Reading is my crutch

As I've mentioned before on this blog, I have depression. Depression sucks like almost nothing else. It is well known for its suckitude.


image courtesy of nipitphand at freedigitalphotos.net

Today, I have a doctor's appointment. Now, I've always had some major vulnerability/phobia issues with anything medical - this extends to simply sitting in the doctor's waiting room. Add in the fact that this appointment is essentially to discuss what's going on inside my head and you can see that I'm understandably a little nervy. I also couldn't get an appointment with my regular GP because, let's face it, doctor's appointments are essentially gold dust these days. So, I have one of the other doctor's at the practice this afternoon - one who I have had before and I don't have a particularly high opinion of. Generally speaking, she's never been useful at any point or during any appointment as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure she tries, but, like most doctors, she has a barrier of arrogance that prevents her from actually listening to her patients. With my regular doctor, over several appointments I've managed to beat the wall of arrogance down to leave myself a cat-flap sized hole to get through to her. Now I have to try again with a different doctor.

So, I'm going to go. I have considered pretending I went and telling my family that I did, but decided against it (tempting as it is.) In the end, the person who'll get hurt by that is me, and I've had plenty enough of hurt to last me for a while thank you very much. But it doesn't help that I know I'll have to wait at least half an hour past my appointment time - maybe as much as an hour, with the off-chance of more - just to see the doctor. Because by the afternoon they are behind and running late. Hell, by the third appointment of the morning they are behind and running late, and it just gets worse from there. So I have a plan. I'm going to take my book.

What's so different about that? I hear you ask. Nothing - and that's the point. I'll look perfectly normal, just passing time away before a regular, routine appointment. But inside it'll be different, because I'll have the book. I can sink into it - wash away my fears and hurt, if only for a while - and find myself totally immersed in the world of the book. I can steal the strength of the characters, feel myself wandering through the streets of their world, watch them and feel with them through the good and the bad - but I won't be thinking about the appointment. I won't be sinking into the darkness of my illness, dropped away into the spirals of my own thoughts. I won't be letting the anxiety - I get a touch of it with the depression - wind me up like a clockwork toy until my heart is beating so fast I can't speak. It'll keep me calm. It'll keep my mind off things until the time of my appointment.

Reading is my crutch. It's got me through plenty, and it'll get me through this. I'm a reading addict, and I never want to stop.

A Comic Discovery

Hi! One of my companions in nerd-girl-ity recently introduced me to ComiXology (www.comixology.co.uk) - this is a place where you can get digital comics. Now, you know I'm not normally one for the digital stuffs - I like a good bit of print and paper for my reading fix. But, though you can buy reasonably cheap comics here, it's the free section I signed up for.

This is full of the weird and wonderful - from indie titles to Marvel and DC, the array on offer is well worth the discomfort of the digital format. The reading can either be an awkward zoom-in/zoom-out kind of deal-y, or in sequential format (so, one pane transitions to the next on command.) Again, not a big fan of the sequential-ness but once I figured out that I could use the arrow buttons on my keyboard instead of the on-screen buttons which kept bringing up the blasted tool-bar and covering the words. Strange that. Arrows do arrow things. Who knew? ;)

By the way, should you want to do your own foraying into the world of ComiXology and digital comics, I highly recommend the 'Detective Honeybear' free issue. It's a teddy bear detective - he says vewwy instead of very. Your argument is officially invalid. It's frickin' adorable - so much so that I may have to flap my arms, bounce up and down, and make the 'squeeeee!' noise.

It's pretty addictive. Don't say I didn't warn you, and, as always, happy reading!

Acceptable cheating

Ok, I can't be the only one who thinks this - there is acceptable cheating when it comes to the Goodreads challenge!

This is opposed to unacceptable cheating - skipping, skim reading, and worse, not reading a book you claim to have read! (May the reading gods have mercy on your damned soul and your tattered honour! lol)

But there is acceptable cheating too: my rule is this - if Goodreads counts it as a book, then it's a book. Audiobooks? They count. Quick Reads count. Single poems count (though only if they're already listed on Goodreads.) And of course, graphic novels most definitely count.

So it is with the aid of acceptable cheating that I'm currently sitting at 31 books - I've also put my target up from 50 to 70.

Happy reading!

Reviewing the evidence - Love is Blind

Title: Love is Blind (US Link)
Author: Kathy Lette
Genre: Ditzy, Romance
Series: Quick Reads


A few starting notes:

This is another book in the Quick Reads series. As I've previously mentioned, this series consists of short, easily digested books by top authors on a variety of subjects. They're normally priced somewhere between £1 and £1.99. They're excellent for a hit of reading - whether you're a reader or someone who struggles.

This particular book is what I call 'ditzy' - others may refer to it as chick-lit, women's fiction, etc. but I think that excludes any dudes who might like a bit of ditz in their lives. Although, the pink cover and subtle-as-a-slap-to-the-face title may not help when it comes to attracting male readers.

Premise:

Anthea's life is perfect. She has the perfect job, perfect home, perfect body, perfect fiancé. Her sister Jane though is the ugly duckling of the family, driven to husband-hunting in the Australian outback, where what's on the outside isn't as important as the fact that you're a woman.

Anthea thinks Jane may have completely lost her marbles. She's determined to bring her sister to her senses. Except...

Except maybe 'perfect' isn't as perfect as Anthea thought it was.

Best bits:

The verbal sparring between the sisters early on is highly enjoyable for it's pantomime yet quick-witted nature. Lette's metaphors verge on the random, which makes arguments all the more entertaining.

This book is short and entertaining - perfect for slipping into a modern hectic lifestyle. The plot is fairly fast-paced and enjoyable, and less sappy than the title suggests. And a fair few points are made about modern standards of success and beauty along the way.

Not so great bits:

OK, so it's not exactly deep. Is it meant to be though? This is one of those books that is all about basking in the guilty pleasure.

Verdict:

A fab slot-in book for your spare time, enjoyable and non-too-taxing. This is just begging for a cuppa and a chocolate bar under your favourite blanket.

#LibraryHaul

Got a new Library Haul today - argh I love the library!

 

 

Anyone with a sharp eye may notice that Under the Never Sky and The Witch's Daughter were part of my previous haul - but that's what renewals are for!

 

As for the rest of this haul, the picture kind of cut off some of it, but there's a few Quick Reads, a graphic novel, and some non-fiction. There's also Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, because I've read the Shining so now I have to read it's sequel.

 

I'm looking forward to two of my non-fic picks in particular - 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, and Ban This Filth! by Ben Thompson. Ban This Filth! is about Mary Whitehouse and the censorship movement, so should be fun and irritating at the same time.

 

Hopefully some reviews will be appearing for you all soon!!!

Reviewing the evidence - NOS4R2 (aka NOS4A2)

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Title: NOS4R2 (NOS4A2)
Author: Joe Hill
Genre: Horror
 
A few starting notes:

I'm a big fan of Joe Hill. I read Heart Shaped Box, Horns, and 20th Century Ghosts before I'd ever read anything by Hill's father (some little-known author named Stephen King.) His writing is just amazing. I'm not over-hyping, this dude has some talent.

NOS4R2 is the British name of Hill's novel NOS4A2, probably due to the fact that pronunciation is different on opposite sides of the Atlantic, and the publishers wanted the pun on Nosferatu to still make sense. It's nice for things to be Anglicised (I wish that phrase was Britishised or something, Anglicised is far too centred on England, and I don't live in England) instead of Americanised for a change.

Time to Review the Evidence - The Shape Stealer

Title: The Shape Stealer (US Link)
Author: Lee Carroll
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Series: Watchtower

A few starting notes:

This is another random pick from my last library haul (I have renewed, I won't be hunted down by mercenary librarians, it's fine.) I didn't realise when I picked it up, but it's actually book 3 of the Watchtower series. That didn't bother me too much because it's not like I've never dived into a series mid-way through before.

Lee Carroll is actually the pen name of a two-person writing team.


Premise:

Garet James, the Watchtower (a magically guardian-y type person,) has some stuff to deal with. Her boyfriend is a vampire (well, sort of,) and there's an ancient demon following them (don't you hate it when that happens?) plus there's a whole lot of time-travelling hijinks going on.

Best bits:

It's fun! The tone is light and enjoyable, and definitely readable.

The short chapters make it easy to dip in and out of, and it's easy to follow even with all the twists and turns of the plot. This is a chillax, Sunday afternoon when your brain needs some down-time kind of book. With supernatural stuff chucked in for good measure.

I'm also a fan of the urban fantasy sub-genre in general (that's where there's vampires and stuff faffing around modern cities,) and this carries it of competently.

Not so great bits:

I'm sorry, but the poetry and song lyrics just didn't do it for me. I found them naff. Very naff.

There's also plot-holes aplenty here, as is the hazard with time-travel plots - all those pesky paradoxes! But if you just let the plot-holes exist and quiet the voice that argues with them, you should be fine.

Verdict:

This is fairly enjoyable - a quick light read with the plus of supernatural goings-on and a good pace.