having a discussion around a camp fire.

Though it’s not the one I remember most. The one I remember most was about a creepy doorknocker in the middle of the woods!

I’m being vague, just in case people pick this book up, which I would highly recommend!

Random quote:‘There is a worm at the heart of the tower; that is why it will not stand.’

Favourite thing about the book: The title page of each new story. Very pretty.

Least favourite thing: One particular story was very disturbing and still haunts my thoughts to this day! (If you get the book, it’s the one with the old lady and the cat).

Something I took away from the book: Not to be worried about the length of a story. It can be powerful even with just a few sentences!

Well, there you go. My first post in this series. The posts will probably evolve over time, not entirely sure what I want to do with them yet, just have some kind of record of the memories with these books.

Reviews are great, but sometimes it’s nice to remember the personal memories about the books I own, where I got them, when I got them, that kind of thing 🙂

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Progress Report:

Status of sixth manuscript: Writing first draft.
Word count: 2054 (Total word count: 14,202).

Books read: 2/4

Mid-October book review: Writing review.

Books and Reading Wednesday- Bookshelf Tag!

Marcia Meara from Bookin’ It invited me to do this tag aggggges ago. I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long to get around to it, but thank you for tagging me. I got there in the end! 😀

Here are the rules for Bookshelf Tag:

“Answer the following questions about books on your bookshelf and then tag five other bloggers. You can answer the questions any way you want, whether it’s on your blog, in a video, or a combination of the two. Then remember to let whoever tagged you know when your post is up so they can read it.”

1. Is there a book that you really want to read but haven’t because you know that it’ll make you cry?

The Horse Whisperer. My mum raves about it, and it has caught my interest, but it made her cry, so it will be floods of tear from me. Hence why it’s still low down on TBR list!

2. Pick one book that helped introduce you to a new genre.

‘Vampirates’ by Justin Somper. It introduced me to the world of YA fiction when I was younger, though it wasn’t classed as YA back then. Though to be honest not sure, it’s technically YA, but I’m gonna go with that 😉

3. Find a book that you want to re-read.

Choose just one? Urgh! The Jack West Jr series by Matthew Reilly. Desperate to re-read all of those again!

4. Is there a book series you’ve read but wish that you hadn’t?

I haven’t actually read many book series, and the ones I have I’ve really enjoyed 😀

5. If your house was burning down and all of your family and pets were safe, which book would you go back inside to save?

Probably ‘Today is Shrew’s Day’ by Malcolm Carrick.
It’s a children’s book my mum used to read to me and my sister when we were very young. She used to do the voices, which was just awesome, and it’s something I hope to read to my kids one day if I have any. Definitely a special book.

6. Is there one book on your bookshelf that brings back fond memories?

There are many books on my bookshelf that bring back fond memories! It’s hard to pick just one, but possibly ‘Beyond the Deepwoods’ by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. It’s the first book I remember getting really, really involved in. There were tears to be sure!

7. Find a book that has inspired you the most.

Most likely ‘The Perfume’ by Caroline B. Cooney. I re-read it recently after my mum bought it for me as a congratulations present on releasing my first books. I realised I was inspired heavily by her writing style even though I read it many years ago and only read it once!

8. Do you have any autographed books?

No, I don’t. I’ve never met an author to sign them for me, haven’t purchased any signed ones either.

9. Find the book that you have owned the longest.

‘A Witch in Time’ by Terry Deary. It was an infant school library that I never gave back, whoops! 😀

10. Is there a book by an author that you never imagined you would read or enjoy?

When I was younger, I was given a book of short stories by Neil Gaiman called ‘Fragile Things’. The book really didn’t look like my kind of thing, especially ‘cause there were horror ones in there too. But I read them, partly out of obligation and oh my word! I certainly understood then why everyone raves about him 😀
I think I talked about that book for quite a few months after reading it, trying to convince anyone I bumped into that they should pick it up.

So now to tag some people!

Melissa Barker-Simpson

L.S.Engler

Kimberley M. Ringer

Lipsyy

Aether

If anyone else wants to get involved, then please do! 😀 And to those I tagged, please don’t feel obligated to do this if you don’t have the time or don’t want to!

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Progress Report:

Status of sixth book: Finishing last bits of planning.

Books read: 0/4

Mid-October Book Review: Choosing book.