This “Next Book” update finds me motoring through Out of Chingford at a great rate on knots. In doing so, I have noticed something about the way that I read a book, I guess it is similar to most people? I potter around the start wondering how I am ever going to finish this book in anything short of 6 months. By the time I have got 1/2 way through, I am either picking up pace quite quickly (good book), or I really notice that I am 1/2 way through and wonder when I am going to start picking up pace (bad book or one that saves all its fire for the end.) If I get a decent way into the second half before I notice, then I am obviously on a roll, the story is really great and I am in danger of finishing it pretty soon. That is where I am with Out of Chingford!
So, next book… On the activity page I had previously written:-
Thinking it might be a horror? maybe The Magic Cottage by James Herbert?? But then again I read a James Herbert and I have other horror. Hmm??
I had a think and have now made a choice. Firstly, I thought I would go for a horror as I haven’t really read a proper horror since I started. As you know, I did read The Fog by James Herbert, and if you read the review, I didn’t find it all that, well, horrific! The Magic Cottage came to mind as I tried to read it many years ago and it freaked me out quite a bit. From memory, it starts with an idyllic cottage in the woods. On returning to this cottage, the protagonist of the story finds an altogether more sinister building. It freaked me out as I wasn’t expecting it. I am therefore pretty sure that The Magic Cottage will be a good read when I get to it, but The Fog was poor enough that I have been left doubting my memory and wondering whether The Magic Cottage is going to be as scary as I want it to be. So, I have grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns and chosen The Woman in Black by Susan Hill as my next book. I saw the film when it was in the cinema and although scary, it was more tense and jumpy than anything else. Great film, but I get the feeling that the book is going to be much more “interesting”!!
To add to the fun, I have a second hand copy of the book and it is filled with additional writing a bit like the half blood princes potions book! I think in this case it was a study book for GCSE or A-levels. As you can see from the photo it even has stick in tags to mark certain pages (oooh.) The additional info will either add to the experience or detract from it, I will let you know in the review. It is not a huge book and the font is pretty big so I don’t think it will take long to get through. Especially if I rush it so I don’t have to read it at night 🙂 I should be back with another “Next Book” pretty soon.
On re-reading what I have written I realise that I have just decided to read a REALLY SCARY BOOK that also happens to be a GCSE course text. DOH. Lets see shall we. If it’s not as scary as I expected I solemnly promise to read The Magic Cottage next.