You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Group Themed Reads: Discussions
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November 2014 - Number/s In the Title Discussion
A number of us will be reading Ready Player One this month for the group read. The discussion thread can be found here.
I finished reading Ready Player One yesterday, not a book I would probably normally pick up, and was pleased to find that this was a fun read. I really like how this group prompts me to read books I might not otherwise. The writing is straight-forward and I found the story-line easy to follow. The characters are pretty well developed and struck me as believable. I liked this book a lot for its creativity and clever plot that seemed disturbingly plausible.
Another thing I enjoyed about Ready Player One, without risking any spoilers here, were the oodles of references to popular culture from the 1980s. Being a 1980 high school graduate no doubt contributed to my enjoyment of this book.
I really liked Ready Player One as well! The flow of the story was really good and I found myself not wanting to stop reading because I wanted to find out what happened next. I would really like to listen to the audio version of this book at some point. I believe I read that Wil Wheaton is the narrator. How awesome is that :-)
I finished Ready Player One, it was fantastic. I listened to the audio. It was a wonderful story that was just enhanced by the wonderful 80's pop culture. It was a fun story
I m in the middle of Ready Player One. And enjoying it!
I finished reading Ready Player One - Here's my review. The link further up the thread goes to the buddy read thread were we all discussed it. It was great - I think listening to Will Wheaton do the audio would be good too next time!
I'm 37% into 600 Hours of Edward. I like it, but not as much as I expected. I have to admit I wanted to read it for ages so maybe I got my hopes up too much. Also, I can't help compare it to The Rosie Project/Effect. I'm not sure if I like all the repetitions in the book. Yes, it fits the disorders he has, but I know by now that 2008 was a leap year and I don't really care about the temperatures each day and I know Edward prefers facts over guesses, estimates and assumptions. Also the parts about the Dallas Cowboys and Dragnet don't interest me.
I've downgraded it to a "maybe" then Peggy! Hope it picks up for you.
I'm paying attention to to your comments, Peggy. It's on my tbr as well.
Don't let me be the one to influence your decisions! It has very positive reviews and a quite high average rating, so it's probably just me.
I'm growing quite fond of Edward now! He's sweet :)
I have started reading The Thirteenth Tale which has been on my TBR for a while now. I am 10% of the way through and I like it so far.
Once 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi becomes available for me from the library, I'll be reading that one. I am on hold for audio and real book.
I am a huge fan of Georgette Heyer, but I've never gotten around to reading her collection of short stories, Pistols for Two: And Other Stories. Now was a good reason to finally read it.There are 11 stories in this compilation. Ten of them are romances (which Heyer is best known for), so the one story that stood out is the one that is not a romance.
It is 'Night at the Inn'. A bit of suspense, adventure, mystery and rather gruesome villians. It makes me want to read some of the mysteries that Heyer has written.
Two of the romances that stood out from the crowd were 'The Duel' and 'Hazard'. They were believable.
Overall, an okay book.
I read The Drawing of the Three for a theme pick for this month's group read.I'm still trying to digest all that I read and articulate how I feel about it.
I was chatting with a friend on the phone tonight and she was telling me about a workshop on how to get published that will be presented in February. She thought I might be interested in it because "you're so talented". I couldn't help but laugh. I told her any attempts that I would make in writing a novel would be "he said, she said, and they all said." It would be so superficial, unlike the offerings of writers like Stephen King.
One of the things about The Drawing of The Three was the depth with which he tells a story. You get to feel like you're inside the heads of the characters to the point where you feel like you know them. This story is set in 4 different worlds, and you feel you've been to them all.
My Review
I have read just under 60% of The Thirteenth Tale. It's making for some addictive reading so far. I do like a good gothic tale!
Lisa wrote: "I have read just under 60% of The Thirteenth Tale. It's making for some addictive reading so far. I do like a good gothic tale!"I'm itching to read this one, Lisa, and have it in my bedside stack.
However, first I want to read I Am a Cat. No copies at my city library, and I want to read it before I commit to gifting it at Christmas. Kind of tacky to read the copy (that I bought new) before turning around and giving it away, but I want to make sure it's as good as I've heard and it's kind of hard on the book budget to buy two copies. Is that tacky of me?
Janet, I have a copy of the cat book. I picked it up at a library sale. If you want to PM your address to me, I will send it to you ASAP.
Lisa - I could not put the book down either! It is an all consuming story, isn't it? I really liked the writing.
It certainly is all consuming Cherie! It's very immersive. The writing is really good, it kind of feels like an ode to all the great Victorian gothic literature. Have you read any of her other books? I have Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story sitting on my TBR pile which I hope to get to soon. It seems to be getting pretty mixed reviews though.
Tejas Janet wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I have read just under 60% of The Thirteenth Tale. It's making for some addictive reading so far. I do like a good gothic tale!"I'm itching to read this one, Lisa, and ..."
I hope you enjoy it too Janet :)
I listened to 1st to Die. A first book in a series. While i caught on the whodunit fairly quick, the characters were fun to follows an that on this side of the story that i had my surprises.
Yesterday I started 2012: The War For Souls and I'm liking it quite a lot so far (about 50 pages into it). I know it's got very varying reviews, many have given it only one star. I like the idea of parallel worlds described in it. We'll see how it proceeds.
I love that series, Esther! I'm up to the 13th book and the characters get better and better :) I have been waiting for the 13th book from the library forever, lol! Hopefully I get to read it sometime soon ;)
Stephanie wrote: "I love that series, Esther! I'm up to the 13th book and the characters get better and better :) I have been waiting for the 13th book from the library forever, lol! Hopefully I get to read it somet..."I read book 8 or 7 as I got it in a book sale and didn't realise it was a series at first (but have liked Patterson's book in the past). After liking that one, I thought I'd better start from the beginning so I bought 1st to Die but I have yet to read it. Glad you enjoyed it Esther!
Is this another November challenge in addition to the 'fact not fiction' challenge? Are we just supposed to select any book that has a number in the title?
No, Gail, this is not a challenge. It is part of the monthly group read. It is a separate discussion thread for you to post a book for the theme - "any book with a number in the title". This is a third choice, if you do not want to read either of the ones chosen for the group read and you want a badge. :)
Gail wrote: "Is this another November challenge in addition to the 'fact not fiction' challenge? Are we just supposed to select any book that has a number in the title?"It's the theme for the month - you can either read one or two of the chosen books i.e Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore or Six Years or the buddy read Ready Player One or if none of those take your fancy you can read any book with a number in the title to get a badge!
Oops! Our posts most have crossed Cherie! :-)
Ah, thanks, Cherie and Sarah. I don't think I want to read the books that are being discussed (I saw people were saying they weren't enjoying Mr Penumbra) but I might find a book with a number in the title - I have 600 Hours of Edward, so might read that.
Or maybe I will read Ready Player One, because people seem to be liking that one, and I do want to read more sci-fi.
Gail, the great part is that there so many choices. You don't have to feel locked into any one book. We all feel differently about the books we read. I think the best part about this group and GR in general, is being exposed to all kinds of books and the readers' opinions about them.
If you are into audio books, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore was extremely well done and enjoyable, even if the story was a little weak at the end. I hope you enjoy Ready Player One or any book you choose with a number in the title!
LOL, Sarah! I was wondering if someone else was typing away with an answer for Gail at the same time I was searching for letters on my iPod. I just checked into the link to catch up before going outside to do some yard work. It is cold out but a beautiful day and I need to get outside and enjoy it. I downloaded an audio book that I am a little dubious about, but thought I would give it a shot. I can't link it on the app, but it is called The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle. It is read by him too. The sample sounded good? That's my only excuse for picking it. :0)
Ah, no, I don't do audiobooks, because my auditory processing isn't so good. I'm very visual. I read on my ereaders. Maybe someday I'll try an audiobook to complement reading the same book on my ereader though, but not to replace it.
Gail wrote: "Or maybe I will read Ready Player One, because people seem to be liking that one, and I do want to read more sci-fi."It is a great book, Gail!
I finished Ready Player One, I posted my comments in the buddy read thread. I was a very good book!!
Too bad, Gail. I don't think audiobooks have replaced reading for me. They are just an enhancement and a second source of entertainment since I quit watching TV. I have to really like the voice of the narrator to proceed with listening to a book. There have been times when listening even superseded the story being told. Sometimes I follow along with a narrator, if I have an opportunity to get both at the same time too. There are others in the group whose work allows unlimited time to listen but many only listen while they are driving or commuting. I cannot listen at work most of the time and I only have a two mile drive to work, so exercising or gardening or house hold chores are my time. I also like to do jigsaw puzzles while I listen in the evening. Now that winter weather has set in, I need to get out my knitting needles clicking.
Ah, I also do the kind of work where I wouldn't be able to listen to headphones while working. I commute by bus and find it too noisy to listen to headphones - I've tried listening to music sometimes and it doesn't really work. But I sometimes read on my phone Kindle app in the bus (mostly when the bus stops at traffic lights, so it's not jiggling around!). I wouldn't be able to listen while doing something else like a jigsaw puzzle - I'd have to shut my eyes and give it my full attention. I can only focus on one thing at a time. So that's why I read on my ereader instead, because I find it easier. :)
I finished 600 Hours of Edward on Saturday and it got better after my first post here about the book. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Gail wrote: "Ah, I also do the kind of work where I wouldn't be able to listen to headphones while working. I commute by bus and find it too noisy to listen to headphones - I've tried listening to music sometim..."That's exactly what I feel, too, Gail! I can't listen to music while reading. And I tried an audiobook this year, but found it hard to concentrate. I tried another one, but I didn't like the voice... Luckily I can shut my mind to background noise of my children, while reading, otherwise I wouldn't be able to read as much as I like ;)...
I finished The Thirteenth Tale which I really enjoyed and rated 4 stars although my actual rating would be 4.5. I thought it was a really good story, it had some interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns along the way. It felt a bit like a cross between (view spoiler). I found it very addictive and am really glad I read it at this time of year as the gothic nature of the story makes it perfect winter reading IMO. I also really enjoyed all the bookish references that are sprinkled throughout. It is definitely a book for book lovers! The reason why it lost half a star is that it took me a few chapters to really get into it and I felt that the main character Margaret could have done with fleshing out a bit more as she felt a bit two dimensional at times. These are only minor quibbles however. I definitely recommend checking this book out if you have not already done so.
Gail wrote: " I wouldn't be able to listen while doing something else like a jigsaw puzzle - I'd have to shut my eyes and give it my full attention. I can only focus on one thing at a time. So that's why I read on my ereader instead, because I find it easier. :) I find the puzzle keeps my hands busy so that I do not nod off while listening. If I just sit and listen, I usually fall asleep. The puzzle activity and listening use different parts of the brain, I am pretty sure. I don't have to consiously think about the shapes and colors of the puzzle pieces. While my eyes search my ears listen to the voice and words. I can do Suduko puzzles and listen with no problems. I cannot concentrate on a knitting project and have to continually read instructions though. My ears turn off the words and I have to replay. If it is a blanket or something like that I can manage (Don't ask my daughter about that though - I knitted her an afghan that was done on the diagonal and it is not "sqare on one end". I did it while I was listening to Stephanie Plum books.)
I cannot listen to music and read at the same time. It is like talking on the phone and trying to type. One activity has to win out over the other.
Yeah, I could always shut out the kids' noises and voices when I read. They hated it!!! :0)
Elsbeth wrote: "Gail wrote: "Ah, I also do the kind of work where I wouldn't be able to listen to headphones while working. I commute by bus and find it too noisy to listen to headphones - I've tried listening to ..."I think listening to an audiobook is a learned experience. It took me a while before I could tune into the words the first couple of times. I think your brain adjusts to the story more easily if the voice is pleasing. You just have to find books that have a voice that is pleasing to you. There are a lot of audiobooks that I would love to hear, but I cannot deal with the voice of the narrator. Others do not seem to be as bothered by voices and can even speed up the story by 1.5x to 2x the spead of the spoken word. I listened to an Ernest Hemingway book earlier this year narrated by John Hurt. His voice is nice, but he read sooo sloooowly that I could not concentrate on the story. I tried to speed it up, but he did not sound right. It was wierd, but after I slowed it back down, it sounded okay and I loved it! I listened to it twice and then bought the book and read it. It was The Sun Also Rises
Lisa wrote: "I finished The Thirteenth Tale which I really enjoyed and rated 4 stars although my actual rating would be 4.5. I thought it was a really good story, it had some interesting character..."I agree, Lisa. I just recently read it and feel just as you did about it.
Cherie wrote: "Janet, I have a copy of the cat book. I picked it up at a library sale. If you want to PM your address to me, I will send it to you ASAP."That is so sweet of you, Cherie. But for now I'm okay reading my copy very carefully. Thanks!!
Talking of audiobooks, I've just been listening to Tony Robinson read Charmed Life. I'm very familiar with him from UK TV, in particular Blackadder and he does have a great voice. However, I couldn't help but picture Baldrick pretty much the whole way through the audiobook and that affected how I felt about the characters and the storyline! I agree Cherie that different hings tax the brain in different ways - I can listen while sat on the bus, walking, playing mindless PC games, puzzle book, washing up etc. but I struggled when I tried it when dressmaking. I can read my kindle with instrumental music in the background or with music that I do not know the lyrics of but when a song comes on the radio that I like, then that wins out and I have to sing along!
Cherie, when I studied cognitive psychology we learnt about things the brain can do while talking/listening and what it can't do. Doing two language tasks (eg. Listening and typing, as you said) is apparently impossible. But most people can listen while doing non-language things like sudoku and knitting. I just have difficulty with auditory processing and multi-tasking because I have Asperger Syndrome, so listening to a story is always hard work for me, no matter how much I practise. When our teachers read us stories at school, I could never take them in. I went through a phase of listening to audiobooks when I was 20, because there was a series of classics on audiobook. They were read by actors and actresses, and I loved listening to the voices (and the accents in Tess of the D'Urbervilles), but I was just hearing the voice and not much content, so I don't know the plots!Anyway, I am now reading 600 Hours of Edward on my ereader. I like to read books about characters with Asperger Syndrome, to see how we are portrayed, so I know what sort of frame of reference people have in their minds when I tell them I have it, because most people seem to know of it from books and movies. 600 Hours of Edward reminds me a bit of The Rosie Project in that externally the character acts very much like someone with Aspergers, but the actual inner perspective is kind of superficial - based way too much on numbers and measurements, as if that were the main way people with Aspergers think. I think in reality, from knowing myself and having quite a lot of Aspie friends, the numbers thing is more a strategy to bring some kind of order and control to a mind that is quite chaotic because it doesn't automatically process and make sense of the world. One day I will write a novel about a character with Aspergers and it will be far more psychologically realistic. :) Still, I'm enjoying the book so far - I'm only 12% in.
Tejas Janet wrote: "Cherie wrote: "Janet, I have a copy of the cat book. I picked it up at a library sale. If you want to PM your address to me, I will send it to you ASAP."That is so sweet of you, Cherie. But for..."
I will be looking forward to hearing what you think of it!
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
10 Books That Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others That Didn't Help (other topics)Ready Player One (other topics)
2012: The War for Souls (other topics)
Me Before You (other topics)
The One Plus One (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jojo Moyes (other topics)Mitch Albom (other topics)
Craig Emmel (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
Georgette Heyer (other topics)
Please remember to use spoiler tags where necessary, and let us know what you think of the book, not just that you have read it :)