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? 2015 version
Cherie wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I started reading Let the Right One In for the monthly challenge but it wasn't working for me and I couldn't get past the first chapter so I have decided to put it on ho..."It's funny how that happens Cherie. That has happened to me quite a few times, I think a book sounds interesting and then for some reason something tells me not to add it to my wishlist. Maybe it's a bookish sixth sense? ;)
I highly recommend meeting Matthew Shardlake. He is a great character and the series is one of my favourites. So far, every book has been a 5 star read for me. Plus they are set in the Tudor period which is one of my favourite periods of history :)
I remember that this happened to me with The Red Tent. I never decided to finally add it to my TBR list. At some point it was chosen by my book club, so I read it, and didn't like it. So, I trust my intuition!
Sandra wrote: "I remember that this happened to me with The Red Tent. I never decided to finally add it to my TBR list. At some point it was chosen by my book club, so I read it, and didn't like it. S..."Oh, that is too bad about TRT, Sandra. I really liked it. There were parts that I did not like and people that were really not nice at all, but I loved the story. It was really a book that is not for everyone too. If anyone wants to see a pretty good review for it (not promoting it, but reviewing it) check out Alejandro's comments. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lisa wrote: "I highly recommend meeting Matthew Shardlake. He is a great character and the series is one of my favourites. So far, every book has been a 5 star read for me. Plus they are set in the Tudor period which is one of my favourite periods of history :) ..."I have two of Sansom's books on my TBR list including the first Matthew Shardlake, but have not had a chance to get to them yet. It is not my favorite time in history, unfortunately, but only because I don't go there often. I seem to do better in the 18th and 19th century.. ☺
Shardlake #2 was good but #1 had more Bible quoting than a 5 hour Billy Graham special which wore on me
Travis of NNY wrote: "Shardlake #2 was good but #1 had more Bible quoting than a 5 hour Billy Graham special which wore on me"Ooohh goodness! That's a lot of Bible quoting. LOL!
@Cherie - Let The Right One In is quite gruesome, if that helps. It's very dark.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Shardlake #2 was good but #1 had more Bible quoting than a 5 hour Billy Graham special which wore on me"Wow.
Janice wrote: "@Cherie - Let The Right One In is quite gruesome, if that helps. It's very dark."Really? There's been one particular bit that's grossed me out so far, but nothing massive. Mind you I've got 200pp to go, so anything can happen...
Rusalka wrote: "Really? There's been one particular bit that's grossed me out so far, but nothing massive. Mind you..."LOL! I guess we all have different levels at which we're grossed out. While I wasn't terribly grossed out, I think Cherie might be.
After catching up on the millions (at least it feels like that many) of posts, I've added too many books to my tbr.A quick wrap up of some of my favorite and not so good books for March:
I started the Irish Country series, and while I loved An Irish Country Doctor, I wasn't as fond of An Irish Country Village. Too many things were repeated from the first book, and I got really tired of Barry's self doubt and second guessing *everything*. Probably won't go any further with the series.
I found a series I love, Hurog, by Patricia Briggs. Unfortunately there are only two books, Dragon Bones and Dragon Blood.
I listened to Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography and all I can say is "Don't go there". The language got pretty raunchy at times when I didn't see the need. And it jumped around so I have no idea about the timeline of a lot of events.
A book that when I started it I thought Oh no! turned out to be one that I loved. Mobile Library: A Novel was a nice surprise, especially since I picked it up just because :)
Janice wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "Really? There's been one particular bit that's grossed me out so far, but nothing massive. Mind you..."LOL! I guess we all have different levels at which we're grossed out. Whil..."
Ah. True. Sorry I was thinking of you :P
Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Shardlake #2 was good but #1 had more Bible quoting than a 5 hour Billy Graham special which wore on me"Ooohh goodness! That's a lot of Bible quoting. LOL!
@Cherie - Le..."
ROFL, Travis. I will keep that in mind. I could speed listen to the Billy parts, like I am sure you did. :o)
@Janice - I was pretty sure that was the case. Not like I can't take a little bit of it, but I can be happier avoiding it too.
Thanks for the warning about Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography. I thought about adding this to my list. On the other side of the coin, I am looking forward to reading Born with Teeth: A Memoir.
I guess the setting in a monastery should have been a clue there'd be some preaching but I missed that memo. I've read books with more religion in them that didn't phase me so I don't know why I got so annoyed with the Shardlake book.
Well I do know a lot of people enjoyed the audio listwning to Neil Patrick Harris but as far as the audio jumping around that makes sense since it is a choose your own adventure style. Not really any way to take advantage of the choose your own part.
Travis of NNY wrote: "I guess the setting in a monastery should have been a clue there'd be some preaching but I missed that memo. I've read books with more religion in them that didn't phase me so I don't know why I g..."I personally didn't mind the bible quoting in Shardlake #1. Mind you, I read a lot of books that are set in or are about the medieval and Tudor periods and religion was always an important part of daily life at that time so maybe I am just used to it now and don't really notice it anymore.
Starting The Accident by C.L. Taylor today.
I finished The Mystery of Mercy Close and have completed level 2 of the series challenge. Yay! I was pleasantly surprised by the book, here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cherie wrote: "Thanks for the warning about Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography. I thought about adding this to my list. On the other side of the coin, I am looking forward to read..."Captain Janeway! I even remember her from Ryan's Hope :)
I'm almost done with A Storm of Swords the 3rd book in The Game of Thrones series. Travis, was right; don't get attached to any characters. A couple of good ones have been killed. For such a large book, I've been reading it pretty quickly. It's really holding my interest and I'm getting even more attached to some characters. The lines between good and bad people are blurring. For example, I'm finding I'm liking the Kingslayer, Jaime, when I had been thinking I'd hate him. There are good people on all sides of the wars, so it's hard to know which side to root for.
Sorry I've been absent again, we just moved into the new place last week and I'm still dealing with the chaos of unpacking. I decided to give
The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George its one of the few books I've unpacked
Kimberly wrote: "Sorry I've been absent again, we just moved into the new place last week and I'm still dealing with the chaos of unpacking. I decided to give [bookcover:The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes ..."That one sounds interesting Kimberly. I may have to add it to my wishlist as I love anything to do with the Tudors. I hope you enjoy it.
jaxnsmom wrote: "Captain Janeway! I even remember her from Ryan's Hope :) ..."I heard good things about Ryan's Hope, but did not watch it. I really admired her in ST Voyager.
Hope you like AGOT this time round Janice. I'm totally hooked, now. I just finished the 3rd book and started the 4th: A Feast for Crows.
I always tell myself I have to get to AGOT but its massive size and supposedly unending list of characters (I have a bad memory) discourages me.
Debra wrote: "Hope you like AGOT this time round Janice. I'm totally hooked, now. I just finished the 3rd book and started the 4th: A Feast for Crows."Oh I'm hooked alright! :)
I finishedAmerican Rust and gave it 3 stars. I liked the way the author shows how a first bad event becomes a chain of bad events and worst decisions. But I wasn't such impressed. I'm glad I read it, though.I'm still working on The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and I'll be probably starting another book this weekend. I didn't decide which one yet. The options are Gentlemen and Players, Burial Rites or A Thread of Grace
Right now I'm reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (enjoying it), Fairest ( it was available and I have to wait for the final installment of the series)' and City of Women. I'm having trouble getting into this one. It hasn't grabbed me yet but I keep hoping. It's been on my TBR for a while and I feel guilty booting it to the road. I also have Obsession in Death ready to start, the last book published so far so it'll be another series killed.
I loved Burial Rites Sandra :) It was one of my favourite books last year.
Peggy wrote: "I loved Burial Rites Sandra :) It was one of my favourite books last year."I added this book and forgot all about it, but I just moved it up my TBR list. I love books set in Iceland.
Roz wrote: "Right now I'm reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (enjoying it), Fairest ( it was available and I have to wait for the final installment of the series)' an..."Roz, if you read along with the comments for City of Women in Sai King Recommends, I think you'll find it grows on you. There's so much depth to the story and we found lots to discuss.
*sigh* I'm STILL reading Wizard and Glass and The Color of Magic and I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever finish either. It seems to be taking such a long time.
Peggy wrote: "I loved Burial Rites Sandra :) It was one of my favourite books last year."I second the praise for 'Burial Rites'. I read it in 2013 and absolutely loved it.
I'm reading The Selection, absolutely loving it, a great YA book. Of course it is the beginning of a series, I think I have started more series this year than any other year, oh well!
Berit wrote: "I'm reading The Selection, absolutely loving it, a great YA book. Of course it is the beginning of a series, I think I have started more series this year than any other year, oh well!"I ended up not really liking that one. Didn't continue with the series.
I'm reading
and liking it so far. I liked the first book in the series but I am already liking the second book a lot more.
Janice thanks for the plug for our group read discussion of City of Women in my group. Just so people can find it, it's called Books Stephen King Recommends. Here's the link:https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/....
In book 4 of The Game of Thrones, I'm missing some of my favorite characters. Hope they show back up in book 5.
Yeah Debra, book 4 goes way off topic to a bunch of characters that so far I have no idea what most of them have to do with the big picture. I don't know if it is just to do more world building or if in the long run of the fabled book 6 and 7 we will see what the point of their stories was. But through all the side stories there are some important bits to the main characters or things that will have an affect on them and the struggle.
Debra wrote: "Janice thanks for the plug for our group read discussion of City of Women in my group. Just so people can find it, it's called Books Stephen King Recommends. Here's the link:http..."
I know that Roz is in your group and we had such a great discussion about City of Women. I think the discussion helped me appreciate the book even more. I rated it 4 stars and I'm thinking I should actually give it 5 since I keep thinking about it.
I was looking over the listopia for Book Club Reads because it's my turn in July to host and pick the selection. I debated about City of Women, but we just read All the Light We Cannot See which is also WWII. As I was going through the list, I came across Crow Lake, a book I read a couple of months ago and gave 4 stars. I couldn't remember a thing about it until I looked at the book blurb. It's still a bit hazy.
My point is, which book was worthy of 4 stars for me - City of Women (which I can't stop thinking about), or Crow Lake (which I've completely forgotten)?
I finally finished The Color of Magic and with it, I'm finished Discworld. Well, I not finished Discworld in terms of reading all the books. I've read two books now - Color of Magic and Mort - and I'm completely underwhelmed. So, I'm finished in that I won't be reading any more in the series.I've moved on to The Serpent's Tale for the monthly challenge.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Yeah Debra, book 4 goes way off topic to a bunch of characters that so far I have no idea what most of them have to do with the big picture. I don't know if it is just to do more world building or..."Thanks, Travis. I'm having a hard time keeping track of all the side stories and minor lord-ships and their castles. It's good to know I'm not the only one that noticed this.
Janice: I find I tend to remember the books I've discussed with others more than those I haven't, regardless of how high I've rated them. Heck, I can't remember what I read 2 weeks ago! lol
No worries Debra I eead the first three books back to back then took a little break. Book 4 took me longer tobget through and took a little break before #5. Half way through book 5 I took a month or 2 month hiatus before finishing. I gave all 5 5 stars and plan to re-read them all before reading #6 but I will definitely take my time or set them down when needed. Still there are some interesting things happening with starks, lancasters, little finger, stanley barathion and the red witch and Jon Snow of course. Well the entire north really
And I think book 5 finally gets to serious busuness with Dani
I listened to Nine Dragons and The Brass Verdict - only one left to be caught up on Harry Bosch! I love Bosch and will be saddened when he has to retire. I'm surprised Verdict was included in the series since Bosch was more of a secondary character, but it was a good intro to Mickey Haller (NO, not another series!).I listened to The Ruins of Gorlan, a YA fantasy which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I have to admit I have a new narrator crush - John Keating. I hope I can find the rest of the series in audio format.
I read Maisie Dobbs, the first book in a cozy mystery series. I was surprised by how much I liked it. One big plus was that it was a combination of a cozy mystery and Maisie's story. It was also nice to find a cozy heroine who didn't run around willy nilly, but used a psychological approach.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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Not sure why but I'm having problems focusing in my readings. I guess is just me, not the books I'm reading. *sigh* Let's see...