Bücher mit dem Tag "drinking"

The author's writing style is very good and certain quotes like "People, I thought, wanted security. They couldn't bear the idea of death being a big existing, couldn't bear the thought of their loved ones not existing, and couldn't imagine themselves not existing. I finally decided that people believed in afterlife because they couldn't bear not to" (p. 103 ll. 26-30) struck me as very thought-provoking.

The main characters are very well developed and fully rounded. Some of the discussions of these were quite amusing as well. Also noteworthy was Miles' knowledge of last words, these were very entertaining (the author also used this to show a part of his personality, as he has been interested in this since he was 12 years old). It helped make the first part of the book very enjoyable to read. 

(The book is divided into two parts with some sub-chapters, which fits the story very well). 

At the end of the first part there was a surprising twist which helped to bring out the messages that John Green wanted to convey. That is, among other things, that you can be very strong and overcome hard times if you only believe in yourself. Nevertheless, the second part dragged on while reading and wasn't too exciting either. 

The book is also about a teenage love story, but it is not the "typical kind" of relationship, but a darker one, which I found refreshing and varied. 

So overall, it's a great book with nice messages and characters with true personalities. 

(TW: Depression and dealing with the loss/death of loved ones is addressed).

„When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.“

Reading this quote you would think that you're about to read a depressing and boring memoir of a boy growing up in Limerick in the 1930's and 40's.
But Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is much more, it's funny, thought-provoking, ironic and yes, depressing and heart-breaking as well, when three of his siblings die in infancy for instance.

Born in America to a Northern Irish father, who loves drinking more than his family, and an Irish mother, his parents went back to Ireland when he was five. Frank's whole childhood is dominated by poverty, hunger, broken shoes and his father who spends his wages or the dole money in pubs and comes home singing Irish rebel songs.

„Angela's Ashes“ is told in a succession of little anecdotes about McCourts life, told like a stream of conciousness in the voice of the age of the narrator. This style is unique in my opinion, McCourt describes his experiences at the age of five like a five-year-old would. The reader essentially grows up with him.

Through Frank's eyes, we witness how life was among the poorest, the way the Catholic church and her teachings permeate every aspect of life, until thoughts of sin and doom are ingrained in everyone and thus the bad conscience he had as a teenage boy for „dirty thoughts“. The priests feign mercy towards the poor but despise them at the same time. Frank is denied entrance at secondary schools, which are run by the Catholic church, because he is poor and even though his headmaster puts in a good word for him. Still, Frank is optimistic and dreams of emigrating to America. In spite of the despair eminent in the book, our narrator is full of optimism and that makes „Angela's Ashes“ so memorable.
I really liked Frank McCourt's memoir, which also won the Pulitzer Prize in the 90's and recommend it to anyone interested in Ireland in the 30's and 40's.

Anfang der 1980er hat Mark Renton eigentlich ein unbeschwertes Leben. Das Studium läuft gut, die Beziehung mit der neuen Freundin auch, und daheim in Edinburgh warten die Kumpels aus Kindheit und Jugend. Doch unter der eisernen Lady wendet sich das Schicksal für die einfachen Arbeiterfamilien und als auch noch Rentons Bruder stirbt, ist Marks Leben auf einmal nicht mehr so rosig.

 „Trainspotting“ ist seit Jahren Kult und „Skagboys“, das als Prequel fungiert, wird es bestimmt auch. Die Protagonisten waren mir dementsprechend schon größtenteils bekannt, ich wusste auch was sie in naher Zukunft erwartet; trotzdem hat diese Geschichte mich gebannt, denn die Figurentwicklung und auch die Handlung können trotzdem überraschen. Welsh übt außerdem scharfe Sozialkritik, befasst sich mit den Gründen für die Heroinwelle, die Edinburgh in dieser Zeit überrollte, und lässt kaum ein gutes Haar an der Thatcherregierung. Die Handlung ist oft düster und beklemmend, trotzdem gibt es immer wieder auch Szenen, die den Leser zum Lachen bringen. Meist schwarzer Humor, aber der ist mir halt auch der Liebste ; ) Sprachlich muss man sich erst mal einlesen, denn Renton und seine Kumpels sprechen schottischen Dialekt und schnodderigen Straßenslang, was der Autor detailgetreu wiedergibt. Auch die sehr derbe Wortwahl (ein Welsh ohne „cunt“ ist schließlich kein Welsh) sind sicherlich nicht jedermanns Geschmack; muss es vielleicht aber auch nicht. Wer sich auf Irvine Welsh einlässt, weiß was ihn erwartet. Und wird von „Skagboys“ in keinster Weise enttäuscht.

It has been forever since my last time in Virgin River and since I needed a comfort read it was great too return to this little town.


I enjoyed the previous books in the series and even though I expected every book to center another couple, it is great to read about all the other inhabitants and previous couples as well. 
By now I would say that the Virgin River series is a bookish soap opera, and I mean this absolutely positive.
I love the little town and every single character as well as the things happening there. I can always rely to feel comfortable in the books.


Robyn Carr has an enjoyable writing style which makes you feel right at home in Virgin River.

es gibt ja unzählige geschichten von king arthur und seinen rittern.es gab auch schon mehrere filme davon.dennoch hat mir diese version der geschichte sehr gut gefallen ,weil sogar bis auf die gestalt von merlin,alles sehr real war.keine mystische gestalten,kein zauberschwert.arthur zieht zwar das schwert aus etwas heraus ,aber es ist nur symbolisch gemeint.zu der schreibweise muss ich sagen ,dass es halt ein buch zum film ist.nichts überwältigendes .ich muss jetzt von diesem autor keine anderen bücher lesen.weil es aber auf englisch ist und mir einfach die geschichten von king arthur gefallen,bekomt das buch von mir trotzdem 4 sterne. king arthur and the knights of the round table - and the chivalry,romance,heroism,and betrayal at the heart of the legendary tale-have gripped the imagination of the world for centuries. in king arthur, young artur is given a seemingly impossiblevmission - to defeat a bloodthirsty saxon conqueror and his army, a dozen times thevsize of arthur's own. haunted by merlin and tormented by the factthat his small band if knights has only a slimcance at survival,arthur is determined to fulfill his duty to the roman empire, his family , and great britain.in the midst of their mission ,when arthur and lancelot, his greatest knight, rescue the excuisite guineverefrom captivity, theenchantingtale of the royal lovers begins. king arthur is astiry of catastrophic defeat ,devastating victory , and magical romance.

"I know you love me, Jocelyn, because there's no fucking way I can be this much in love with you, and not have you feel the same way. It's not possible."

On Dublin Street is about Jocelyn, a young woman who lost her parents and baby sister when she was 14, and who still has trust issues with everyone she knows. In fact, she doesn't let anyone get near enough to know her. I was really looking forward to reading On Dublin Street. There were so many amazing reviews on this book. 5 stars here, there, and everywhere. So I thought, I was going to love this book. Then I read it and I wanted to choke the life out of the heroine Joss. Jocelyn Butler aka Joss just about ruined this book for me with her emotional constipation. Don't get me wrong she had a lot of bad things happen to her. Her parents, little sister and best friend died when she was a teen. So some emotional issues is totally understandable, but damn.

I can honestly say that I did enjoy this one. This was a hot and sexy little romance with enough of a story to balance out the two people dancing around their sexual tension. Unfortunately I really didn't like it.

Overall, On Dublin Street was a disappointing read that i really hoped i would enjoy but didn't. The main characters felt cliche to me and i hated them most of the time. The plot was also flat and old. But the style of witting and sex made it so it was an OK read.