BOOKSHELF: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN - PAULA HAWKINS

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN - PAULA HAWKINS

Is it terrible of me to admit that this was a Mothers Day present from my brother to my mum that I stole and ran away with to the desert?!

Only kidding. I started reading this the night before I was due to fly back to Doha, and my mum told me to keep hold of it and finish it, and to give it back to her in May when I go to meet her in Dubai.

The Girl On the Train isn't my preferred genre of book, so I was pleasantly surprised to get stuck into it straight away.

This story is told from the point of view of three characters, Rachel, Anna and Megan, all of whom are linked in ways that are revealed throughout the course of the book.

A murder takes place, and the alcoholic main protagonist Rachel knows that she was in the area the night of the murder, but her blacked out memory means that she can't remember why or what happened. She is desperate to solve the mystery.

This is the first thriller written by Paula Hawkins, and I am very pleased to see that this may be turned into a film. It has something 'Gone Girl'-esque about it, and I could definitely see an adaptation of this on the big screen.

I found this book to be quite disturbing - whilst it isn't graphic in its content, it really does go to show that you never know who might be watching you, which is quite an unsettling thought. It really took me back to my commuter days, travelling in to London on the over ground train - I always used to think that I wouldn't fancy living next to a train line and now I am even more sure of this fact!

Maybe next time I'll stick to my light-hearted Chick Lit! That's not to say I didn't enjoy it - I did. The characters were well written, and it really shed light on the dangers and sadness surrounding alcoholism as an illness.

One thing I would say to anyone who reads this, is to keep an eye on the dates. I got a little lost part way through when I just assumed the dates were in order, although it was easy enough to get things straight once I'd realised.

I'm looking forward to hearing my mums verdict on this book once I get it back to her!

THE READING HABITS TAG

When I get back to Doha, I am definitely getting back in to books.

Since I have been in the UK this week, I have stocked up on three new books to bring back with me, as I had run out of reading material after finishing up 'Looking for Alaska' by John Green. I was really disappointed in this book, as I had really enjoyed 'The Fault in our Stars' (the book and the movie), also by John Green, but 'Looking for Alaska' was just too young for me.

So for a while, I've not had anything to read, but reading really is one of my favourite things to do. And I mean with a proper book in hand. I have the iBooks app on my iPad but I just don't enjoy it as much as curling up with a physical book.

When I stumbled across 'The Reading Habits' tag on Vanilla Crush's blog, I knew this was a tag I would enjoy, so without further ado, here are my answers...

ONE

Do you have a certain place at home to read?

I would say if I am at home, always in my bedroom. I wouldn't tend to read in the communal areas of my apartment as reading is a solo activity, and I get pretty in the zone when I've got my head in a book and wouldn't want to appear to be antisocial! I also really enjoy taking a book down to the pool to read in the sun.

TWO

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

I am a random piece of paper kinda gal...or no bookmark at all! Sometimes I just like to remember where I left off - and then curse at myself when I can't find the right page. I can't abide people who fold the corners of books to mark their page, drives me mad!

THREE

Can you just stop reading, or do you have to stop after a chapter or number of pages?

I like to at least finish my paragraph - I would never stop mid-sentence or anything like that! - but I don't feel like I need to finish a chapter before I can put my book down.

FOUR

Do you eat or drink whilst reading?

I would normally have a bottle of water or a mug of tea to hand if I've settled down for a reading session, but I wouldn't normally eat whilst I read. I would take time out from reading to go and make/get food if I was hungry and have a break, not do the two together.

FIVE

Do you watch TV or listen to music whilst reading?

Definitely not, a book deserves full attention from its reader.

SIX

One book at a time or several at once?

These days, one book at a time as I have been pretty limited to the number of books I have with me in Doha. When I was younger, I used to read a couple at a time depending on my mood, but looking back I'm not sure how I did that!

SEVEN

Reading at home or everywhere?

At home, or at the pool/beach. I get a taxi to and from work and I can't read in the car, and at work I don't tend to take a lunch break so there is no time to read then (or really any place to go to read a book without distraction). When I was living in London and commuting I would always take a book on the over ground and tube with me to pass the time.

EIGHT

Reading aloud, or silently in your head?

Definitely reading silently in my head. I'd sound like a bit of a nutter if I was reading out loud!

NINE

Do you ever read ahead or skip pages?

No, I like to read each page in order and I have never understood people who skip to the back page first! I may be guilty of skim reading a paragraph occasionally if I'm desperate to get to the good bit but more often than not I just read normally.

TEN

Do you ever write in books?

No, never. Even when I was at University I didn't write in any of my course books. I wish I had, as it probably would have really helped me in my lectures and seminars but I have a real thing about damage to books. Even when I buy a book from a shop it has to be in absolutely perfect condition, no creased corners or damaged pages. These days however, I have been guilty of getting suncream on a couple of my books from reading them down at the pool!

If you are a book worm like me, please do the Reading Habits tag and link me to your post!