Recynd's comments (member since Nov 01, 2007)

Recynd's comments from the The Next Best Book Club group.

I'm halfway through "Belladonna" by Karen Moline (and a recommendation from a Goodreads member), and I LOVE it! It's such a fun read: over-the-top in every way, easy to get into, and a wild story line. Has anyone else ever heard of it, or, better yet, read it?

I recently read "The Other Boelyn Girl" (liked it a lot, though it's not more than just fluff), and also "The Queen of Subtleties" (an insufferable slog, I'm afraid).

Lori: Thankyouthankyou for the tip about "Fallen". I keep passing it over, I think because I've been worried that it'll be over my head, somehow. I did the same thing with "Middlesex", and when I finally read it, I loved it. I don't know why I'm insecure like that (worried about a book being too "hard")...I made it through "The Fountainhead"; hell, I even slogged my way through "The Voyeur" by Robbe-Grillet...but still, I worry. Such is life.

I'll give a holler when I get to "Fallen"; I'll also give you a mini-report when I've finished it.

Hi! I'm new to the group, too. Nice to meetcha.

My very, very favorite feeling is the feeling I get when, after finishing one book, I'm standing in front of my "to read" stack, trying to decide which book to select next. What am I in the mood for? A nice coming-of-age story? Something edgy, maybe? Nonfiction? It's like trying to decide what to eat when you're super hungry, and the menu is a large one. At the risk of sounding overdramatic and cheesy, it's truly "such sweet torment"!

I had to express that.

Anyway, after giving "Lisey's Story" (Stephen King) the old college try, I put that back in the stack and, in the mood for something frilly and effortless, picked up "The Other Boelyn Girl" (by ol' What's-Her-Name). Turns out, it fits the bill beautifully, at least so far. It caught me by page 2, the story is moving along at a brisk pace, and I can keep everybody apart. I'm happy as a clam!

In my pile:

Water for Elephants (S. Gruen)
Empress
The Little Friend (D. Tartt)
The Magic of Ordinary Days (A. Creel)
The Girls (L. Lansens)
The Dogs of Babel (C. Parkhurst)
Obsessed (T. Dekker)
Straight Man (R. Russo)
Clown Girl (M. Lawson)
Bad Behavior (M. Gaitskill)
Dear Zoe (P. Beard)
Innocents (C. Coote)
Helpless (B. Gowdy)
Fallen (D. Maine)
Drenched in Light (L. Wingate)
Saturday (I. McEwan)
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (S. Clarke)

Those are a few; I think I've got close to a hundred (I'll spare you the unabriged list!) though.

I've got a couple of books that have sentimental value: "The Baby Beebee Bird", a couple of the "Great Brain" series, a first edition "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", and the "Little House on the Prarie" set, all from when I was little.

I love old books, and the few that I have, I couldn't bear to part with: "The Spell of the Yukon", by Robert W. Service, dated around the turn of the centure, I think; four or five of the old "Cherry Ames" series, a couple of old "Partridge Family" paperback books, and a couple of first edition Pearl Buck books (although not "The Good Earth", naturally).

Most books, though, I love because of what's IN them; other than ones that are inscribed, they can usually be replaced (although if they go out of print, I'm in trouble...I just tried looking for books from "The Three Investigators" series [anybody remember those??], and I was S.O.L.).

Anyway, I'm new; nice to meet you!