Monthly Group Reads: JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2015 are our Read a Group Read Book You Missed Months!

[Sarah]

I have a hard copy and I'm debating on getting the kindle version so I can do searches when I forget who someone is. Kind of like backup to the hard copy. I can borrow it for free with Kindle Unlimited.

[Dawn]

I am starting my first pick for this project early. I have Pompeii by Robert Harris on my MP3 player and should get a few hours in today.

I have Eaters of the Dead: The Manuscript of Ibn Fadlan, Relating His Experiences with the Northmen in A.D. 922 and Killer of Men as my second and third options for Ancient era books.

[Darcy]

The first two of those I really enjoyed. The third one...not so much.

[Dawn]

Yeah, I've been putting off Christian Cameron for some time now so I'm going to read the only one of four of his books that has actually won a poll and see what I think.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hope you enjoy listening to Pompeii.

[Dawn]

I just finished 28 hours of A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918 so I'm hoping I'll be able to transition smoothly from non-fiction to fiction. :)

[Dawn]

I didn't really like Pompeii. I much preferred his Cicero books. I found the story slow and bogged down in detail. The characters were also a little 2D. Though all the aqueduct knowledge was pretty cool.
So, on to the next one. I'm going with The Coffee Trader, I'll start it tomorrow morning.

[Jerry]

Dawn wrote: "Yeah, I've been putting off Christian Cameron for some time now so I'm going to read the only one of four of his books that has actually won a poll and see what I think."

I thought Killer of Men was a good book, but I can appreciate some readers might find it not to their taste so much. I have the follow-up book on my Amazon "Wish List", as well as the first Christian Cameron book on the post-Alexander period, Tyrant. I'm afraid I'm an absolute mug for a good story on a period of history about which I know nothing, which is what drew me to this writer in the first place. I enjoyed the book enough to want to read more.

[Sarah]

Killer of Men looks fantastic.

[Dawn]

I have Tyrant on my TBR as well. I'll read it if I end up liking Killer of Men.

[Daniel]

Great Idea, time to catch up on some of these, starting with I, Claudius

[Sarah]

Do you guys just use the old threads for discussion?

[Dawn]

Yes, that is the plan. Just track down the old thread and start it up again.

[Sarah]

Thank you, Dawn. I'm looking forward to discussing The Name of the Rose with people.

[Dawn]

I am still waiting for my copy to come in at the library.

[Sarah]

I have some other stuff to read this month so I can wait to start.

[Dawn]

I would love to read it with you but I wouldn't wait for me as the library copies I'm waiting for look like they might not be available until the end of the month. :)

[Sarah]

I plan on taking slow and read just a bit at a time. I've heard it's difficult.

[Tina]

Daniel (Devourer of Books) wrote: "Great Idea, time to catch up on some of these, starting with I, Claudius"

I'm going to try to finish this one and also Sarum.

If I have time I want to join in on reading The Name of the Rose.

[Dawn]

I, Claudius I definitely recommend. I thought it was a great book.

[Dawn]

The Name of the Rose I have heard is quite dense so I'll be interested to see how it is when I get my hands on a copy.

[Daniel]

Dawn wrote: "I, Claudius I definitely recommend. I thought it was a great book."

Really looking forward to this

I also highly recommend The Name of The Rose, one of my favourites.

[Dawn]

I am looking forward to The Name of the Rose!

[Sarah]

Me too!

[Jane]

Under Enemy Colors -- just picked up from library today. Haven't read naval fiction since Hornblower many years ago.

[Jane]

Terri wrote: "Actually, going through them, I've read nearly all of them. Only a few that I haven't read. But I'll read Gates of Rome, as mentioned, and maybe have another go at finishing In a Dark Wood Wa..."</i>

[book:In a Dark Wood Wandering: A Novel of the Middle Ages still doesn't attract me for some reason. Good luck, Terri.

[happy]

Jane wrote: "Under Enemy Colors -- just picked up from library today. Haven't read naval fiction since Hornblower many years ago."

This just came in for me also - I'm not sure when I will get to though

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Great to see some members trying Under Enemy Colors.

For those who didn't see it in our group read threads, it was actually a loser in a poll a few years back. Some members who can't find a past group read to read, are going to rifle through the past poll losers for some inspiration.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I'm going to read The Gates of Rome as soon as I finish my current book.

[Daniel]

i might try under enemy colors this month as well.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I've always had a bit of a thing for the covers of that book. I wish I had the time to fit it in. But there are so many others I want to fit in this year first.

The covers. My favourite is the second one.

[Jane]

Terri wrote: "Great to see some members trying Under Enemy Colors.

For those who didn't see it in our group read threads, it was actually a loser in a poll a few years back. Some members who can'..."

It's a darn good book so far. I've only read 4 chapters but am enjoying it.

[Gretchen]

I haven't even had time to pick a book. I own a few of the books on the list. One of my personal goals is to read some of the books I already own before I go overboard at the library. I'd like to pick a book I already own. December just got away from me.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I am seriously thinking about making it 'January & February is catch up month' instead of only January. I mean heck, lot of years worth of past group reads there. Maybe two months without a new group read would help us catch up on the ones we missed.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I went ahead and changed it. 8 weeks to delve the past group reads. I won't set a new group poll until Feb. That poll will be for a March Group Read.
By March we should be all refreshed and ready for some new blood. :)

[Dawn]

I think I will have to read a few losers if I have this much time. I shall have to go peruse the polls...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

There's always our Listopia list. Nearly all the poll books (winners and losers) are on that list.
:)

[Dawn]

I keep that list bookmarked I refer to it so often! :)

[Marilee]

Could someone provide a link for the aforementioned Listopia list?

I really like the idea of catching up. So many books, so little time…

Never mind, I found it. Just in case others are interested…here's the link.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

[Darcy]

Here's the topic on what is selected for the list

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hope you find some inspiration there, Marilee. There are some on our group's list that are there purely due to such criteria as popularity in group discussions. But a large portion are past group reads and past losers in the polls.

[Daniel]

Excellent! More time to catch up with this list of books!....I do need more time....

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I figure next year we can do only January. This year, because this is our first year doing this, that we get two months to catch up with those past ones before new ones begin. :)

[Daniel]

I will be listening to Sarum for these two months at work, when I have the chance....all 45 hours of it :P

I will also read Mercenaries for Febuary

[Jerry]

I have just finished , which was my first target for January, and I thought it was damn good, (many thanks for the heads-up Dawn). Going for in the next week or so.

[Daniel]

Martha wrote: "I am very new to Goodreads and this group so I though I would jump right in with this January project. So I chose theand I started off thinking maybe not the be..."

I found this book had a bit of a slow start for me too, but I ended up enjoying it.

[Dawn]

If anyone wants to start a conversation this is the thread for A Burnable Book: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I glad everyone liked it, the next one is due out in April The Invention of Fire

[Dawn]

I am still working my way through Killer of Men by Christian Cameron

Not a problem of the book, I'm finding it really good but I just keep getting sidetracked by TV and other books.

[Gretchen]

I was looking to start a new book last night on my kindle. I happened to have Silk Road on my kindle so I guess that's the book I'm reading for January. Maybe I can get to a different one for February.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Martha wrote: "I am very new to Goodreads and this group so I though I would jump right in with this January project. So I chose theand I started off thinking maybe not the be..."

I think that is a very good book to jump in with, Martha. :)
If you need help finding another form the list, don't hesitate to ask. Everyone will have a book to recommend.