world book day 2013

Since I lost my usual reading mojo in 2010 - still one of my greatest sorrows, books and literature have always played such a big part in my life, that I'm no longer able to consume and treasure it like I used to, that hurts... - I can't seem to neither concentrate nor get through books like I once did. It's not the pile of new books that keeps growing anymore, but the pile of half read ones.

I don't know a lot about new writers anymore, I don't really know if my favourite writers have new books published, I don't browse bookstores like I used to and I usually get my pocket books at charity shops these days. If and when I buy books they're mostly craft books, photography and travel books, cookbooks, fun, uncomplicated, coffee table-style of books.

The heap above is my latest batch of new books, lo and behold two of the books are actually proper books with lots of text. The pocket edition of one of my favourite writers, Swedish crime novelist Åsa Larsson, and the other one is "Bad Karma" by David Safier. And this is my main reading squeeze at the moment, this is what I read on World Book Day today.

Loved the book cover when I spotted it in a book shop (one of those these days rare occasions) and the notion of karma has always intrigued me thus the story did too (it reminds me of one of my favourite books "Caipirinha with Death" by Maria Ernestam).

If the book's original language is English I usually read it in English, translations can both spoil and enhance, so I went ahead and ordered this one in English. It was only until I got it I saw that it's a German writer... Unfortunately, so far, the English translation annoys me, not sure if it's not a very well written story or if the translation is bad, but I kind of regret that I didn't buy it in Swedish instead. (Sadly my German isn't that great alas.)

Still, the story IS promising, so I will persevere, even without that special reading mojo.

What do you read on World Book Day this year?