Zaz’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2014)

Zaz’s comments from the 2015 Reading Challenge [Closed] group.

Since my last update, I'd few time to read (social life and all of this!), but I'm doing well with the challenge.
The Road, my 2nd Pulitzer book was a re-read and was a little below what I remembered. The atmosphere and the relationship between the father and the boy were still great, but the writing on the 1st 25% was sometimes unpleasant and obscure.
Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl (true story) was interesting but not really what I expected, because I think she was really privileged (even if she had a harsh life) and I was looking for something more relevant about slavery. However, she told some facts about how the "normal" slaves were treated and it was dreadful :(

My side-reads were gorgeous, I'm really looking forward (a lot) to the sequels!
Soulless had a nice story, I really liked the strong headed characters and the victorian atmosphere (even the werewolves were great and I usually only like vampires :p).
Les Fiancés de l'Hiver is a french book (not translated sadly) and one of the best fantasy story I read since years. Unusual world, really imperfect characters (a clumsy and not beautiful young woman, an awkward and antisocial man...) and unusual magics. The writing is really good, the story is not an happy one but the heroine is a strong girl, so it was hard to put it away. The sequel is due only for november, they are killing me >_<

Welcome Lisa and Hazel :)

Hazel, I think most of us are reading 52 books for the challenge but, of course, if you don't find enough time to read a lot, it's ok to check several weeks with one book.

Hi, there is already a thread for this book on this week ;)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Please copy/paste your comment there and continue the discussion with the others :)

I'm reading Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (true story). She had strong problems with a master who wanted to fully own her, but without totally forcing her, so he used mostly threats. I think there were more disgusting people out there, but it's a harsh topic and I'm not sure mankind fully evolved from this, which is frightening!

This looks interesting :)
I'm currently reading a story happening in the south, from a black slave woman point of view, it would be complementary to read something from a white man point of view.

We are halfway done with Week 19! Tell us how was your true story.

This discussion thread is solely for your progress. (Book discussions go in individual threads.)


What did you read this week?

What was the subject of the book?

Did you enjoy the book?

Tell us something true about this story.

No, I finished Soulless this month so I've to read the other books before trying her other series.

I enjoyed Soulless too, it's not amazing but the characters are great and the overall story is nice :)

I think you can read the synopsis, it's ok because you chose the book before reading it :)

Sophie, it's the Bragelonne edition? :)

I started reading classics (outside school) when I was more than 25 years old and the only ones I really enjoy are the classic children books ;)

You can change the books in your plan if you don't find them interesting anymore, maybe it will decrease a little the stress (it's definitively one of my main reasons to read in order, I'm sure there are appealing books following the ones not in my comfort zone).

Luckily, the writing is better after a while. I really enjoyed (again) the atmosphere and the relationship between the 2 heroes :)
It was strange, because I had in mind some scenes from the movie (I suppose) and was surprised when the things didn't happen as I expected.

What did you read this week?
The Snow Child (fairytale background) and The Road (this one is a post-apocalyptic re-read)

Did you enjoy the book?
Yes, great atmosphere for both of them, one was covered with snow, the other with ashes :D
However, the writing in The Road is awkward so it's not the more pleasant thing in the book.

Do you think the book deserved an award?
Yes (but The Road deserved to be edited before the publication. I don't know how they missed this).

Are your interested in reading another Pulitzer winner?
Not particularly a Pullitzer, but I like reading award winners :)

Oh nice, I hope you'll like it Ariane :)
HW is definitively not hard sci-fi, so I think you'll be ok (I'm not in sci-fi either).

Michael > I think you're doing well for short stories, it's not something easy to write and if they are entertaining at the end, it's enough for me :)

There is an ebook for this, you can find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbir... ;)

We are halfway done with Week 18 and you read a book winner of a Pulitzer price.

This discussion thread is solely for your progress (book discussions go in individual threads).


What did you read this week?

Did you enjoy the book?

Do you think the book deserved an award?

Are your interested in reading another Pulitzer winner?

Hi, there is already a thread for this book on this week ;)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Please copy/paste your comment there and continue the discussion :)

Does someone want to create the 1st suggestion topic for the 1st poll?

Required settings:
- A short presentation of the 2016 RC (52 weeks decided by members, 1 short book per month to allow catch-up)
- A short explanation on how we'll do the selection (20 suggestions > poll > 4 votes/member > the 4 winner weeks will be in the 2016 RC - can be changed if needed)
- 1 week suggestion/member
- Closed at 20 different suggestions
- If we have the 20 suggestions, the 1st poll is scheduled for Week 20.

Maybe I forgot things, so feel free to complete ;)

I'm a dystopian/ post-apocalyptic books addict, so it was really easy to know I could enjoy Black Feathers, just looking at the cover. The title doesn't give clues about the post-apocalyptique setting, but the cover definitively has some good ones! (lucky me, the blurb is appealing)


Summary:
It is the Black Dawn, a time of environmental apocalypse, the earth wracked and dying.
It is the Bright Day, a time long generations hence, when a peace has descended across the world.
In each era, a child shall be chosen. Their task is to find a dark messiah known only as the Crowman. But is he our saviour – or the final incarnation of evil?

I chose Steve Jobs for this week because I think he had an interesting life.
There are some actors or authors I'm interested in too, because I thing they are people who also think/thought out of the box (like MJ Fox, Terry Pratchett or Joss Whedon), so they'll be added to my list if I enjoy this one.