Becca's comments (member since Jan 05, 2009)

Becca's comments from the Gather Yourselves Together group.

I will see what I can do to get the book.

PS to all you Utahns, I never understood how much I hated the Utah County libraries until I lived somewhere else. Now I am back I realize how poor of a library system they have and it is so frustrating.

@ Meg~ lol! Love the Texan'

Someone just needs to say... we are reading this book next month. So someone, anyone just say what we are reading next month and the rest of us will just join in.

I think if Walker or Meg is interested, they should be the Group leader. You 2 seem to be the most active.

I will talk to Tiff about putting you guys on as administrators

@ Walker- I have yelled at Tiffany, Chelsea, and Merdith at least once a week to get on it and finish the book.... they obviously don't listen to me.

So I finished the book at 10:15 last night, so I finished it up before the month was over! Ya me!

Okay I give the book 2.5 stars.

The whole time reading the book I kept thinking to myself that it seemed like 3 novels combined into one. The "American Gods" part. Then the Shadow in a small town with a murder mystery going on, and then the dreaded "Somewhere in America" and "Coming to America" parts.

I fell like "American Gods" part could have received 3 stars. I don't know why they kept sending Shadow away, but if he would have stayed with Wednesday and we got to learn more about all the Gods it could have been more interesting. I think a more suitable title would be "American Devils". The Gods in this book are evil. They cuss, drink, and are obsessed with sex. That seems more like Devil activity then God activity. I understand they are considered Gods because they are worshiped, but I think of God as Good, so that bugged me through out the book.

Shadow/murder mystery could have been a 4 star book. If the plot had really been developed. The ending to that part was interesting to me. It reminded me of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. Sacrificing one person to keep the town a good and safe place.

The Somewhere in America and coming to America stories, I would give a 1 star. They were annoying and had nothing to do with the outcome of the story. They made a long drawn out book even longer. Even the Author says he put them in there as a brake from reading the real story.

Having so many stories crammed into one made the plots undeveloped and the book long.

I am a little over half way, and I admit I am having a hard time keeping with it. I am glad to hear it improves, that will keep me motivated to finish. I am relieved that I know I don't need to read the "Somewhere in America's" because they kind of disturb me.

Page wise, I don't know where I am at (that is the down fall to audio books)

So far I am right on base with Walkers comments. Shadow seems to have no reaction to this life changing news. There are other incidents that I have read, that I expected more of a reaction and received little to no reaction from Shadow. My 2 theories on it so far are 1. That is what prison has done to him (same as Walker said) or 2. He just has a personality that, rather then over react, he doesn't react. This might be what makes him perfect for Mr. Wednesday and what ever he has planned for Shadow.

"SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA."~ I really hope this has something to do with the book, other wise it is just weird.

@ Walker~ reading my comments may drive you crazy. I don't speak/write English. I prefer American :)

I don't know why it drives me so nuts the way this book is narrated, but it does. I guess because it is a detective book and yet memories aren't fact. It is hard or even impossible to figure out a mystery that you have little to no evidence. Just sketchy memories is all he has to go on. Every thing I read, I question how accurate it is, and it is driving me nuts.

Alrighty... so I have had a slight delay on my book reading. My husband was transferred at work, to a new state. We had 2 days to pack, 1 to drive. So I had to return the book to the library before I was finished with it. I should have a new one tonight, so I will hopefully be able to finish it before the end of the month.


Does anyone know what we are reading next month?

Just wanted you to know I am still reading it, and sill liking it, but I haven't finished it yet. I should have got it on Audio. I can read it more often that way.

Yea for Chels. I am glad you liked it. When you read book 2 you can comment on Mer's and my discussion about it :)

PS- Mer, what the **** you are moving? Where is you blog update? I want to know more.

I just finished chapter 1.

The thing that has caught my attention is how different the main character sees himself, compared to how the world views him. His friends and classmates could see his desire to be a detective, but he thought he hid it so well.

Colonel Chamber viewed him as a little squirt, that he had sniveling at his side on the boat. When Christopher describes himself, he talks about how confident he was. He says "I was positively excited about life aboard the ship, as well as the prospect of the future that lay before (him)"

I agree with Megan about Miss Hemmings. Why would you even want her? I guess it is like a states symbol. She only approves the best, so if she is on your arm, you are the best. ~ How would it be to have such power over people?

I have requested the book at my library, and I am #1 on the list, My guess is it will be another day or two before I get it.

Meredith wrote: "SPOILER ALERT!!!! IF YOU HAVEN'T READ CATCHING FIRE, DO NOT READ THIS POST!

Well, I have about 10 pages left of the book, but I totally want to address something here that I can't in the Hunger G..."

I COMPLETELY agree. I think that same thought every time I read someones comment about how she should rebel against the capitol. She is 16. I think when I was 16 I couldn't have organized a book club let alone organize a rebellion.

I think we come to expect the impossible from characters in our books. Not just this one, but all books. When you think about it, most book's, hero's in the end, do the impossible. Because of this, we have come to expect, want and crave it, in all the books we read.

She is obviously not the smartest cookie. She wanted to fight her way out with 1 syringe full of air. LOL! I love when Hamitch says "That is why we don't let you make the plans" She would probably end up dead very fast if she was the one to lead the rebellion.

I don't think she was stringing either guy along. With Gale, they had a friendship. They had never flirted, or kissed or anything. With Peeta, she assumed he was faking the Love also. She didn't know he wasn't acting.

There is a lot of complaints about the abrupt ending (I think I was one of them) but some of the most beloved books of all times have endings like that. Think of "The Lord of the Rings". Even Tiff's beloved, "The Name of the Wind" (which I also love) has kind of an abrupt ending.


When We Were Orphans for October sounds good to me. I will get request it at the library right now.

What is next months book?

Pres Snow does creep me out. The thought of smelling blood on someones breath. Yuck that is disgusting.

I am a little worried for Peeta. I think he will be okay in the end, but I am sure he will be tortured and that makes me sad :(. It will be interesting to see who Katniss ends up with, to be honest I could see it go either way still. I hope it is Petta, I think Gale could still find happiness with Katniss.

Since you work at the library, do you get dibs on books, or do you have to wait at the end of the waiting list?

I am kind of indifferent about the cliff hanger ending.

I think it would have been a more suspenseful cliffhanger if we didn't know that her Mom and Sis got out alive.

From the moment they said dist. 13 had been destroyed in book 1, I assumed it was a lie, so that wasn't a shock at all.

It did however reassure me that there is more to Haymitch then meets the eye. I really think he pretends to be a drunk, more then he is a drunk. Not to say he doesn't drink a lot, but I don't think he is wasted all the time either.

Side note that doesn't really matter-
I was reading this at the same time as I am rereading New Moon, and I couldn't help but notice that Katniss, much like Bella, is a whinny, irrational girl at times.

So what is the book for next month?

PS - having read the second book, it did help me like book 1 better. I look forward to reading book 3.I think as a whole I will like the series better then each one individually.

I really like Rue- especially when they reveal her talent. She seems to be such a sweet girl. I love that she helps Katniss out even though she obviously didn't have to. In fact, had she not teamed up with Katniss she may have lasted longer in the games, she had the knowledge to eat, she had the talent to get away, and she knew so much about the land since it seemed to be a lot like dist. 11.

*SPOILER ALERT- DON'T READ UNTIL YOU FINISH THE BOOK*
My only problem with her character in the book, is that Katniss has very little time with her in the book, but seems so upset over the loss of her. I really wish they would have developed her character just a little more. Maybe gave her and Katniss a few more days (and schemes) together before they had her die.