Sunday Salon: Gift Card Giveaway and Historical Fiction
Happy Sunday, Saloners! It's been kind of a slow reading week for me, and I couldn't say why. But I'll get to more on that in a second.
Earlier this week, I posted my very first giveaway. I am giving away three Barnes and Noble gift cards: a grand prize $25 gift card, and two runner-up gift cards, each worth $10. The contest is open until Friday, and is only open to residents of the United States. For more information and to enter, please see the giveaway post.
As far as reading goes, this week I've been kind of entrenched in the past. I actually started the week alternating between The Three Musketeers
, part of my Dumas marathon, and When We Were Romans
by Matthew Kneale. I got 80 pages in to Romans and basically stalled. I love the premise of the book, and I like that it's told from the point of view of a ten year old boy. But at the same time, it's also written as though a ten year old boy had written it. The spelling is inconsistent and bad, the grammar is basically nonexistent, and honestly, I'm struggling with it a lot. I'm sure Kneale has an interesting story to tell, but the reality is, I don't know that I will hear that story, because I don't think I can take another 140 pages of it.
That made it really easy to put the book aside when Midwife of the Blue Ridge
by Christine Blevins arrived at my door on Wednesday. Midwife is proving much more enjoyable. I still don't have a fully complete grasp of the characters in the story, but as I'm not yet halfway through, I'm not that worried about it. Blevins writing style is relaxed and readable, and I'm very interested in seeing where she goes with the story.
I haven't put The Three Musketeers completely aside. I've been trying to read a little bit every day, so as not to fall off the pace too much while I read books I've promised to review (Midwife is one, and I've got another coming soon). The more I read, the more I'm realizing that I really love this story. I think I mentioned previously that the one and only time I've read it was as a high school freshman, and though I liked it well enough, I don't think I really understood all that was happening. I'm still in the early parts of the book, but I think I understand the implications of the various intrigues better now than I did ten years ago. I only hope I continue to enjoy the story.
Don't forget to check out the giveaway! Have a great Sunday!