DAY 24: Book That Contains Your Favourite Scene

Well, I am in a pickle, aren’t I? How does one describe a great scene in a book without totally ruining it for those of you who may wish to read it in the distant future…?

Let’s see (she says, cautiously); the book that contains (one of) my favourite scene(s) is Thunderwith by Libby Hathorn.

It truly is a beautiful book. It follows the story of Lara, who, after her mother’s death, goes to live in the Australian outback with her father, his new wife and his four children. Feeling alone and unwanted after her father leaves on business, Lara discovers the companionship of a dog whom she names Thunderwith, a loving creature who seems to arrive with the lightning of storms when Lara needs him most.

My favourite scene is towards the end of the book; it was always memorable to me because it felt, quite simply, powerful. The writing was spectacular, and the emotions that Hathorn weaved into the pages brought me to tears.

I certainly hope that some of you have read it, or may now consider doing so, because it really is a great read.

- Love The Bad Guy

DAY 20: Book You’ve Read The Most Number Of Times

Finally, a no-brainer! Spud by John Heffernan was my favourite book as a child, and I read it more times than I could count.

Being an animal lover, I returned to this novel time and time again. It is from the point-of-view of Spud, the blue heeler - but not in the sense of a picture book, where animals talk to each other and what not. Spud is a mature children’s book that deals with some rather adult material; for instance, two different characters die early on the book, a third character is physically violent towards others, and Spud mates with a wild dog (presumably a dingo) out in the mountains.

For these reasons (and for the fact that Spud taught me that the word “bitch” can also be a scientific term), reading Heffernan’s book made me feel much more grown-up. Even now, I frequently find myself pulling it off the shelf, dusting it off, and losing myself in the memories within its pages.

Forget comfort-food; I’ll choose comfort-books every time.

- Love The Bad Guy