Do you ever have that moment when you realise you are going to have to read a book to the end, no matter what it costs you? No matter how late it already is and how early you have to get up in the morning, you just have to finish this book now, tonight.
I am paying the price a little this afternoon for my late night reading caper last night, but it actually felt fabulous to be reading something for me. Not reading a book to one of the kids, not helping the girls read their readers, not quickly flipping through and article or magazine… reading a real book, and adult book, a fiction book, just for the heck of it.
Ok so technically the book I was reading is teenage fiction, not adult fiction, but it is was a bloody big book and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I am reading books by Isobelle Carmody. The girls were given her Little Fur Series which we have all really enjoyed and when I was searching for some fiction that might entice me back into reading for pleasure I decided I’d look her up and see if she’d written anything a little more grown up. No ‘adult’ books at our library, but lots of teenage books and trilogies and series.
At first I was a bit put off by the fact that they are classified as ‘teenage fiction’ but apart from the fact that the main characters are teenagers, there is not much else ‘un-adult’ about them. Fabulous, intricate stories with a fantasy/science fiction slant to them. And heck, I was a teenager once. I can even remember most of my teenage years so I can still relate to her characters.
Last night I finished Alyzon Whitesar and last week I read Billy Thunder and the Night Gate.
My only gripe is that our library doesn’t seem to have all the books in any of the series. That drives me nuts… I can’t read just one book and leave it at that, and I can’t read them out of order or start at book two! So now I have to see if I can get my hands on the next book in the Gateway Trilogy somehow!
So what are you reading?
ooh ooh I used to be obsessed with Isobelle’s books. Yes, I was a teenager at the time though
THe Obernewtyn series is fabulous, I’m waiting rather impatiently for the final instalment.
do you think it’ll EVER happen, Melissa? :)
I don’t think it matters what the target audience of a book is, a book is a book is a book. One of my favourite “adult” (lesbian/gay) fiction writers also writes for “young adults”, and I have seen a picture story book of hers which I wanted to buy. I am going to read one of her “young adult” fictions when I finish my current read.
Re getting hold of the books .. do you put books on hold via the libraries online services ( I am presuming they have one )? This should allow you to borrow books from any libraries in that region and have them delivered to your local branch. We in Victoria are also able to search ANY Victorian library for a book and have it delivered to our branch at no charge (unless it is from a university library)! Perhaps worth checking out if your library does the same.
I’m only admitting this because you are wanting to quilt…and my whole wanting to quilt obsession came about after reading a fluffy series of books by Jennifer Chiaverini…http://www.elmcreek.net/
I thought I’d read them all but found a new one the other day. Was so excited! Anyway they are *very* light. And kinda sappy. But enjoyable nonetheless!
Ooooh yes, I know about the stay up all night to get this book finished even though I have to be at work tomorrow.
I got almost nothing read for a couple of years and really missed it, but my little one’s sleep challenges have been good from that point of view – I’ve had literally hours and hours of lying there with her.
ooo I loved Alizon Whitestar. I have bought 3 boughts from the Obernewtyn Chronicles, and will hunt down the rest!
I am also a fan of James Patterson’s ‘Youth Fiction’, love the Maximum Ride series, and today I borrowed the first two Daniel X books from the library!
I’m just getting back into reading novels too. I used to read so many books when I was younger. I’m currently onto the 2nd of the Twilight series. So there is another tick for a teenage fiction book. I’ve borrowed all four books from a friend, so I can read in my own time.
I haven’t heard of a lot of these books, which might be because I am not a mum yet, but I do understand the feeling of staying up all night trying to finish a book. And there is such satisfaction, but also such disappointment that it is finished. I remember the first time I had that feeling was reading The Secret Garden, and I still get it now when I finish a really good book.