Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dusty Reads (16)

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Dusty Reads is a weekly meme, hosted here, featuring a book that has been sitting unread on my home shelf for some time. To participate, add your link at the bottom. 
If you wish, you can grab the button and find more information here.

My pick this week:

The Lovely Bones
Alice Sebold
Released July, 2002

Goodreads / Purchase

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.
When we first meet Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. As she looks down from this strange new place, she tells us, in the fresh and spirited voice of a fourteen-year-old girl, a tale that is both haunting and full of hope.

In the weeks following her death, Susie watches life continuing without her — her school friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her family holding out hope that she’ll be found, her killer trying to cover his tracks. As months pass without leads, Susie sees her parents’ marriage being contorted by her loss, her sister hardening herself in an effort to stay strong, and her little brother trying to grasp the meaning of the word gone

And she explores the place called heaven. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. There are counselors to help newcomers adjust and friends to room with. Everything she ever wanted appears as soon as she thinks of it — except the thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth.

With compassion, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie sees her loved ones pass through grief and begin to mend. Her father embarks on a risky quest to ensnare her killer. Her sister undertakes a feat of remarkable daring. And the boy Susie cared for moves on, only to find himself at the center of a miraculous event.

So, I’m the only one who hasn’t read this yet, right?

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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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36 Responses to “Dusty Reads (16)”

  3. Katie

    I’ve read it and watched the movie. You may come away feeling a bit… odd. It’s definitely an interesting perspective. I thought it was a good book, despite a somewhat unconventional ending. Eager to hear what you think about it 🙂

  4. Shirley

    Oh! This is on my TBR list 😀 All (actually most)of my friends have been telling me just how amazing this is, but I have yet to read it :S Apparently it’s also very er..disturbing? (or maybe that was another book?) I haven’t watched the movie either :/

  5. The Writing Project

    Agree with Katie. Its a good book and drags you in at the beginning but I felt it kinda dragged on at the end. I can’t imagine how painful the movie is (it would be hard to make a movie that captures the book) and haven’t even bothered.

  6. Tee

    LOL No..I have had this book sitting on my shelf for years and I never seem to get to it. I haven’t even watched the movie because I haven’t read the book yet

  8. Giselle

    Haha yay I’m not the only one! And yes, Shirley, I HAVE heard – even been warned – that it was very disturbing. Which is why it’s still unread. I think I’ll have to be in the mood for it.

  10. Tara Turner

    honestly your not missing to much, if you have seen the movie thats pretty much good enough! i had higher hopes for this book because of the movie, i always love to read movie books because you get into the inner thoughts of the main character, but with this, it was just a let down! let it collect a bit more dust!!!

    Tara and her giveaway

  18. bingeingonbooks

    I have read this and I feel I wasted a day and a half of my life reading it. The start draws you in, but then the book just crashes and it’s so repetitve. I skimmed through the whole of the middle and read the end… then I took it to the charity shop!

  26. Leanna (Daisy Chain Book Reviews)

    I read this book when it was first out and loved it. I should probably re-read it at some point as I don’t remember it very well now. I enjoyed the movie version too, although it received quite mixed reviews. Stanley Tucci can do no wrong by me!

  27. Neri

    I haven’t read this book either but, I want to. I can’t decide if I want to watch the movie or read the book first.

    Btw, this is an awesome meme 🙂

  30. Natalie (Mindful Musings)

    Oh God. If I started uncovering some of my Dusty Reads, I’m pretty sure I would be in physical pain. SO much I haven’t read yet, though I did get to read The Lovely Bones a few years ago. I thought it was decent. There were parts of it I really liked and other parts that were just okay to me, but worth reading!

  32. Karen

    I have never EVER sobbed while reading a book like I did with this one. Just an ugly cry for like 60% of the book.

    The movie is really, really awful though.

  33. Audrey (Bibliosaurus Text)

    I had to read this for a class in college when it first came out. I fell in love with the writing, then wanted to throw the book across the room about 2/3 of the way through when the rules of the world changed. To this day, this book makes me angry. That said, I hope you like it 😉

  34. Amy

    This was a very interesting read. I read it ages ago though so I might have to re-read it! I’m all out of ‘dusty’ reads at the moment or I would make a post too! Thanks for stopping by Giselle 🙂

    Amy @ Following The Reader

  36. Jezzy

    Hey all,

    I have this on my book shelf & after watching the movie, i didn’t know if i wanted to read it or not. I am not sure i liked the film. Maybe i will get round to reading it soon