Tag: Reading Habits

Evening readers, insomnia has lead me to giving my two pence worth in accordance with the reading habits tag that's been circulating, hope you enjoy!

Questions:

1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading? I tend to read anywhere around the house! On the sofa, at the table, in the bath and in bed - although sometimes I do struggle to read in bed without falling asleep :)

2. Bookmark or random piece of paper? I tend to have a book mark on me at all times, as my worst nightmare is bending the pages in a book! I always keep a packet of the magnetic clip bookmarks in my bag. Cool, I know.

3. Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/ a certain amount of pages? I can usually stop reading at any time, although I love the sense of achievement when you reach the end of a chapter :)

4. Do you eat or drink while reading? I tend not to eat whilst reading, purely due to my lack of coordination in being able to hold open a book while eating! But there's nothing better than a fresh cuppa with your nose in a book :)

5. Multitasking: Music or TV while reading? People find this difficult to comprehend, but I find it difficult to read without background noise, e.g. Music or the telly! Also, I prefer to read with other people in the room, so I'll just sit along in the living room, completely engrossed in a book no matter what's going on in my surroundings :)

6. One book at a time or several at once? More than often I stick to one book at a time, but I'm happy to have a few on the go :)

7. Reading at home or everywhere? I love to read at home, and at my boyfriends house, but unless I'm at the beach/abroad, I find it difficult to completely commit to reading if I'm anywhere else!

8. Reading out lout or silently in your head? I read novels in silence, but have always been taught to read poetry aloud as it as written for that purpose :)

9. Do you read ahead or even skip pages? I never read ahead intently, although my eyes will always wonder to the next paragraph or page, I hate it!

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new? One of the greatest feelings I find is keeping the books in pristine condition, so definitely new :)

11. Do you write in your books? Although I like to keep my novels and poetry looking brand new, in academic textbooks I go to town! I highlight, underline, bookmark, the whole lot! I also do this with novels and plays if I'm studying them for my literature course :)

So there we have it, my reading habits. What are yours?

Thanks for reading!

The Lover's Dictionary, By David Levithan

David Levithan is one of my all time favourite authors, so I immediately had high expectations of this book. The premise of the novel is one of the most interesting I've come across; each page is as if it were an entry within a dictionary. The story is told through the alphabetical progression of the dictionary.

The book is, as the title would suggest, a story about love. When I first saw the title i was a little apprehensive and was expecting a mushy, gushy love story, but this book is like no other romance I've read - to some it up in a word, it's very real.

The story portrays love in a difficult but realistic way, the characters are flawed, the relationship isn't perfect even before the disequilibrium, and Levithan is truthful about every aspect. Perhaps because the plot line isn't linear, from the offset the narrator somewhat confesses the troubles within the relationship and with his partner in such a relatable way, a way in which I'm sure anybody that has been in love has experienced.

Although the book is full of heartache, trials & tribulation, I think it's this aspect of truthfulness and realism that makes Levithans words and thoughts about love as a progression so moving.

One of my favourite novels so far this year, I can't wait to re-read it.
*****

August TBR

I actually have exams on the 19th, so should probably be spending my time with my nose in law books, statutes and case law, but alas; the world of literature beckons me.

At the beginning of the month I started reading the infamous Great Gatsby.  My beloved kindle tells me i'm only 20% of the way through the novel, but it's one of those that you spend every few minutes wishing you could drop everything you were doing to curl up in bed with the book! It's not particularly long, so i'm sure i'll be finished with the novel soon and a review will follow.  Watch this space, expect gush. so much gush.

Another book i'm inevitably years late on the band wagon is the Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  No, I haven't read it.  No, I haven't been hidden under a rock.  Yes, i'm ashamed of myself.  I've just purchased the trilogy and can't wait to lose myself in dystopian splender.

Another book to start a series for me is City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare. This series is raved about in the book community, so ultimately I wanted to give my two pennies worth.

I'm sure i'll get around to reviewing these beauties in the next month or so, so watch this space.

Let me know if any of you are reading or have read any of these books, and whether you have any further recommendations for me!
I'm contemplating setting monthly themes into order, what do you think?

Now, back to Gatsby.

Letters OF a Law Student.

After finishing my first year of a Law degree and preparing for my second, I thought i'd bestow to you any advice or tips (read: coping mechanisms) I have for any budding young lawyers.

First: Be prepared.  You may see this as your last summer of freedom, but even a little reading before you turn up in September will be invaluable.  I was recommend this posts namesake, Letters to a Law Student http://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Law-Student-Studying-University/dp/1408218801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375646100&sr=8-1&keywords=letters+to+a+law+student - having read it through before I enrolled, I have read it atleast 3 or 4 more times throughout the year and constantly turn to it for reference.  Highly recommend!

Second: Immerse yourself.  One of the first things I did back in September was join the Law Society.  Now, if you're anything like me and feel like you just don't fit in with the typical law students (read: workaholic, arrogant, plain old arseholes. no? just my university?) then don't sweat it.  I've found a small group of girls on my course that are more laid back, but other than that don't panic and stress yourself out with trying to keep up with the facade that seems to come with the territory of being a law student.  Having said that, being involved and keeping your ears open to all the events, contacts and extra curricular-ness going on will only help you in the long run.  Which leads me to my next point...

Third: Don't let yourself be intimidated by others.  Law is a fast paced, often corporate, slightly pretentious subject. I spent the majority of my first year feeling as thought the students around me were in a higher league and that I was far too out of my depth, but you are as capable as you believe you are.  Your experience may be different to mine and you may be in a year group full of humble, genuine students - if this is the case, savour it.

Fourth: Finally, it may go without saying but keep up with the reading.  The information will be invaluable, and with such a densely contextual and face paced subject, it's paramount that you understand every topic and module to the best of your ability, so that when revision comes around, you're simply recapping rather than teaching yourself the syllabus.


Good luck young lawyers, I wish you all the best.  As long as you are committed and put the work in to your degree, you'll reap the benefits.  Working towards my degree is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, and yeah! it feels good to know that you can impress somebody simply by stating your major. Enjoy kids x

Harry Potter Paperback Boxset: Signature Edition

What better way to begin this blog than to confess my biggest literary foible – I haven’t read the Harry Potter series.  I know I know, i’m not worthy! but give me credit, for I am redeeming myself, asap.  In the last week or so, I have devoured the first 2 books in the series, but more on that in later reviews.  I read the first, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, on my kindle to see if it absorbed me as much as people had said, and after my boyfriend saw that i was completely enthralled, he treated me to this beautiful box set.  This is most definitely in pride of place on my bookshelf.  It’s so, so beautiful – the books are individually simple, and pristine, and and immaculate. These make me very, very happy.  If you’re a Harry Potter fan, what a fabulous treat for yourself to have your favourite books in gorgeous new editions.