Tobey’s Comments (group member since Nov 02, 2010)

Tobey’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

Liz M wrote: definitely read and a flowchart showing how to work in different combinations of a further 11 books.....

I'd really like to see this flow chart.

Also, I'm not sure whether to admire you all or be totally frightened. I'm leaning toward the "you all have too much time on your hands" way of thinking! LOL. I can't manage to plan a whole challenge at all!

Yeah I need a spot here too! I think my brain is addled! :-)

1892-1905: Dracula S-T-U 461-500/ 861-900
1905-1916:
1917-1928:
1929-1940:The Good Earth (A-B) 381-420/781-820
1941-1952: Animal Farm (N-O) 101-140/501-540
1953-1964:The Horse and His Boy (L-M) 181-220/581-620
1965-1976:
1977-1988:
1989-2000: Ceremony in Death (P-Q-R) 301-340/701-740
2001-2012: The Eyre Affair (E-F) 341-380/741-780

20.1 The Count of Monte Cristo
20.2 A Discovery of Witches
20.3
20.4 The Queen's Fool
20.5 Playing With Fire
20.6
20.7
20.8
20.9 A Madness of Angels
20.10

Is there an app for this?? LOL

Patiently (or not so patiently) waiting to see what this sub challenge is all about!! :-)

nsfancy wrote: "A Discovery of Witches England, France and the U.S.
The Night Circus England and the U.S.
The Lacuna Mexico and the U.S.

I particularly enjoyed the la..."

I have a Discovery of Witches on my shelf at home. Did you not like it?

Eat, Pray, Love takes place in 3 different countries. A lot of people have problems plodding through it, however.

Ooh for Dickens lifetime, Persuasion is a good choice but I was also thinking The Count of Monte Cristo. I could also suggest Vanity Fair.

I took a couple of Victorian & Edwardian lit classes back in the day and read Bleak House so I wish those of you reading it much luck. I didn't care for it. Vanity Fair was also on our list but our Prof decided we didn't need to read it. I read one line. It's a running joke between a friend and I. :-)

20.3 She/He Reads - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I feel violated. Fahrenheit 451 is a book most people either read in school or read because it’s a classic and it’s been on my TBR list for quite a while just for the classic reason. Let me reiterate: I feel violated. I can’t imagine anyone who loves books like I do (or in this group particularly) didn’t feel this to some degree. Why would anybody do this, this dumbing down of society? Was that Bradbury's whole motive, to point out what could happen to society as a whole? I wonder...

I can’t say I liked this book and I can’t say I disliked it, I’m ambivalent. I wondered for quite a while how people knew how to read if they weren’t allowed to but that question was finally answered and when the story took the climactic turn that it did, I can’t say I was thrilled with the road it took.

Violated.

+20 Task
+10 Review
+5 Oldies (published 1953)
+5 Combo (10.2 - a couple of members rated it 5 stars)

Task Total=40
Grand Total=310

20.4 We Read - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows

I’m going to give this about a 3 star rating. I can see why people absolutely loved it and I can see why some didn’t. For me, it was somewhere in the middle. Written in the epistolary style definitely gives the novel a different feel but I can see where you don’t always get a good read on some of the characters.

Some things had me laughing out loud and there were some really great quotes that had me stop and think for a moment but in the end, the novel was very predictable and light hearted to make for a quick read, which is sometimes just what you need.

+ 20 Task
+ 10 Review

Task Total=30
Grand Total=275

I'm editing this post to add +5 Combo points for Highly Rated which I missed. So I should have 280 Total Points, I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong!

20.10 Monsterfest III - The Devil's Alphabet by Daryl Gregory

I’m hesitant on my 3 star rating on this book. While the subject was fascinating in itself, admittedly I was totally grossed out by something in the first 50 pages and it was very difficult for me to get past it, it was a total “ewwwww” moment for me and I’ve read a lot of those moments in my time. Plus the main character I found to be very wishy washy and while I understand that was how he was supposed to be portrayed in the story, I just didn't feel it for him.

From an evolutionary stand point, it was fascinating and I wish the author would have focused more on that as that might have upped my enjoyment of it somewhat. And there were times that I couldn’t help comparing some parts of the storyline to Stephen King’s Under the Dome – not the storyline per se but some of the story elements. All in all for me, an okay read.

+20 Task
+5 Combo (20.5)

Task Total=25
Grand Total=235

20.7 - The War to End All Wars The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

I’ve read a lot of books in my life and really have never thought about what “gothic” literature is classified as. In fact, I looked it up and was sort of surprised at it’s meaning and how The House at Riverton is considered gothic and I guess I’ve read a lot of gothic then. I was very pleasantly surprised at this book, and how easily Morton had the reader slip back and forth through time as she untold her story. I also liked how when the main character of Grace came upon a startling revelation, it was just there, not focused on. I thought that added to the story a lot.

+20 Task
+10 Review
+15 Combo (10.2, 10.3, 20.10)

Task total=45
Grand Total=210

Liz M wrote: "Tobey wrote:
"Task Total=50
Grand Total=155 ..."

Ok, so in post 221 your total was 110 points. We gave you 5 overlooked combo points, and then in in post 275 you claimed 50 points:

110 + 5 + 50..."

Thanks Liz! Wasn't sure if I was being awarded those extra 5 points or not!

20.5 They Read - The Dead Town by Dean Koontz

This fifth and final book in Koontz’s Frankenstein series left me satisfied, for the most part. The biggest disappointment in this last book would be the somewhat anti-climactic ending. Koontz leads you to believe what’s going to happen and then when it does, it’s so sudden that I believe I said out loud “That’s it?” Having said that, don’t let that fool you. I enjoyed this series immensely and love how it put a different spin on the Frankenstein idea. The villains, although creepy, were villainous and the heroes were true heroes who embraced the spirit of hope in mankind!

+20 Task
+10 Review
Task Total=30

10.6 Fall Freebies - The Dark at the End by F. Paul Wilson

The Dark at the End is the last “true” Repairman Jack story and I cannot say enough good things about this series! I often tell people I am having an affair with someone named Jack and now it’s just a running joke. Wilson, or “The Man” as he is often referred as, weaves yet a great culminating tale to this magnificent saga of good and evil, light and dark though the light is somewhat darker in this novel. Many questions were answered and things revealed but I was left wanting more as I always am with Repairman Jack. Highly, highly recommend this series, even though you know there is an end in sight!

+10 Task
+10 Review
Task Total=20

Task Total=50
Grand Total=155

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote:

Is this book told from the viewpoint of more than one person? The description makes it sound as if you should get a combo for 20.5 Multiple Narrators.

Definitely more than one viewpoint so I'll take more points if someone wants to give them to me? :-)

For Sam's 20.10 task, it has to say "Undead" and not just "Dead", I'm thinking? (I wish I would have read that properly the first time around)

10.3 Meta-Reading - The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

I wanted to like this book, okay, I wanted to love this book, boy did I ever….but I just didn’t love it. I can say I liked it but that’s even pushing it I think.
I found my mind wandering a lot when I was reading this, I couldn’t stay focused and the farther into the book I got, the most I lost focus and got confused. I can’t say it was a bad plot, but it definitely left me confused and wanting something more. I don’t want to compare it to other time travel books, a genre that I happen to love and have read some really good books in, but it just didn’t mark up to others that I’ve read. And when it started too, it dropped off. Maybe it’s just me, I don’t know but you can decide for yourself. I invested a lot of time into it and didn’t really get that much back in return.

+10 Task
+5 Jumbo (604 pages)
+10 Lost in Translation (Nick Caistor, translator)
+10 Review

Task Total=35
Grand Total=110

If anybody needs a suggestion for 10.3, The Map of Time has over 500 pages and is translated so some good points to be had! I've heard it's good so we'll see.

Yeah no worries. Previous challenges haven't confused me as much as this one for some reason. It's all good though! I really enjoy this group, the people in it and the challenges they come up with!
:-) Kudos to you all!!

Excellent, thanks for your prompt answer, Elizabeth!

I'll admit to being somewhat, if not, totally confused by the different tasks and viewpoints, etc. I ask you this: Does The Map of Time work for 10.3?