AvidReaderAmy’s Comments (group member since Jan 05, 2022)

AvidReaderAmy’s comments from the The Nerd Herd Book Club group.

Anyone reading the challenge book, too? It sounded promising. After you've gotten the chance to read a little bit of it, check in and let us know what you think of it. ;) I am getting started on this one, tonight.
(While I wait for the library to get in the Group Read book.)

I am still waiting for my copy from the library. However, I bet some of you have started reading already. (I'm a little jealous. ;) )
After you've had a chance to read a bit of the book, check in and tell us what you think. No spoilers, please.

Hello all!
The new books for February are now live for the group. Both look like great books to me, and I can't wait to read them and discuss them! That being said, if you are still reading either book from the previous month, you can always go and say what you think when you've finished. I will not be closing any discussion for books for any month going forward. So read at your own pace and enjoy!

Laurie, I put mine on hold from the library, too. I, too, want to hold a real book. (Or two.) ;)

Nick wrote: "So I couldn’t get into this book for a while, and just as I was thinking about returning it it gets interesting. What the what 😂😂😂😂😂"

Yeah.. the first half the book was a slow buildup. I was just sort of plodding along, waiting for the action to happen. And then.. Wham! I was reading because I wanted to see what happens, instead of waiting for it to happen. And then all the bizarre sorta made sense. 😆

Nick wrote: "purchased and excited to read! i also bought the challenge book as they both seemed interesting :D"

Yay! I'm so glad that you like the selections for February. :D

The book I chose to read for the February challenge is "Red Rising" by Pierce Brown. Here's why I chose this book: My reading challenge for February is Red on the cover or in the title of the book. This book is one of a few books that I have on my to-read list that meets this. I chose this book because I love the idea of the underdogs seeking justice. Mix that with a futuristic dystopia on Mars? Yes. I'm in. This book is the beginning of the Red Rising Saga (series). We will not be reading the full series, just book one. I hope you enjoy this book, if you choose to read along with me. Happy reading!

The book I chose for the February Group Read is "Then She Was Gone" by Lisa Jewell. For those of you who are on the app and cannot see the book's cover. This is why I chose the book: When I was looking for a group read book for February, I wanted to add a thriller (for all you thriller fans) and make it a book that perhaps a non-thriller reader could enjoy. "Then She Was Gone" is that book, I hope. The reviews are promising. This book appears to be a mystery, with a twisted romance and a nice dollop of psychological thriller. I hope you enjoy it!
(Some of you have already read this book. With so many active readers in the group, it was hard to choose a book that no one has read. If you have read it, please join the conversations. We'd love to hear your thoughts.)

Just letting everyone know...the new books for February will be announced on Jan 25th. If you can't wait, and you read ahead...no spoilers. ;)

Nick, enjoy it! ...and it's a KU freebie, so it's a win-win. ;)

Laurie, I know! It was a crazy book, but I had a great time reading it. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I didn't know what to expect, when I started it. But you can't really go wrong with Aliens, vampires, zombies AND dinosaurs. Right? lol

Hey all...

There is no rush if you have not finished reading "People we meet on Vacation" or the challenge book. Please do! (And don't forget to tell us what you think.) I am just thinking ahead and trying to plan for upcoming books.

I thought I would start announcing the books a little earlier to give you a better chance of getting the books in time to read them with the group. Also February is a shorter month, so... I thought I could announce the books on the 29th of January...?
Is that early enough? Or would a full week before the month starts be better?

PSST.... the group read will be a thriller this time.

Laurie wrote: "I’m 58% in and I’m riveted! At the end of the first chapter, all I could think was What the What??"

I really liked the second half the book better than the first half. I learned really quick not to be attached to any of the characters. The author sure isn't. lol

I just finished the challenge book and I can honestly say, "What the heck did I just read??" That was a wild ride. it wasn't terrible. It wasn't amazing. It was just wild. The book was almost as bizarre as the title. If anyone does end up reading it, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I will be scratching my head over this one for a little while. :)

Laurie wrote: "I loved the book! I was not sure I would when I started. Poppy and Alex have such an amazing and unlikely friendship that just works. I like that the writer doesn’t dwell on their past traumas too ..."
I loved that Poppy got to do what she loved, too. The back stories made me appreciate the characters, and I agree it wasn't over-the-top, but helped you to understand them.

Nick wrote: "I’m not one for romance and 10/10 would not have bought this book on my own - but I think I can say I quite enjoyed the book. The relationship between the two main characters is hilarious and I qui..."
I totally agree about the wanting to read more of the "This Summer" and I would get irritated, when it would bounce back.. especially towards the end of the book.... lol
I am glad you enjoyed the book. It's romance, but not sappy, insta-love romance, and that made all the difference for me, too.

Jenna wrote: "It’s separate from prime reading. It’s $9.99/month but I think there’s a 2 months free deal right now. I keep seeing ads for it on Instagram."
Yes! There is a deal going right now. And you get the chance to read 20 books at a time with KU.

Laurie do you have Kindle Unlimited? it's free, if you do. If not, maybe a used bookstore?

Ok.. so that book was way better than I thought. I knew it had several great reviews on Goodreads, but to read it myself and agree?? Yeah.. I wasn't expecting that. I'll read romance. I even sometimes really like the love that is formed in the books, but this book? Dang. I was drawn in from the beginning. I loved the back and forth between the past and the present. I was so dying to know what had happened in Croatia to have them split apart for 2 years! Only to be upset that it was so simple, yet wasn't. They loved each other for 12 friggin' years! And said next to nothing. Well nothing about what they really were feeling. And that really made me fall into the story. I don't think it was their romance that made this book so great. It was their friendship. Their connection as humans, not just love interests. ....but it made me think about a few things.

1) If they had gotten together right from the start, would they have understood each other enough to stay together? I mean was it their years of growing up, in a way together, that made them so ... umm together?
2) It seems their families knew they were for each other. I got that impression, from both sides, throughout the book. Makes me wonder if their families never talked about it. At all. ?
3) Umm.. big thing. Alex got a vasectomy. Say what? The guy who wanted kids got fixed. For Poppy. Did he do that for Poppy? Or did he do that so he wouldn't end up with someone else (Sarah?), while he waited for Poppy because of a baby scare? (The baby scare?)
4) Yes this is a romance book, but I enjoyed the almost romance of "what if" tremendously. Makes me think of a few "what ifs"...
5) And.. I could totally relate to Poppy's not wanting to go back to her hometown. And her need to re-invent herself to distance herself from her old self. I left my hometown when I was 20. I have yet to go back...and I'm soo not 20 anymore. lol. I could really understand her loneliness and being the odd one. All through that section, I was thinking, "Me too, Poppy, me too." And I married the quiet guy too. And we joined the Army. And we have traveled so many places. And I've had to reinvent myself several times now. And still I have no regrets about leaving my hometown and all those people behind. And I know my hometown is just going along and the people are doing their own thing...like Jason in the book. We all have grown up. We all have lives of our own. And that apology.. yeah... I felt that.

So, I am going to say that this book will receive a good review on Goodreads, but since some of you are my friends on the site, I won't be writing it up until after we have finished reading it and discussing it here. I don't want any spoilers to leak out, on the update feed, for those of you who haven't read it, yet. ;)
So what were your thoughts on this book? Tell us!

I just finished the book. It was such an easy read. I really enjoyed the interactions between Alex and Poppy. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked it enough to read it in nearly a day! I am going to start a thread with spoilers... so those of us that have read it can talk about it. If you haven't read it, do go there! lol. But..if you have, lets have a conversation about this book. I want to say so much.