Feel-good Fiction
Continue the celebration of the National Year of Reading's April theme of "Feel" this month by reading some feel-good books! If you are feeling down, don't feel like reading anything dark or depressing, and/or just feel like reading something uplifting, upbeat or positive, try one these books. With some old titles and some new titles to read, these books are not all light and fluffy, but they are all books that will make you feel that the world's not such a bad place!
A room with a view by E. M Forster
The art of racing in the rain by Garth Stein
A town like Alice by Nevil Shute
Cold comfort farm by Stella GibbonsThe Guernsey Literacy and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer
The Limpopo Academy of private detection by Alexander McCall Smith.
I've got your number by Sophie Kinsella
Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen
To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee
And if you feel like some feel-good non -fiction, try:
At home: A short history of private life by Bill Bryson, or
Bossypants by Tina Fey.
Tell us about your favourite feel-good fiction and non-fiction reads!
Photo credit:Flicker user Jinx! "Day1-Relaxing"
Life After the Hunger Games
So you have finished the entire Hunger Games trilogy, but now you’re stuck in a post-Hunger Games depression, craving more dark, dystopian young adult fiction. Maybe you’re even feeling a little embarrassed about this new desire. After all, you’re a high-functioning, stable and successful adult with great hair and a casual but cool wardrobe. Is it normal to want to read about angst-y teens fighting oppressive future-governments while making out with each other? The answer is YES and Sutherland Libraries are here to help. Check out these great reads held by Sutherland Libraries.
Legend by Marie Lu
The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1) by James Dashner
Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth
Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie
The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1) by Patrick Ness
I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies Series #1) by Pittacus Lore
Ender's Game (Ender Wiggin Series #1) by Orson Scott Card
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Series #1) by Claire Cassandra
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Tomorrow, When the War Began (Tomorrow Series #1) by John Marsden
Gone (Gone Series #1) by Michael Grant
The Industry (Industry series #1) by Rose Foster
The Host (The Host, #1) by Stephenie Meyer
Delirium (Delirium, #1) by Lauren Oliver
Feeling guilty about not finishing a book?
Have you ever felt guilty for starting to read a book...and not finishing it? Have you started a book, then finding it not particularly compelling or enticing, maybe it just wasn't your thing - putting it down (just temporarily of course), and have yet to pick it back up again? Do you feel that you have to finish every book you start, regardless of how much you dread the thought of having to keep reading it? If so, it's time to question this commitment. Life is far to short to finish reading books you are not enjoying, and certainly not long enough to read all those books that you will. So don't waste time on a less than riveting read.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't give the book a fair go. Some books can be slow to engage your interest, but given enough pages, will get you hooked. So how much of a book should you read before you return this book to the library and borrow something else to read?
A well known American librarian, Nancy Pearl, has given this particular dilemma considerable thought, and created the Rule of 50, suggesting 50 pages is enough, even less if you are over fifty years of age! (If you are feeling curious about how the book ends, you can always just read the last few pages of the story and find out). How do you feel about that?
Of course, there are always books which you have to read and finish whether you feel like it or not, those required reads for school, university etc.In this case, try these tips to help you get through these sometimes difficult books.
- Read one chapter at a time. This way you have time to absorb what you have read and reflect upon it between chapters.
- Set a time and place to read the chapter. find somewhere quiet where you are comfortable, can concentrate, and won't get interrupted.
- Set a goal date (you may have one anyway) to finish the book.
- Make notes. This makes you engage with the book and concentrate on what is happening. Discuss the story with others,who may also be reading this book.
- Whatever you do, don't give up! You will feel, at the very least, relief that you have finished the book.
Who knows, you may even end up feeling that these "required reads" are amongst some of the best books you have ever read.
Photo credit: Flickr user Brenda Starr "Book 8"
National Year of Reading April theme "Feel"
The month of April has the theme “feel”, meaning that this month is all about emotions and feelings evoked by reading and how you feel about reading. It's the month to read whatever you feel like. The written word in all its forms can be very powerful, causing the reader to feel emotions including love, joy, surprise, anger, fear and sorrow. So read anything and everything, including magazines, newspapers, blog and twitter posts, clues to a crossword, recipes, patterns and of course, books.
No matter how you feel, there is a book in the library to suit your mood. Feel like being scared out of your wits? Try reading a horror story that gives you goose bumps. Don’t ever believe it when you are told the book version is not as scary as the movie. With a book, you have your own imagination to contend with. Did you really just catch a glimpse of a shadow flitting across your window?
Maybe you feel like an adrenaline rush that makes your heart race. Try reading a fast -paced adventure story, pick up an action packed page turner that you just can’t put down, or try a spine tingling, nail biting, edge of your seat thriller.
Do you feel like a challenge? Try an epic saga, or start the first book in a new series.
Read a mystery and solve the puzzle of who dunnit. The outcome may surprise or shock you, or you may feel a sense of satisfaction that you picked the culprit before the end of the story.
Read a mystery and solve the puzzle of who dunnit. The outcome may surprise or shock you, or you may feel a sense of satisfaction that you picked the culprit before the end of the story.
Are you feeling warm and fuzzy? Curl up with a good romance novel that tugs at your heartstrings. Read about a beautiful heroine being swept off her feet by her knight in shining armour, knowing in the back of your mind that despite the fact that the road to true love is never smooth, there will a happy ending.
Feel can also refer to the tactile, this being the month to learn new crafts. Read all about book folding or make a book sculpture. Why not learn to knit or find a pattern and crochet some tea cosies.
What kind of books do you like to read and how do they make you feel? Tell us on the Library Facebook page!
Photo credit: flickr user John Mallon Iphoneography "Enjoying the paper"
Palmistry Sessions at Engadine Library Cancelled Today
We've just been informed that Palmist Rosemary Dawson will be unable to make it to Engadine library today - unfortunately she is unwell.
We apologise to anyone who was planning to go along to today's session. The next 'Feel' session will be on Monday, April 16 with free head & neck massages.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)