I like big books and I cannot lie (but short books are convenient for reaching goals)

So I've been trying to complete the 50 books challenge this year, too. The only hitch? I've been in full time education, including a summer course... I am currently at 38 books, but I have a plan. I have short and easy books lined up for the holidays (now that I finally have them). So although I like big books, short books are convenient for reaching goals.

The books I plan on reading this holiday.

Although, I might need to change the wording of that a bit. I like good books, not necessarily big (as in thick) books. As some of you remember, I have been reading Les Misérables for the past year, and I am really stalling now. I have also given up on reading The Casual Vacancy - the stories were quite heavy emotionally. It's not that I don't like those two books, but they are hard to get through.

So the grand plan is to read Of Mice and Men, Romeo & Juliet, The Chronicles of Pern, Let it Snow, and Miss Peregrine's House for Peculiar Children. And then to read the whole Narnia series, because I read one of those books in an evening. That will add up to a total of twelve books, which is just enough to complete the 50 books challenge! Now I just need to find the time to read - maybe I should take that out of my internet time?

I will go and pack now. It will be a challenge, fitting all the books and the presents in, but I'm sure I can manage. After all, I don't need to bring the Narnia books, since we have a copy of those at home. I am looking forward to sitting on the train home, reading, knitting and looking out at the beautiful winter scenery.

Have a lovely holiday, everyone! Merry Christmas!

The Fault in Our Stars (arrived today)

Happy Julie is happy (and tired).

So The Fault in Our Stars arrived today - it was signed with a BLUE J scribble! Happy Julie is happy. I unboxed it - realised there was indeed a J scribble in my book (and in my favourite colour!) - quickly made dinner (for the next four to five days), ate it fast (only one portion, of course), and settled down to read. I read (almost) continuously for nearly five hours, sitting on my bed. I laughed, I cried, I read lines out loud to myself, I cried some more, I laughed, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In my case, I believe John Green has achieved his goal, to make the reader feel ALL OF THE THINGS!

It's perfect - and BLUE!

Reading this book was a wonderful, exhilarating experience, probably helped along by my anticipation and long period of waiting for it. I loved this book, and for me, right now (less than an hour after finishing reading the book), it stands as the best book John has written. This book grabbed me, took me on a wild roller coaster ride, and let me get off panting for my breath with a huge grin on my face. It did this better than any of John's other books have done. The characters captured me, I cared (a lot), I loved them, cried with them, and I laughed with them.

I want to thank John Green, not only for writing this wonderful piece of literature, but for taking us, the Nerdfighers, with you on the ride. Thank you for descending into signing psychosis to sign the whole first printing, thank you for making hilariously bad videos with barbaric yawps and horrible fashion sense. Thank you for building and maintaining a wonderful community together with your brother, Hank. Thank you for ALL OF THE THINGS! (Like you said when you had that eye problem back in 2007 - you say thank you a lot when you're in hospital. Well now it's my turn to say thank you back.)

In conclusion, this was a great book, and I loved it. I am really thankful to John Green for writing it, and to John and Hank Green for building Nerdfighteria. The Fault in Our Stars is just a wonderful book. But don't listen to me, I'm biased. Read it yourself!