Monday 22 October 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Hello to all those who love to read books!


I often read books from people's recommendations, so don't be afraid to share some of your favourite reads in the comments section!

This week I've been reading Mr Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, which was a recommendation from Literary Lindsey. 


I downloaded the book to my iphone, which is funny because that's exactly what this book is about, old technology versus new, and how much computer technology has taken over our lives. 

The story is about Clay, who works the nightshift in an unusual bookstore which has about one customer each night, and runs more like a library than a store. Odd characters come in, borrowing huge, old books, and Clay enlists his computer savvy friends to help him work out what is going on, leading them to a code-breaking cult searching for the secret to immortality.

This book will especially appeal to computery types and the book obsessed, as well as artists,
and Harry Potter fans. It reads more like a young adult book, in that it is quick and light.  
If you love a story about breaking codes, you'll love this one! The writing is not exactly poetic or challenging, but I love the way the epilogue is written - clever!

In other news, my mum found me this ancient, falling apart book of Alice in Wonderland, and I've been enjoying the coloured plates, wondering if I should take them out and frame them, or just keep the book as is. Hmmm...what would you do?





Now I'm off to visit Sheila and all my other book-loving friends via Book Journey's linky party!


xx

27 comments:

  1. I love to read, I'm such a bookworm! Currently just starting an autobiograpy - Victoria Pendleton. Also just finished a brilliant book - Gone Girl, really enjoyed it!

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    1. I read the sample of Gone Girl on my iphone, but the characters didn't seem very likeable, so I didn't keep reading. Do they become any more likeable? So many people rave about this book, but I didn't want to pay the full price if it was going to be about two depressing characters. Do you think it's worth paying $16 or thereabouts for this book? Thanks for dropping by. :)

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  2. That's a gorgeous edition of Alice - I wouldn't want to mess with it, but it definitely deserves to be shown. I'm reading (listening to on audio) Some Kind of Fairy Tale (Graham Joyce).

    Tanya Patrice
    Girlxoxo.com

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    1. Hmm... maybe I could just rest it somewhere open to a page, and change it randomly. Thinking, thinking...:)

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  3. I reread Alice in Wonderland a couple of years ago, and really missed the lovely illustrations that were in my childhood book (from the library, I think). Yours above looks just like my childhood favorite. Thanks for sharing.

    I like the idea of Mr. Penumnbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.

    Here's MY MONDAY MEMES POST

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    1. I love all the different illustrators of Alice, because the characters and settings are just so unique and quirky. But the colour in these ones is just so pretty. :)

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  4. I can't wait to read Penumbra, I've heard so many great things about it.

    Oh my word, look at that gorgeous book! Alice is one of my all time favorites :) I don't know if I could stand to take pages out even though I wouldn't blame you for wanting to frame that beautiful art.

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    1. I'm only considering taking the Alice pictures out of the book because it's already falling apart. I'm just not sure of the value, so I'll look into it. I've done some silly things with antiques in the past that I regret, so I don't want to do that again!:)

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  5. Yes, yes, yes -- I love book suggestions! I haven't heard of this one but I can't wait to check it out.

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    1. Well, it's pretty much like reading about Harry, Hermione and Ron as computer wizards, working for Professor Dumbledore in a bookshop, lol!
      That's how it seemed to me anyway. :)

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  6. Beautiful old copy of Alice in Wonderland ... lucky you! Have a wonderful week and happy reading :)

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    1. The cover of the Alice book is really different too, with all the characters names. Unusual! Thanks for visiting. :)

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  7. Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed Mr. Penumbra and his bookstore. I was so impressed by how seamlessly Sloan brought up so many different topics - the business of books, the art of printing, books as technology and books as sacred. There are so many people you can recommend this book to! :)

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    1. My Mum for a start! Only trouble with reading books on my iphone is I'm not getting to pass the books onto her, as I've always done. Oh well, she'll never be short of books anyway when she finds them for a buck or two at her local thrift store, lol!

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  8. Hi Wendy, found you through Blogtoberfest, and I'm a reader! Love books. Just finished "The Messenger" by Markus Zukas, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Bit of a tricky question - to pull pages from a book or not, I think it depends on how bad a condition the book is in?

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    1. Well, there's sticky tape that has peeled away and left yellow patches on many pages, and about a quarter of the book isn't attached to the spine anymore, so I don't think it could have much value in that condition. I guess I'll look further into it. Thanks for popping by! :)

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  9. Love those drawings in that Alice in Wonderland book ..they are just divine and would look amazing framed....XXXX

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    1. Well, you know me and my love of all things Alice! It would be so nice to see them every day. :)

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  10. just finished (and could not put it down) Kathy Reichs "Bones Eternally"...very sad yet totally intriguing novel...4 babies in varying stages of decomposition and mummification make for a great thread to a detective sort of story... i have actually met this author in person (she is nothing like her character in Bones" the TV series.... I actually had the opportunity to ask her "if there was ever a case that she had never solved"..she hinted to a book which she was yet to write ...and said it was based about a small shoebox of infant bones belonging to a case she has never been able to solve and still haunts her....i have the feeling this book was the one she was hinting to...all her books have been inspired by her work as an archaeological anthropologist...she still works fir governments solving unsolvable cases ....

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    1. Not sure if I could read that one, might be a bit gory for me! Cool that you got to meet the author. Very cool. :)

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  11. Hi Wendy,

    I sent you an email earlier this week as you won the copy of The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window at Book'd Out. I haven't heard back from you though, can you drop me a line please at bookd.out at gmail dot com

    Shelleyrae

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  12. Love the sound of the 24 hour bookstore book - might just have to look out for that one! And the Alice book is just divine :)

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting via Blogtoberfest! I didn't get very far with Blogtoberfest this year, but I started it, at least! I'll have another go next year. Thanks for dropping by - it's good to meet other Perth bloggers. :)

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  13. That book sounds interesting, think I'll add it to my list. Gorgeous Alice illustrations! What a find. I'd be tempted to frame them if the book is already falling apart.

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  14. Right now I'm reading Harlow in Hollywood - LOVE it!

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