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

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

I've no problem with big books when I know the author, if it's part of a series or if it's in my native language.

In english and by a new author, it can be a nightmare (I usually need something like 10hours or more for a 300p book but need less than 5 hours in french). So well, in this case, over 500 pages, it's in french and I'll never do again as for Game of Thrones books (I didn't enjoy the 2nd, it's 900p long and I read it in english...).

There are some interesting books in your list. I like seeing Mathilda and Peter Pan :)
I read The Count of Monte Cristo when I was a teen and I enjoyed it. I've to re-read it to see how it is as a grown-up.

We'll read the same book for the play. I never read this author, so the challenge is a good way to start.

Ella > I usually don't read romance but the classic one was short and I was curious about a modern one. I had free time, so it seems a good idea :)

Stephanie > I'd problem with the depressed characters and the thriller was average. However I enjoy the writing and it was a page turner, so there was some good things. Overall, when I like a book, it's 4 or 5 stars, except if there are big faults ;)

I liked it a lot. Not really my type of book, but it was a page turner :)

Hu, I didn't even start to lure you in this one. You're doing it all by yourself.
One of the 2 heroes is sort of a Care Bear. For the other, there's something related to the elves but as he's really mysterious (and a little dark), we don't know what. There are other characters too, one is a lot like Wall-e, it's funny to see him discovering the world. Oh, and there's an awesome wizard who can give you an headache when he speaks (I don't know if there are books for him, but I need one). Riyria is stuffed with lots of colorful people, all interesting and for the moment I'm more curious about what they'll say or what will happen to them than the overall story (nicely written but lacking creativity). When one of them goes out, I'm all about "Hey come back, you have to tell me more about you" :D
Ok, now, I've to continue my reading...

Have a look at this topic:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I close this one ;)

Hey Megan, can you use "Title by Author" for your topic titles, please? Less work for the mods ;)

The book seems to have an interesting topic, it's never easy to speak about traumatic events. I suppose it's a very different reading when you already lived one and when you didn't.
Tell us how the movie is!

I'm a bit disappointed by the ending, really average for a thriller. Anyway, I enjoyed spending time with all the sheep, they were nice and funny.
There are many topics about the animal welfare addressed in the book (circus, contests, food chain) and I appreciated it.

I'll start it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to discover what will happen after the sample I already read in january :)

What did you read this week?
Three Bags Full

What kinds of nonhuman characters are in the book?
Many sheep :D

Did you enjoy the book? (feel free to link to your review)
The thriller was good enough but I'm disappointed by the end. However, I liked the sheep points of view and the fact animal welfare is addressed in the book. Some parts were funny, others a bit slow. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Would you recommend this title?
Yes to people interested in sheep and people who like spending some time in an animal head. However, I won't recommend it for the thriller part.

Busy week but I succeeded to finish in time. My nonhuman book was interesting, full of sheep and I enjoyed how the story was told. It wasn't a great thriller and I was disappointed by the end, but some topics about the animal welfare were addressed there and I liked it.

I waited for the funny book since the beginning of the year as I already read the sample! I'll have a lot of free time for a week, so I'll use it to finish some of my side-reads and start books not in the challenge :)

Yes, please!
Maybe you're the only one who read this book :p

Ah, I thought this was The Black Stallion (you never know how they translate something), but I see it's not the same story. I liked a lot horses' stories when I was young and read many of them (like the My Friend Flicka series). I'll add Black Beauty to my "classics I need to read" list :)

I discovered the author with the nonhuman week and I'll try to read one of his books when I find time. The world seems interesting.
Drawings are a great addition to books, I enjoy a lot the sketches in the How to Train your Dragon series, even if they are not really good :)

Yes, many stories lack... justice, maybe. Bad events can happen but sometimes they seem a little pointless.
Hobb use difficulties to build her characters so it's alright but it's a reason why I won't re-read her stories (surprisingly her last cycle with the dragons was a lot more rewarding than her previous works, for the "good" and "bad" characters. Maybe she had complaint or she wanted to try something different).
Some authors are really worst than her (yes, I'm thinking at you Game of Thrones writer!) and it started to bother me a lot to see them bully their characters. Real life is though enough, I don't need torture all over my readings.

In Riyria, bad events affect the story and the heroes, but for the moment they don't hurt them. Maybe some fear could be interesting but I'm very pleased with my "don't worry guy, someone will rescue you in the next sentences". In a way, there's a touch of fairytale with charming princes and princesses in high towers.
There are some oppressed elves too (someone has to give them stuff, so they'll be free :p). Ethnic group tolerance is there, as in Hollow World and I really like again how the subject is addressed :)
I think I'll like the 1st book less than the sequels, as ever. All the 1st explanations to help you understand the world are usually a little boring for me in books, I prefer when authors deepen the action and the characters. It was a great thing in HW : jumping quickly in important events and discovering deeply the heroes, without having to read 300 pages :)

(I need a blog, I write too much here)

It's nice when an author knows really where he goes and plays with the readers :)

I liked a lot some stories in this book too and some were scary! I can't tell which of them because my book is translated, but since I think some toys are creepy and I've few problems with my computer :D

Haha, don't tell him many trilogies are a problem, he's doing the same with Riyria: 6 books for Revelations, 3 for Chronicles and 5 for The 1st Empire! As there are editions with 2 books in one, you need a map to travel in Riyria :D
Anyway, I like a lot the idea behind The 1st Empire which happens in the past. I dream Robin Hobb will release something like this, there are too many questions in her books.

Good, I didn't miss Captain America references as there are no one. Silly friends!

Michael: I like how you talk about your characters as if they're real persons. I hope Pax will enlight Ellis a lot and maybe Ellis will learn him some things too.

I recommend Hobb too because her world is really interesting, but she's not as rewarding as you, regarding the protagonists' stories. I think reading some though authors influenced a lot how we read Hollow World and were totally worried about how you'll develop the story.

So, yes, your books are tiny sunshines and I can just care about the characters without asking myself when you'll throw them by the window. Thanks for the "made my day", I smile a lot since I read it ;)

Welcome to the group :)

Ah, thanks, I didn't know this song.
I'd no problem with the geeky references too and, of course, the Oz ones (for once, it's not about the red shoes which are silver anyway). It seems I missed the Cap' America ref and I don't know how I did that.
Hollow World, the book full of easter eggs :p

I'm happy to share books for once, usually I borrow books but don't lend mine. I'm a little shy about this and find difficult to recommend a book I like a lot when someone can dislike it.