Review: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was my first Shirley Jackson book and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the writing, this lady had a way with words. A creepy disturbing way with them.
This is the story of two sisters and the way they live in their family home, secluded and removed from the local village. The pair live with their ailing uncle who is having a hard time letting go of the past, a past that they are reminded of every time they wander the rooms of the large house. The rest of their family had been murdered in this house and the girls have not changed anything, every thing stays as it always was. Their lives are affected greatly when a cousin appears, Charles is a very unlikeable fellow and threatens to change all that they have and the way that they live. We eventually learn the truth and in the end things will stay as they always were. Two sisters together still living in their castle.



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I found a new action hero.

Killing Floor by Lee Child

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Lee Child book and most definitely not my last. It introduces us to Jack Reacher an ex-military man and a loner, who happens across a small, not quite idyllic town just off a main interstate in Georgia. The reason he has come there is purely innocent the reason he sticks around is not. There is the usual bit of romance (but not too much) and some graphic descriptions of violence all wrapped around a very interesting plot. This book reads like an action movie, not terribly realistic but great action.  I really enjoyed it.



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I bought some more books, I couldn't help it.

I was out running some errands yesterday and just by chance stopped into my local thrift shop and they just happened to be having a 50% off sale on all their books. Well I do believe in supporting local charities so I spent a brief amount of time scanning their shelves.  I' sure glad I dropped in because I came out of there with some great treasures and only spent $4.00 . Their regular prices are staggering, they ask $1.00 for a paperback and .50c for hardcovers so it was pure luck that I happened in when I did.


For myself I picked up        and     and for my son I grabbed   .

It amazes me that people donate such collectable and popular books to charity. I can't even imagine giving away such great books, probably because I am just a bit of book hoarder. Just a bit.  I will add that I am extremely grateful that they do. Very grateful.

~Psst... I have stashed these books under the bed for now. I will bring them out over time, gradually.

Too many books to read is a good thing.

Lately I have been in a bit of a reading slump, but that has not stopped me from adding to my to read list or borrowing loads of books from the library. It seems that even when I am not busy reading I am obsessively gathering the books I absolutely must read soon.
This year I have challenged myself to read a number of books that I own and have not read yet, eight of those approximately eighty or so books comprise the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I had read the first three of the series so long ago I felt I needed a refresher to continue the journey and I absolutely loved revisiting them and I have now started the fourth in the series Wizard and Glass , and I am savouring every bit of it. I have vowed to complete this series during this year but am in no hurry to rush it.
A few weeks ago I began reading The Hobbit to my daughter. We are taking it very slowly, reading a little bit every night or two at bedtime, the good news is that we are both really enjoying it.
I am also in the middle of Catch 22 , a book which is unlike anything I have read in the past. I am liking it more the further I get in to the story, it has had made me smile and has even had me laughing out loud. I am going to try to finish it tonight or tomorrow so I can get to the three different book club reads I have committed to and the four or five library books I have out that are coming due throughout the next couple of weeks.
I am really looking forward to tackling my mountain of books and not at all afraid of adding to it.