Trashy Books and Other Good Reads

I like to do one or 2 posts a year about the books I have read. A year ago I was reading a book a week so it was easy blogging about what I have read.

I got lazy this year though. Or let me explain it this way - I discovered iBooks on my iPad. Being able to browse the store and download books in an instant is the next big thing to sliced bread. Or so I thought....  

The problem with reading books on your iPad is that there is just so much else to do and I started having problems concentrating. I would open a book and read a page or 2. Then I would check my email / check my facebook page / make a to do list for the next day / check my stats on my blog / read some comments on my blog / read other people's blogs / comment on them / play some mahjong and eventually look at the clock to see it is way past midnight and I need to be up in 4 hours. 

So I stopped reading.

Then I read about all the hype surrounding 50 Shades of Grey and downloaded the first book. And read it in 2 days. I felt great again. My mind was relaxed and I slept better. So I downloaded books 2 and 3 of the trilogy - 50 Shades Darker and 50 shades Freed - and read them both within days. 

Then I got sidetracked again and stopped reading once more.

I read the hype surrounding JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy and downloaded it - read a few pages but I just couldn't get into it.  It is still sitting in my unread collection.

Downloaded Jeffrey Deaver's XO - I usually love his books.  It has taken me 4 months to read half of it - also still sitting in my unread collection.

Downloaded 2 Nora Roberts books which I can usually read within a day or 2 - light reading / no thought required.  Could not get into either of these - also sitting in my unread collection.

Downloaded The Story of O - loved it and read it in days.  Managed to do a post on comparing Story of O to 50 Shades (click here to read it)

Have managed to read a few other books:  The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory.  And some other light erotic books - none really worth mentioning - quick reads - all fall into the trash category.

Spotted the new Ken Follet book in the window of a local bookstore - Winter of the World - the second book in the Fall of Giants series.  I um'ed and ah'ed about getting it.  At the current rate at which I am reading, it would take me 6 years to get through it.  I do love his books though so I bought it anyway.  It sat on my side table for a month before I tried reading it.  I just could not concentrate - read a paragraph or 2 and fell asleep.  Tried again and again and the same thing happened.  It eventually occurred to me that the reason I could not concentrate was that the print was too small - not like reading on iBooks where I can change the size of the font.  So I got a stronger pair of reading glasses and have now managed to read almost half of it in a week.  Don't think I will manage to finish it before the New Year but I will get through it soon.

Browsed the iBook store last night again and was looking at the top charts - Spotted Bared to you by Sylvia Day.  I have read about this book in a few other blogs and it has been recommended by others who enjoyed 50 Shades.  So I downloaded it last night.  Started reading it and couldn't put it down - WOW - it is so steamy!  Plays on one's fantasies and definitely gets one all HOT and WET if you know what I mean.  I haven't finished it yet but will certainly be finishing it tonight.  Have also downloaded book 2 - Reflected in You.  Better than the 50 Shades trilogy so I strongly recommend this for those who like reading the odd erotic novel.

I have to admit that ebooks has changed what I read.  I would never have thought that I would try reading erotica never mind actually enjoying it.  And it has opened my mind up to a whole new fantasy world.