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

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

FYI - Kanani has joined our family. I've braided her hair to keep it safe - Kasia adores her.

I finished The Weird Sisters on our long car ride yesterday - I did like how it ended up. If I could give it 3 1/2 stars I would - but can't round it up to 4.

The plural 1st person took a lot of getting used to - it certainly isn't my favorite type of narrative.

The way that the sisters totally based their perceptions of themselves around their role within the family felt very realistic - I have 1 sister, and to some extent that's what we did as well - smart one/popular one, Dad's favorite, Mom's favorite...and it is true that once back in the family home we revert to our old roles really quickly.

I enjoyed the characters and their flaws - and the prose with the Shakespeare quotes thrown in was great fun.

Last hurrah before school this weekend - getting the car packed for our road trip to Minneapolis for a weekend of friends and shopping! Coach outlet and Half Priced Books for me, American Girl store for Kasia, Hobby stores for Mike and Lego store for Gabe! Super fun!

Me too - tough calls! :)

They were such good kids in the wedding. I was very proud of them! We are Lutheran, and it was a traditional Catholic wedding, so it was a LOT to sit/stand through, but they were great - even when the other kids weren't. (there were 3 flower girls and 3 ring bearers.)

Tasha wrote: "@Karli, I'd love to hear what you think about the Irving book!"

I love John Irving - not sure I'll have the patience for him on Audio though...I can read so much faster than I can listen, and it's a 24 hour production.

Quick trip to the library today, and I found on the new releases shelf. Better finish the last in the series, right? Also picked up a few audio books I'm putting in the iPod...


and

I think we all have our people that we realize have similar tates - Amy was my first "book twin" and book stalking is a fabulous thing, I think!

I'm about halfway through The Weird Sisters - it's OK, but I'm not really connecting with anyone either. I'm trying to figure out WHAT Jonathan sees in Rose. Yuck, she's just irritating. I do love the way they all just sit and read though.

One of the preview pictures...

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Day of the wedding! Kids need to be at the church at noon, but I'm letting them be lumps until then. It's going to be a long day! I'm sort of being a lump myself. I've helped Kasia dress her dolls, picked up her room a bit (3 days with a friend over has wreacked havoc on her room) and I *think* Mike is going to hang my curtain rod so I can get my new kitchen curtain up. :) We're getting there!

Today: interview a cleaning service, finish kitchen curtains, pick up Gabe's tux for wedding, shop quickly for outfit for family pictures at 2:00...then wedding weekend with both children starring as ring bearer and flower girl.

Holy cow!

I started last night after finally finishing AK the night before. I like how The Weird Sisters has begun - the prose is fun, but the narration as a collective first-person from the sisters coupled with the third party observations of each of them is a bit odd.

LynnB wrote: "I just finished by Mark Dunn. This is a wonderful little fable about free speech and a government gone wrong on a small independent island nation -- and how the..."

That sounds fascinating! (adds to TBR)

Perhaps they are trying to combat the 2 star rating I gave it...not one of my faves, but congrats! I hope you enjoy it!

I will when it is all totally put together - art is being re-framed now, new bed for Kasia's room tomorrow, bedding should get here next week. I'm still waiting for my curtain from Bed Bath and Beyond for the kitchen as well, but very pleased with the colors.

I loved - it was laugh out loud funny, and the college campus it was set on had enough in common with my alma matter that I had the whole thing so perfectly visualized. Great book, that would be a great first Russo read - IMO.

Gaijinmama wrote: "Thank you Karli and Jen B. I just added Cutting for Stone to my TBR. It sounds fascinating."

Best book of 2010 for me - simply amazing. The worst part of it though was I was utterly worthless after page 400 - and it's around 800 pages if I remember correctly. I spent a whole afternoon and evening in my bed reading it. I couldn't put it down.

Elizabeth recommended it, and she's such an advocate of - and I think that's why I'm taking my time picking it up. I'm hoarding it. (I think you guys will understand...we bookish people are an odd bunch)

Jen B wrote: "I just finished . Wow, wow, wow! I am somewhere between floating on a cloud at reading possibly the best book I've ever read, and profoundly sad that I'm done w..."

Wasn't that amazing?!? I have found myself telling strangers at work about it.