Collecting Dust June 2014 Challenge

[Tytti]

I haven't read "Into the Wild" but it sounds a bit like The Year of the Hare, only that one is more humorous and not a true story. And actually... it has a similar theme as Seven Brothers.

[Lindy-Lane]

i did read both of the books that mk selected for me, but i didn't finish The Sea of Monsters until 7.2nd. i rated it a "3". i don't want to give away any spoilers. i found the characters very likeable. tyson's a personal favorite of mine. the humor in the book is delightful and i loved the tie in with the bermuda triangle.

finished City of Ashes 6.9th. i'm on the fence with this series. i don't dislike it but i'm not overly fond of it. as i was reading i found it challenging to visualize the storyline. in all fairness to the author, this is not a genre that i particularly enjoy, and yet, i still keep striving towards reading the genre. i do want to know what happens next in the series so at some point i will pick up the third book. i did watch the first movie and it did help me to vicsally "connect the dots" with the storyline. plan on watching the second movie now that i have finished the book.

[MK]

Finishing late is not a problem :). Nice reviews, Lindy. thx :)

[Tytti]

Alissa wrote: "Here are your two for June:
Lapinvuokko by Enni Mustonen
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith"

Well I finally finished the Ladies' Detective Agency. I was planning to read it as a "snack" between other books so I didn't even try to finish it fast. It as an ok book, the language was probably faster to read than anything else I have read in ages, if ever. But I think I prefer more interesting plots and characters to this kind of "easy reading".

I didn't read the other book chosen for me and don't think I'll read it any time soon. I realized I had had enough of the war in Lapland (and the relationships between Finns and Germans) during the Continuation War for a while after reading that other book about it. (Funny really, in another group someone just commented about The Book Thief that there are not that many books written from the side of the Nazis in WWII. Yeah, maybe not books written in English...)

But I did read another book of the five picks I gave, Compartment No. 6, because I wanted to give it to my friend next for his challenge. (I told you I am not good with challenges, I tend to read what I like.) It was quite an interesting book, just not really the type I like.

[MK]

Thx for the review, Tytti. I keep hearing about that Ladies' Detective Agency series. It interests me.

[Tytti]

MK wrote: "Thx for the review, Tytti. I keep hearing about that Ladies' Detective Agency series. It interests me."

Here's my longer review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
You might want to try it, it's a very fast read.

And about that other book I mentioned: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[MK]

The other one sounds like it would have to be winter for me to read it. I know it's not always cold in Siberia, but that is the association in my mind :p

[Tytti]

MK wrote: "The other one sounds like it would have to be winter for me to read it. I know it's not always cold in Siberia, but that is the association in my mind :p"

I think it was set around March/April so there was still snow on the ground, but it was also melting away in some parts.

[MK]

Are you taking a break from war stories for now, then?

[Tytti]

Probably, not that I have ever read them a lot, I have only a few on my "list" anyway. Though I just saw Waltari's The Truth about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (published 1941) on sale and it reminded me that I want to read that. But that's non-fiction, so it's different.

I have been thinking about reading Linna's classics but that's four books and about 2000 pages, I think. And I already know the war classic quite well after seeing two movies and a play about it. (I was even asked to dance on stage, it was on the main stage in our National Theatre. :D It was this scene, Stalin's birthday, so it meant a night off for our soldiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asw_O...)

[MK]

Wow, that is a big commitment (2000 pp). ohh, fun on the dancing.

..... ha! just watched it. Now there is some fun audience participation. How cool you got up there to dance too. That guy in the underwear - he wasn't shy, was he? ;-)

[Tytti]

Yeah, it's the trilogy and one novel, from the 1880s to 1950s, so it covers three generations.

MK wrote: "Now there is some fun audience participation."

In 1:19 they made us sing a working class song, too. :-P

MK wrote: "he wasn't shy, was he?"

Ehh.. he is Finnish... That's nothing. Reminded me of this bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7PN1...
The most courageous thing is not that he is nearly naked (not sure why... probably because like he says, they wanted to be anarchists and say what they think about the situation), it's that he is singing Finlandia but in the lyrics he sings about Estonia and how their day will come, in the Soviet Union in 1988, with the Soviet police and soldiers guarding them... (Another singer sang at the same concert that "[Estonia] WAS a part of the Soviet Union").

[MK]

That's a diaper :p


lol

[Rachel]

Finished my second book of the dusty bookshelf. I have so many books to read it is crazy!

I read The Help and I gave it 5 out of 5 stars.

Here is my review:


I have to admit I saw the movie before I read the book, but I feel reading the book after seeing the movie made me apperciate it a whole lot more. This book had to be brought to life because some of the heartwarming and hysterical scenes along with it's memorable quotes hits you. Although it is a work of fiction, it is eye opening that it wasn't that long ago America was like this down in the South. It makes you apperciate all the changes that have happened since the 1960s. Just like in the movie, I adored Aibileen, but Minny was my favorite character in the book. Kathryn Stockett did a wonderful job with the narrative for each of the main 3 characters. It brought wonderful perspectives to the story. Now, I know why everyone was raving about this book. It is a wonderful read that I couldn't put down. To end, remember " You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

If you want to read my review of Into the Wild it is just a few postings above.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Rachel, what a nice review!

[Rachel]

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "Rachel, what a nice review!"

Thank You! :)