You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Chit Chat About Books
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What are you reading and why? May 2013.
Thank you for starting this thread, Chrissie! I completely forgot.
I've just started reading Falling to Earth and what an opener - she perfectly captures the devastation and emotion of the tornado.
Chrissie wrote: "I could not find a thread for May, so I added one.......I have completed Washington: A Life and I do recommend it. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Moving on to Eventid..."
Another one added to my huge TBR list. Thanks, Chrissie. I have had his Plainsong on the list for a while. I have never read him, but it is great to know he can write and I look forward to reading his books when I get a chance.
Janice wrote: "Thank you for starting this thread, Chrissie! I completely forgot."No problem! Glad to help.
Cherie, let's see what I think when I get to the end.
Just finished No Angel
which is the first of a trilogy and takes place in the era before and after the First World War. I was enthralled.
I'm reading the one that got away by kelly hunter. I bought it cause i like the cover and i've never read any harlequin kiss. And besides, i wanted to know how to buy books from BookDepository :)
I have two library books waiting for me to pick up when I get home Monday ( I'm on a quick trip to FLA/ NC).The Eyre Affair
The Redbreast
Which should I read first?
I just started my E book for the alphabet challenge, Gardens of the Moon.I will have to put it aside as my library just called to tell me that HHhH was waiting for me to pick up..
Ratri, Book Depository is AMAZING! Enjoy.I'm reading From the Mouth of the Whale for F and for my Icelandic book for my Around the World challenge. It's beautiful so far. Like reading a song, it's so lyrical! Let's see if that grates after 280pp :P
Rusalka wrote: "Ratri, Book Depository is AMAZING! Enjoy.Thanks! I find it very helpful and cheaper :)
I live in a world where books are about 30% more expensive on average than the Book Depository, and they send them to my door. As I am inherently lazy, this helps my addiction on so many levels :P
Marnie wrote: "I have two library books waiting for me to pick up when I get home Monday ( I'm on a quick trip to FLA/ NC).The Eyre Affair
The Redbreast
Which should I read first?"
Jasper Fforde!
Just finished Rabbit, Runfor the alphabet challenge. It was ok, not stellar but not torturous either. I've started
for my V author and I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm also reading
for a buddy read and
as my I'm waiting in the car unexpectedly book.
Marnie wrote: "I have two library books waiting for me to pick up when I get home Monday ( I'm on a quick trip to FLA/ NC).The Eyre Affair
The Redbreast
Which should I read first?"
I know what I'd read first.... love me some Jo Nesbo! Hehehe!
LOL! I was waiting for that, Janice, as soon as I saw his name. :)I am going to go check out the Book Depository. I don't know what it is.
My husband agrees with Janice. If I read Redbreast first then he can read it too. Chris is a very slow reader so he will need as much of the three weeks as I can give him....love love love when I have lots to read!
I have completed Genghis: Birth of an Empire.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Will move on to Samarkand.
I am readingThe Night Circus on audio in my truck
Half-Blood Blues for in person bookclub
Dancer which was put on hold to read Half blood and
Stories I Only Tell My Friends as an audiobook while I run.
I think I am almost finished all of them! lol AND I am enjoying all of them. That is indeed a rare treat.
Chrissie wrote: "I have completed Genghis: Birth of an Empire.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Will move on to Samarkand."
ohhhhh Maalouf. He's a favorite of mine.
Esther, nice! I have heard that Samarkand is good. Isn't it correct that Omar Khayyam DID live and through him we learn of life in Persia at the turn of the 20th Century? And then there is a modern thread too, about the Titanic, and that what he wrote could have been on that ship? Something like that? Have you read other books by the author that you would also recommend?
Chrissie wrote: "Esther, nice! I have heard that Samarkand is good. Isn't it correct that Omar Khayyam DID live and through him we learn of life in Persia at the turn of the 20th Century? And then there is a modern..."If you like. Samarkand, you should like others of his like Leo Africanus, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes. And of course, The Rock of Tanios One of my favorite, he got a well deserved Goncourt for it.
Esther, I didn't realize he had written so many.
Finished Eventide. I highly recommend the audiobbok format narrated by George Hearn. Working class, small town life in America - that is what you get. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Having just finished Genghis: Birth of an Empire and having found it too cinematic in tone for my liking, I have now begun Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. MUCH more information and yet at the same time it is easy to follow. A good balance to my previous read. Written by an acclaimed anthropologist - good stuff, although it is a bit controversial.
I finished reading
and now I started
and I'm going to to torrablanca in June on hols and this is a story about Fuengirola, I visited this town last year when I was there,it's only two towns over :)
I finished The Snow Child and will be starting Equal of the Sun: A Novel. Yeah, I'm starting to make progress on my alphabet as I start my E book.
Rusalka wrote: "I live in a world where books are about 30% more expensive on average than the Book Depository, and they send them to my door. As I am inherently lazy, this helps my addiction on so many levels :P"yeah me too! where do you live?
Janice wrote: "I finished The Snow Child and will be starting Equal of the Sun: A Novel. Yeah, I'm starting to make progress on my alphabet as I start my E book."Did you like The Snow Child? I did though it doesn't finish as strongly as I would have liked. After reflection, I could understand why the author went with this ending and I loved the story and writing so much that it didn't detract for me.
I'm now reading The Golden Gate. It's VERY unusual on account of it being a full novel written in verse! I wasn't sure going in, but found myself really drawn in. Great character development with several love stories and anti-nuke/peace-nic plot. Can't believe how much I'm enjoying this. Has witty wordplay and abundant intelligent literary allusions. I can't believe I just stumbled across this now!!
Tejas Janet wrote: "Did you like The Snow Child? I did though it doesn't finish as strongly as I would have liked. After reflection, I could understand why the author went with this ending and I loved the story and writing so much that it didn't detract for me."After wavering for a bit, I decided to give it 4 stars. I liked the beginning of the story until the love interest was introduced. Then, the magic seemed to die away.
Chrissie wrote: "Well for me I felt the ending sort of wrecked the beginning charm - The Snow Child."Yes, I read your review, Chrissie, and wonder if the abridged version you listened to did injury to the story, as you questioned there.
I read the unabridged form, and as I've already said,the ending had some problems, but I still loved the story and writing overall.
I did feel I could see the author struggling with the ending, and yet I could understand her struggle and went away thinking that this re-telling of a Russian fairytale, that was unfamiliar to me and a joy to learn of, was really magical.
I'd encourage people to read it and see what they think :)
Janet, I didn't even read it, I just listened to the BBC's abridged radio version, and you are absolutely right that perhaps this wrecked the beauty of the lines. (I have given up trying to determine which books could be good by listening to BBC readings.) Anything abridged sucks! Still, I cannot encourage people to read that book, given the height of all out TBR piles. The change in tone, the beginning compared to the end, is NOT good!
Your opinion, which is valid, but my opinion stands for better or worse :)
Janet, absolutely! What a bore life would be if we all thought exactly the same. We need all sorts of books, so each of us can find the ones that work for THEM.
So true! And so sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we both love reading and checking in about books. I love your reviews, and always look forward to what you have to say.
Tejas Janet wrote: "So true! And so sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we both love reading and checking in about books. I love your reviews, and always look forward to what you have to say."Now I am blushing.....at least I am not totally wasting my time when I write reviews! Actually, to a large extent, I kind of write them for myself so I can figure out what I have gotten from a book.
Marnie wrote: "I have two library books waiting for me to pick up when I get home Monday ( I'm on a quick trip to FLA/ NC).The Eyre Affair
The Redbreast
Which should I read first?"
I just finished reading The Redbreast and thought it was great! I'm now reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell for my J book but I'm struggling a bit with it. It's quite a long book and it is slow going - I'm 20% in and nothing majorly exciting has happened yet. I need to read it quicker and get it over and done with so I can move on to the May Sci-Fi book and Group read etc.
Sarah wrote: "Marnie wrote: "I have two library books waiting for me to pick up when I get home Monday ( I'm on a quick trip to FLA/ NC).The Eyre Affair
The Redbreast
Which should I read first?"
I just finishe..."
LOL! Sarah, from what I have heard, this book is not synonymous with "read it quicker and get it over and done with". I have not read it, but my daughter struggled with it for some time, I think.
I get that feeling Cherie. I have to say it has picked up somewhat but I feel it's a little long winded yet at the same time I kind of like that! I'm 40% in now.
Sarah wrote: "I get that feeling Cherie. I have to say it has picked up somewhat but I feel it's a little long winded yet at the same time I kind of like that! I'm 40% in now."It took me over a month to read that one. Not an action book indeed. It is in the category of books I liked but that I usually do not recommend.
That just reminded me that I'm waiting for the third book to come out in the All Souls Trilogy. Still no title. Still no hint as to when it will come out. Grrrr!
I read Across the Universe
for the May challenge. I thought it was ok but not as good as I was expecting. It had its good points but was not without its flaws. 3 stars from me.
I have completed Samarkand. Boy am I glad. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... Everybody loves this, except me, it seems. Or am I brave enough to say that it is difficult to comprehend?Now I will begin A Furnace Afloat: The Wreck of the Hornet and the Harrowing 4,300-mile Voyage of Its Survivors.
Janice wrote: "That just reminded me that I'm waiting for the third book to come out in the All Souls Trilogy. Still no title. Still no hint as to when it will come out. Grrrr!"Add me to the Grrrr!
I started
on the 3rd. I'm 3/4 of the way through and it's pretty good.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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I have completed Washington: A Life and I do recommend it. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Moving on to Eventide, which I have chosen b/c I enjoy the author's writing. Immediately I am sucked in. In the first chapter, someone is leaving. The writing perfectly depicts how one feels when someone dear to you leaves..... Dam, this guy can write! The audiobook narration by George Hearn has instantaneously captured the mood.