Karli’s Comments (group member since Feb 23, 2010)

Karli’s comments from the Busy as a Bee Books group.

Loretta - Krystal and Suhkvinda (sp). I work with people who are in extreme poverty and dealing with mental health issues, so I found these characters in particular to be fascinating. I totally agree - this feels like Dickens to me too. Her grasp of people, the depth she went into their motivations and thoughts was amazing. The characters felt like people.

Had to look Tricia - Kings of the Earth is the one I slated. I also got it on the bargain table at B&N. that always helps!

I'll have to look - I haven't read it yet, I just went through my TBR and then looked at your list. :P I love your opinions - you always make me think! I can totally see how someone would find A Casual Vacancy a slog - it took me over 100 pages to get into it. I ultimately gave it 4 stars. I'm a Harry Potter freak, so I started with way more patience than I may have otherwise. I find myself still thinking about the story and some of the characters though, which doesn't happen too much for me - especially on a stand alone book rather than a series I've read and loved.

Tricia - I think you're awesome, but I know we're total book opposites. :) I chose a book you hated for a book to try on my Hive challenge. I think this is one of my favorite things about the Bees - seeing different perspectives on books, pushing me to read out of my norms and giving me insight to how others view books.

Jessica wrote: "So I've been very busy with work, my boys, and I started going back to school, and (insert shameless plug here) I am now a Scentsy consultant https://bookishmimi.scentsy.us- so needless to say I ha..."

Actually, The Snowman by Jo Nesbo was a bee book. :) You're not losing it after all!!!

@Amy - You're welcome, love TBT. I tried to read Stay Awake last summer, but I think I was so anxiety ridden and depressed living in my in-laws basement that it was not a good time for a dark story. I'll have to see what you think and decide whether I'll give it another shot.

I'm nearly done with The Drawing of the Three and plan to start The Hummingbird's Daughter next.

Max!!! :) He's fabulous. I really, really adore being Auntie Karli!

Tasha wrote: "I'll be interested to hear what you end up thinking about that one Karli. Sounds interesting."

Tasha, I think the book is good for people who love books. I'm staying with my 3.5 rating, here's my review, and it is lendable on Nook, so if you roll that way, I'm happy to pass it along.

One of my goals this year is to finally read Rebecca and I thought this book may help me with that goal. It is a total book for a book nerd - the story winds duMaurier's attempt to research and write The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte with the story of a young PhD candidate's attempt to write her dissertation on Daphne du Maurier. The narration goes from Daphne to Symington to Jane from chapter to chapter, with Daphne's story dominating. The writing is fairly good, the story interesting and the details rich. It's obvious the author has researched well and has a great imagination. The book's appeal is probably not terribly broad, but I enjoyed it - I gave it 3 stars, but it's probably closer to a 3.5.

President's Day was the best blizzard I've seen in years. Of course that was already a day off for me, so I didn't get an extra day off, but my kids and husband did. This meant that all the stuff I was GOING to get done on my day off didn't happen! But I did spend most of the day reading, so all was not lost.

One year ago today I drove to my sister's in eager anticipation of my nephew's birth. On Sunday our sweet baby will be 1!!! I can hardly believe how fast that went. He's taken a few steps, and is such a happy little boy. Adore him!

Kasia had a program at school today and it was wonderful watching her smile and giggle and look so happy and at peace in her classroom. She's finally really getting there. So happy for her. :)

I finished this one today, and had readTiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar first, so I was already in love with Strayed and her voice. I think because I was coming from a perspective of seeing the wisdom she has now, I went into the read much less skeptical and more excited to see the place where this incredibly wise and gifted column writer came from.

I read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail several years ago, and the notion that people DO this - decide "Hey, I'm going to go walk a thousand miles this summer" wasn't foreign to me. However, I find it unfathomable that it seems like a good idea. Ever.

Liz Vegas wrote: "I started last night. I've been putting off things I should be doing today, just to read a few more pages. :)"

I really liked that one, the sequel not quite so much. I saw they are doing a movie of this one too, but it sounds like it's been re-written rather extensively.

I will get it from the library as soon as possible.

Tasha wrote: "I'll be interested to hear what you end up thinking about that one Karli. Sounds interesting."

So far I'm thinking about 3 1/2 stars...I'm about 1/3 through. It's pretty good, mildly gothic and bounces between time periods.

I read The Bingo Palace which wasn't quite as good as I expected. It's been many years since I read Love Medicine but I really enjoyed that one. This fell flat for me. I didn't connect to any of the characters and found some of them downright off-putting.

I have started Daphne which I got for $2.99 for my nook, and as I've really got good intentions of getting through Rebecca this year, I thought this may motivate me. It's interesting so far, not great, but readable.

I just finished this as well, and while it was fine, I thought it was too long and twisty, not tied together very cohesively and I had the murderer figured out abut 200 pages in. So...I agree with Rita. It was fine, but I won't be seeking out another of his books.

I got a snow 2 hours. Adonica hogs all the really GOOD weather. :P

We have a new Bee. Stephanie approved my friend Adonica to join our ranks! I've known Adonica since high school and she and I are book twins. :). Adonica is a 4th grade teacher and mom of three, she'll fit in pretty well here.

But right now I could go for closed down for a couple days...but unless the wind REALLY picks up and we get more snow, I'm sure tomorrow is just going to be another Monday.

I'm in my library with my books and journals and a diet coke and a pen I LOVE> in other words, pretty much blissed out. :) Other than the kiddos arguing of course. It's always a little more dramatic when there is a friend over, not sure who is trying to impress who here, but Mommy isn't buying it.

Visibility is getting worse, wind is starting to pick up...

I find it ridiculous that I live in North Dakota and have had hardly any snow again this year. Evidently I need to move to New England if I want snow.