March Madness – Buying Books!

I just realised i haven’t written a blog yet in March! Oops!

I haven’t been doing much, had a few days off work, then a rather busy weekend at work. Managed to round off the weekend with a much needed catch-up and chill time with some close friends in our usual hangout at a local pub. Also managed to wrangle today off work as one of my paid holiday days, of which i have rather a lot left to take and not much time to take any. So i’ve spent most of today watching a bit of TV, and jobhunting!

I haven’t been reading a lot in the last week, as i was mainly waiting for some new books to arrive in the post! I started re-reading the Harry Potter series for the umpteenth time though!

It’s not like i don’t already have new books lying around though – i have books on my Kindle waiting to be read! I currently have the following as yet unread ebooks:

• “H10N1″ by M.R. Cornelius
  

  H10N1 - M.R. Cornelius (via Amazon)

• “Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa” by M.L. Rudolph
  

  Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa - M.L. Rudolph (via Amazon)

• “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott (i felt i should try this)
  

  Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (via Amazon)

• “Ulysees” by James Joyce (i ought to read at least one of Joyce’s books!)
  

  Ulysses - James Joyce (via Amazon)

And then today, two of my book orders arrived:

• “The Poison Tree” by Erin Kelly
  

  The Poison Tree - Erin Kelly (via Amazon)

• “Every Other Day” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  

  Every Other Day - Jennifer Lynn Barnes (via Amazon)

I’m currently waiting on two more book orders to arrive:

• “Shame” by Karin Alvtegen (i read “Missing” and thought i’d try another of her books – good translated fiction!)
  

  Shame - Karin Alvtegen (via Amazon)

• “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barbery (another translated book)
  

  The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery (via Amazon)

I have a HUGE list of books which i want to read, and it’s difficult to pick out a few to buy at a time – i am trying not to spend all my wages on them! A lot of these are just random choices which i liked the sound of, but we will see! This feels like a lot of books to me, but it’s enough to keep me going through March!

I’m also still looking for publishing jobs, and i have applied for a few more! Unfortunately, i got rejected (again!) from one application after going for an interview two weeks ago. Ah well, i’ll keep trying!

Book Review: Missing

Cover of Missing

I have just finished reading “Missing” by Karin Alvtegen, first published in Sweden in 2000, and later translated into English. She is yet another brilliant Scandinavian writer who has managed to get her work out of her native country.

“Missing” is a really good read, and it is fairly easy to read as i managed to read it within two days!

The blurb on the back of the book says:

“When a serial killer strikes, a homeless woman finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, framed for horrifying murders that she didn’t commit. on the run and living by her wits, can she avoid capture long enough to prove her innocence?”

The character of Sibylla is one of great interest: she is the homeless woman, troubled by her past, and chasing her dream of being free. Unfortunately, she ends up the suspect in a series of horrific murders, and as we follow her attempt to clear her name, we learn much about her character and her sad past. The main plot is interspersed with the subplot of her childhood and the root of her problems and why she is homeless.

The plot is rather chilling with the murders, and keeps you guessing until the end. I know i was speculating who had the motive to frame her, but as usual its someone who you would never have even thought of! Suspense is brilliant through the novel, with bits of the puzzle dropped in here and there, enough to keep you reading, but not enough to reveal the truth until the last few pages.

I give this book a 7/10 because it is a good, if quick, read. If you like Stieg Larsson, then its worth reading, as the heroine is again someone who has been neglected by society. It isnt as intense and complex as Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy though, so it would be ideal for those who couldnt keep up with it.