Renee’s Comments (group member since Feb 03, 2014)

Renee’s comments from the The Reading Challenge Group group.

Good to hear about the Smollett, Rosemarie. I’ve always been afraid that the humor would’ve too broad for my taste. I’ll put him back on my list.

I was considering that series, Cece. I’m glad to hear you liked it.

I read the outstanding novel A Memory Called Empire in July. This month I get to read the next one called A Desolation Called Peace which has gotten stellar reviews as well. :)

So pretty!! 👏🏼

Next up for me is Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells. It’s the next book in the Murderbot Diaries which I can’t recommend highly enough. They are a blast! Funny and quirky with tight writing and an interesting premise. The first four are novella length and I’ve gone through each like a plate of Doritos... twice. Network Effect was a full length novel but it still read itself, then read itself again in preparation for Fugitive Telemetry. So excited to jump back into that world!

Just read some of your reviews of the series... They look like so much fun! I’ve loved reading mythology and legends since I was a child. Thanks for calling these to my attention. :)

Eileen-
The Rick Riordan Presents sounds interesting. I’ve read almost all of his Greco-Roman/Lightning Thief mythology series (still finishing the Apollo books). He really takes the adventure formula and makes the most of it. I’ve found his books extremely entertaining and fun to read.

The books you’re reading sound like those curated by this seasoned author.... who, BTW, has an active GR account for his own reading and reviewing.

I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying them. I’m going to take a peek now that you’ve peaked my interest.

Such perfect timing for me! I’ve been sampling my way through the lists for Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award winners for several weeks. Which is how I think I usually do this genre... feast or famine. For some reason I’ll gorge for awhile and then barely touch it until I need my next fix of robots and speculation.

I have started the Earthsea series, which is immeasurably awesome. The writing is mesmerizing. I can’t believe I’ve had these books Forever and only started them this week. Classics for good reason!

I started the month trying to get in Daughter if Shadow and Bone but I guess I wasn’t in the right mood. So I switched to rereading a series known as the Dresden Files. Urban Fantasy meets The Maltese Falcon meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I really love this series, so April turned out to be a good reading month for me.

Yeah, me, too! I think the whole series is that way.

I’ve been working my way through Agatha Christie and am obsessed with the novels that feature Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver.

And I started with some cozies by Simon Brett, which I’ve found nicely diverting. The protagonists are similar in age to myself and their growing friendship is part of what has brought me back. So far I’ve read...

The Body on the Beach
Death on the Downs
The Torso in the Town

I’ll try for April, too! Three Musketeers is a hoot!

Lol! I am definitely going to have to get to a desktop so I can see Roseanne’s spoilers!!

Ch 21
Lol. I’m just remembering how horrified I was as a kid - that Edmond had lost 14 years and was now 33... which seemed ancient. I wasn’t surprised that he went unrecognized once things get underway.

Ch 19.

I got a little distracted but am back to reading. I was surprised by how emotional I found the death of Abbe Faria.

I just finished Ch. 1 and am having that experience of reacquainting myself with old friends and enemies. This is the fourth time I’ve read TCOMC, the first time at about 13 years. I remember being absolutely swept away by by this intricate, very adult adventure of intrigue and deceit! It was not until decades later when I discovered that the school-sanctioned version was somewhat abridged and somewhat censored , so that the bits which seemed confusing, incomplete, or odd were not so merely because of my lack of historical reference or misunderstanding. :)

Right now, I am looking forward to revisiting, with the perspective of mid-life, the many examples of sons and fathers or father-figures with which Dumas peoples his novel.

Lol. I just decided to splurge on the Bill Homewood version as well. I hope the total is as good as the sample promises. :)

Just a suggestion for those seeking a copy of Monte Christo... I get a lot of books through my local library website. In addition to the physical copies you can get from the brick & mortar building, you may have access to online materials, like ebooks and audiobooks. You do have to check to see if they are abridged or unabridged but it might be worth looking into.

Lol! With as many times as I have set up polls, etc, I’ve never really thought about the PST affecting the Yearly Goals. I was looking all over to find it, too!