Jaime's comments (member since Feb 16, 2008)

Jaime's comments from the You'll love this one...!! A book club & more group.

John wrote: "Jaime wrote: "This is not going to be popular, but I could not finish Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time. I tired like heck. What Morten..."

Ah, relief that someone agrees with me! I was going to mention the break-up with the girlfriend as being irrelevant. And the pacing! Perfectly stated, John.

This is not going to be popular, but I could not finish Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time. I tired like heck. What Mortenson did is beyond amzing and wonderful. I have high admiration for him. I just found the book slow going and found my mind wandering. It made me feel so bad, but I would read a page and realize that as I was reading I was thinking about something completely different. I think I'd really enjoy hearing him speak about his mission and experiences. Someone else recommended I try reading the young- adult version of the book as it's pared back a bit.

The way I look at it is that there are so many books out there and so many I still have to read. I read for pleasure. I read to enjoy myself and I am often doing things throughout the day that I don't enjoy. Why take my relax and enjoy time and force myself to be bored. What's the point? I am not going to waste that precious time forcing myself to read something I am not finding interesting to read. If I wanted to do that, I'd take another college course. LOL

I just started Those Who Save Us for a book group at my local library.

Ally wrote: "I've just bought Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is the prequel to
I haven't started it yet but I've heard it's exc..."

Ally,

I read Wicked . While I enjoyed it, it wasn't what I expected. I remember really wishing that I had read it with a book group as it would have made for very interesting discussion. There are a lot of concepts and themes. It's deeper than I thought it would be. The theme of good/evil was very prevalent. I read it quite a while ago, but I do remember enjoying it for reasons other than I expected.

Charmian wrote: "Cecily wrote: "Ally wrote: "I think that if Susan Hill had added a second narrative told from the perspective of 'the woman in black' maybe from when she was alive so you got a look 'behind' the ch..."

I think that thread is a good idea, Charmian! Although I haven't read a lot of prequels, I think I'd find some books to add to my "to read list" from a thread like that.

John wrote: "Just started "Purple Hibiscus", Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's first novel. read here second novel "Half a Yellow Sun" back in 2007 and loved it so I hope this book is as good."


John,

I recently got both these book through a bookswap site. I haven't read either yet. I know that they don't have anything to do with each other, but I'm curious as to which one you think I should start with. If you would be so kind as to let me know once you get done with Purple Hibiscus, I would be very appreciative!

Sam wrote: "Donna wrote: "In 1605, someone called Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Paliament with a load of gunpowder. It was known as the Gunpowder Plot and we now celebrate on November 5th every ye..."

Sounds like fun. Reminds me of the 4th of July (Independence Day) for us- fireworks, burgers, hot dogs and all!

Molly wrote: "What the heck is Bonfire Night? Or is that a question for the All Things Blighty thread?"

I was wondering about that, too!

Cecily wrote: "Elena wrote: "I liked the illustrations."

Illustrations? Neither of my copies have those. What are they like (I'd guess black pen and ink)?"

The illustrations in my copy were ink/black pen. Maybe it's the US version?

I read this book a few months ago, and, I have to say, I really enjoyed it. "Creepy" would be the word I would use to describe it. I wish I had a copy sitting in front of me so that I could skim it and answer more of Cecily's questions. I do remember thinking about the time period. Like Jenny, I originally thought of Victorian times, but I do remember thinking that it couldn't be right because of some detail(s) in the book. I think because it's so isolated where it takes place that time almost stood still there and that makes it all the more creepy. I am hoping to find another copy of the book (I borrowed it from my mother who got it through a school library system) so that I can add more to this discussion. It was a fairly hard book for me to find.

On a side note: Has anyone read The Little Stranger? Sarah Waters had The Woman in Black listed as one of her favorites in something I read discussing her book and that is how I found out about it. Another group I am in just finished The Little Stranger for our September read. I didn't get a chance to read it, but it may make a neat follow-up. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and thought it was pretty scary. It seems that there may be some similarities in tone.

I just started Bridge of Sighs for another boook group. I'm a big Richard Russo fan, so I'm really looking forward to it!

Shannon wrote: "I have just started The Tent Peg for my real life book club and it seems pretty interesting so far. I am enjoying how its laid out. Had to put Shanghai Girls down so that I could ge..."

Ooooo...I've been having trouble lately getting into books. I've started several and put them down. I think I finally found a keeper with The Gargoyle. It's not for the light of heart, but, man, this guy can write! He really stirs my emotions. Wonderful! Have you started it yet, Shannon? I wasn't sure if you meant you just bought it or that you actually started it.

Heather wrote: "I finished the Gargoyle. I really enjoyed it! 4*, I would have given it 4 1/2 but no half stars ya know.

I just started in on Weaveworld by Clive Barker last night. One of my best friends swears..."

I just started The Gargoyle today. I have been having trouble getting into a book lately for one reason or another. I hope this one takes. Good to hear you enjoyed it, Heather.

Lauren wrote: "Bethany, TTT is Setterfield's only novel as yet, but apparently another is in the pipeline. I suppose it has a lot to live up to!"

Lauren,
Do you know when it is due to be released?

I have been very busy the last couple of days and, sadly, have not gotten any reading time in. I'm hoping to start Shadow of the Wind tonight.

***THERE IS A SENTENCE IN HERE THAT SOMEONE WHO HASN"T READ OR FINISHED THE BOOK MAY NOT WANT TO SEE. NOT EXACTLY A SPOILER, BUT SUGGESTIVE OF AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION IN THE BOOK.****

I just finished this book about an hour ago. I really enjoyed it, but, I have to say, I don't think I was as impressed with the actual plot as I'd hoped to be. It did have a lot to live up to, though. Many people, from multiple book groups, that I communicate with regularly on Goodreads who have read the book have been raving about it and urging me to read it for quite some time. It's not that the plot didn't draw me in, and, since I'm still digesting it, I'm not really sure that I can say for sure what I was (just a touch) disappointed in. Maybe that the answer to the "ghost" or the "girl in the mist" was an easier answer than I thought it would be?

That said, I think that Setterfield gives the reader some fantastic insights. There are ideas expressed in this book that will stay with me forever. For example, the chapter "Jane Eyre and the Furnace", gives me the chills just thinking about. And this quote is one of my favorites- "All morning I struggled with the sensation of stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another. Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes - characters even - caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you." (pp 289-90).

I can definitely see a movie being made out of the plot of this book. I think the insights that I loved so much will be lost in that medium, though.

I'm about to start another book that everyone's been raving about- The Shadow of the Wind.

Thanks Beth and Heather! Beth, I would have directed the question to you, too, if I had realized that you had also read The Thirteenth Tale! I looked at your bookshelf after I wrote the question. :)

Beth wrote: "Jaime wrote:

Hi Jaime,
I hear you! I had such high hopes for The Little Stranger after reading the description so I felt very disappointed by the end of the story. No, I have not..."

I really enjoyed Fingersmith, but I have recommended it to others who could not get into it. It's a mystery story that takes place in Victorian London. It has a Dickensian feel to it. The Night Watch is really interesting. It's actually told in a backward fashion (from current times to past times). I think it's neat to see relationships devolve. It provides insight that books written in regular forward fashion do not.

Beth wrote: "Just finished The Remains of the Day (pleasantly surprised!) and The Little Stranger (disappointed). I am now half-way through [book:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo|242..."

Oh, no! The Little Stranger was disappointing? Sarah Waters is one of my favorite authors and I've been looking forward to reading this one. Have you read anything else by her?

Thanks, everyone! I think I am going to go with Shadow of the Wind (for no better reason than just because I planned on it first) and then The Gargoyle.

Heather, Are there similarities between The Thirteenth Tale and Shadow of the Wind? Someone in another group mentioned them both in some sort of thread about "Books for Booklovers", but did not elaborate. I trust what you say, which is why I ask you!