I'm going to be participating in two readathons this week; the Dog Days of Summer Readathon hosted by The Estella Society and Bout of Books 8.0. I'm still on summer holiday and was planning to read a lot anyway, so taking part in the readathons was an easy decision.
I am a fickle reader and I don't really like the pressure of setting goals for myself. In fact, my only goal is going to be to read as much as I feel like it, when I feel like it. I'm not going to aim for a page count or number of books, I'm just going to allow myself to read whenever I feel like it without feeling guilty about it. When it comes to books I want to read, I've decided to focus on unread books off my shelf rather than kindle books, library books or review copies. I've picked out some books that I think I might feel like reading but it's not set in stone; I'll read what I feel like and so may end up reading something completely different.
Here are the books that are taking my fancy at the moment:
From top to bottom (links to goodreads):
- Across the Empty Quarter by Wilfred Thesiger - I've had the complete set of the Penguin Great Journeys books for years without reading any of them. This one is about survival in the desert in 1947 and is the perfect length for a readathon.
- The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan - This is the only book I am certain to read as I just finished book four last night and need to know what happens next. I'm starting this today and will finish it either today or tomorrow.
- Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah - I've read a few books by this author so am interested in this autobiography. Adeline's mother died giving birth to her and so she was made to feel unwelcome and unwanted.
- A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick - I've had this book for a loooong time. It's a gothic story about a mail order bride and I know I will love it, I just need to actually read it.
- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki - This is one of the only books on the Booker prizer long list that interests me. It's about sixteen year old Nao, who keeps a diary whilst she is bullying, which is later washed up by the 2011 Tsunami.
- A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo - This is about Zhuang, a recent arrival in London who falls in love with an older Englishman. The book is actually structured as a dictionary, which I think is rather cool.
- Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion - This was a birthday present back in March. It's not my usual type of read, but I have been assured I will like it.
- French Milk by Lucy Knisley - Graphic novels are perfect for readathons. This is about Lucy's travels in France with her mother.
Have you read any of these?
Which ones should I definitely make time for next week?
