Colleen ’s Comments (group member since Nov 01, 2020)

Colleen ’s comments from the Talk @ Books! group.

I just finished My Cousin Rachel - hello!

I am trying to give the young man more benefit of the doubt, but really. We all know some 25 year-olds can be very impulsive and naïve, but still. I was so nervous while reading this, but so well-done and readable that I never had to take too long of a break. I must see the movie - just watched the Rebecca newest remake, gorgeous visual, and added to the book (not better, just an additional layer).

Parker wrote: "I've been reading a lot of current events non-fiction. Biographies of Nancy Pelosi, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Maxine Waters, and Elizabeth Warren (I have bios of John Lewis and Ilhan Omar next on m..."

I love to mix up my genres when I feel I've had enough! Keeps the books straight in my head also which is nice - I don't want everything to just blend together.

Janice wrote: "Somehow, I haven't made it back to the group in a couple of weeks. I realized that I haven't been enjoying my books since Covid hit. The last 5 star read I had was back in May. So I pretty much dum..."

Same Janice - I hit an audio slump after finally finishing Under the Dome. I needed a minute of recovery, but happy to say I started listening to my new one Wintering while catching some steps in the dark outside.

Can't wait for you to start Mexican Gothic so you can tell me how it is!

Melodie wrote: "I finished Serena by Ron Rash. What an utterly despicable character! Not my favorite by this author. I usually get behind strong flawed female characters but this one was beyond the pale!
As far as..."

I really liked The Cove - is there another one you can recommend?

Can you tell me about yours? What has worked/what hasn't? How long have you been meeting? Have you invited new members to join? What are some books that have made for a good discussion? Any feedback on your experience is most welcome!

I am in THREE (2 through the local libraries and 1 through Next Door). I enjoy them so much for combining my love of reading with a social activity. We are still meeting via Zoom and I am glad we are continuing to do so - so important during these times.

I've also joined in on a "silent" book club read on GR where we all get together to read for an hour and tell each other about our books.

Stefanie wrote: "Really trying to finish up a few I have already started ( We Were the Lucky Ones and Sand Castle Bay ) and without planning to I just got talked into borrowing [book..."

My RL book club is reading Daisy Jones in January. I'm excited to read it!

@Sandra - can you tell me about the format? And I've heard that before - it almost reads like non-fiction.

Sandra wrote: "I started Rebecca. Not too long ago I read and completely loved My Cousin Rachel so my expectations are high. So far so good."

I read Rebecca before but just watched the newest movie remake - beautifully done. I just started My Cousin Rachel - it's premise is familiar, I'm going to be on edge. I hope Du Maurier keeps the surprises coming.

A Reliable Wife was awful!

Crumb wrote: "Hi there! I'm Crumb and I'm happy to be a part of this group. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and seeing what books you all are reading. My profile picture is my cat, Tubby. She is ..."


Hi Crumb! Cute kitty with a cute name. :)

Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Starting Masticar una rosa ("chewing on a rose"), by Angela Hernandez for my f2f next weekend. Short stories, thank goodness it's short! Only 1/2 story so far...thematically, possibilities. But the..."

LAtNGRD - I find I can only do short stories 1 at a time in a book. I'll read one then go to my novel and back to a story until I finish the whole thing - and really will only do it for a f2f book club group. Do you read a short story collection straight through like a novel?

Angela M wrote: "I read Black Futures. An amazing collection of multiple narrative forms - photos , essays , paintings, conversations, essays and more. 5 stars for ..."

Very timely Angela! I see it got a high 4.47 rating on GR.

Do you read a print and listen to an audio at the same time?

Finally finished Under the Dome. Whew! I'll now start listening to Wintering which is a #2 - I'm assuming this does not need to be read in order - but still, I hate that since I haven't read #1 (or any books by this author before), probably part of my OCD about books. :)

It's for my local library's f2f book club pick in December (virtual remote meetings for who knows how long....).

Karen wrote: "Furiously Happy is an important book and kudos to her for putting herself out there in both book and blog form to bring mental illness to the forefront. I'm glad I read it but it was just entirely ..."

LOL - I'm glad you can see both sides of it Karen, and agree, the more we acknowledge mental illness and learn about it, the more better off we all an be. It can be a part of being human after all.

Loretta wrote: "I don’t pick my reading material based on the gender of the author. Man, woman, I read them all. 😊"

The authors all speak to me as well. I would have to say certain characters resonate more than others, I lean towards female, probably just because I am and identify more with the shes of the world - not to say there aren't plenty of males who I've loved and adored in my books too. Plenty to admire (and abhor as well) in those pages of course! Keeps us reading that's for sure. :)

Saul - all I want to do now is play a few games of chess! And go to Moscow. :)

Very pretty series done on Netflix. Brilliant actors, all of them, and the settings were gorgeous too.

Karen wrote: "My spooky October read (actually listen) was Dracula which, somehow, I have never read. I really enjoyed the audio read by Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katy Kellgren and Susan Duerden. I d..."

Karen - I'm depressed now that I missed this in October. Maybe next year (or earlier) along with Frankenstein....but super pumped the audio was good as that is how I would like to try it.

Does your library support audio books? That's how I do it - they don't have everything, but they have a lot. Otherwise, maybe Santa can keep you supplied for next year?

Just finished The Rent Collector, which was a nice story. Not overly impressed with the writing, but liked the importance placed on reading/novels/literature, and some parts were a little deep to ponder. My RL book club is meeting on this Thursday, so of course I'll probably like and appreciate the book more. That's just the way it goes for me in book discussions.

Next up to read is The Burgess Boys. I've sped up the audio to 1.25 on UtD....so many weeks it's taking! But it is like 4 books in one as far as the length goes. Next audio will be Wintering. I hope to get to start it soon! Book club coming up on this one too!

Karen wrote: "Just finished Jenny Lawson's Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things and Rachel Field's Newbery winner Hitty, Her First Hundred Years among others.

About t..."

Furiously Happy, etc. were pretty big when they came out. I wonder what she's been working on lately. I listened on audio - probably would've found it funnier had I read it in my "own" voice.

I've heard many good things about Dracula - and didn't know it was epistolary style - I bet that just adds more to the tale and how it's told. Definitely on my list for next autumn (or earlier!), as is Frankenstein, these classics are just calling to me to read.

Janice wrote: "I finished Serena and was underwhelmed. It's a sad commentary to say that there are people like that out in the world."

I felt sorry for all the trees as well! The environment is not ours to destroy. Serena was a somewhat despicable character.

Britany wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Hi Britany! How far north are you willing to go?."

Thinking Chicago!"

I was supposed to go there last weekend for a 50th birthday celebration and had to cancel due to the COVID restrictions. So bummed - love Michigan Avenue, the deep dish pizza, the mid-west vibrant city life and all the culture. Good luck wherever you may end up and keep me posted. :)

Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Hi Colleen! Thanks for the invite! Hope you're hanging on...a good friend from grad school lives in Afton, and texted me last night--awful...
I have read most of King's works, since I was a teenage..."

I had to Google the news about Afton - thanks for the heads-up on what is happening around me, I tend to avoid most news but do feel the need to know about the major events happening, but can't handle the day to day. My husband on the other hand loves to watch the 5:00, the 5:30 the 6:00, then 9:00 and of course 10:00 shows. I ask him, didn't we already see this? And sometimes we have to see it all over again the next night! Enough already for me.

Mexican Gothic is one I want to get to - thanks for your words! Makes me want to read even more - I'll see if I really have a thing for gothic or not - can't say I've read that much of it. UtD is taking forever, but I do like it well enough, doing the audio so I can just pick it up whenever and let it flow...and meaning to try the Dark Tower books as well.