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
Peggy wrote: "After 3 weeks or so, I finally finished book 4 in the Outlander series, Drums of Autumn. It was 1070 pages, and although I really enjoyed it, I'm glad I can read something else now. I'..."And here I've been whining to myself about Caribbean being 800+ pages of the tiniest, most condensed font ever. I've been wondering how many pages it would be if they printed it in a regular font. But 1443 pages - crazy!
Lisa wrote: "I finished Station Eleven which I really enjoyed. I am not normally the biggest fan of sci-fi novels but this one was really good so I am glad I listened to the hype and gave it a g..."Adding The Forgotten Garden to my TBR...
I loved The Forgotten Garden. Morton is a great storyteller.
800+ is a considerable amount too! The Outlander books I have also have small and condensed print compared to average books. When I compared it to the book my boyfriend is currently reading it felt like he had one of those books intended for people with poor eyesight :P
Oh, and I really enjoyed The Forgotten Garden too?
For anyone considering reading The Martian, I saw several reviews that didn't like all the technical talk. There is a lot at times, but it is an integral part of the story (a lot of it is fascinating). I think listening to it would have helped those people. Also, R.C. Bray is doing an amazing job narrating! The sarcastic wit, frustration, and woohoo moments really come alive.
j'mom - I listened to the Martian and thought there was far too much technical stuff. There was just too much math involved, which wasn't interesting to me. The problem with the audio is that you can't skim over those parts. I thought the rest of the story was good and the narrator did a great job, but I felt that the math/technical parts just took away from the story for me, personally. I know plenty of other people that had no issue with the amount of technical information though, and some of them listened to it and others read it. I guess it's just a matter of taste.
Yeah, I think enjoyment of any book is a matter of taste. No matter if everyone you know raves about a book, there might be one aspect that makes it not so great for you. I've had that happen several times because of my pet peeves.
Peggy wrote: "After 3 weeks or so, I finally finished book 4 in the Outlander series, Drums of Autumn. It was 1070 pages, and although I really enjoyed it, I'm glad I can read something else now. I'..."Wow, Peggy. Congratulations on finishing DofA. I have yet to get back to it. I agree - you need something short and mindless. If you are reading the Iron Druid series, I thought book 3, Hammered was absolutely great, although Janice did not like it as much as the first two. The first one was short and sweet and you can laugh at the dog! I don't have anything else to suggest off hand.
I have been listening to the Outlander books on audio (Drums of Autumn is my current one), but I have sooooo many others that I want to listen to, including The Martian and A Prayer for Owen Meany. There is just no time to get it all done.I liked The Forgotten Garden a lot too. Lisa - I cannot believe how fast you tromped through Station Eleven. I am still trying to wrap my way throuth Bellman & Black, but I admit it is not on the top of my list. I have two shorter books to finish to kill off the level I am on and then I will wrap it up befor the toppler gets here.
Peggy wrote: "800+ is a considerable amount too! The Outlander books I have also have small and condensed print compared to average books. When I compared it to the book my boyfriend is currently reading it felt..."I saw a woman at a table beside us in the restaurant who was reading a very chunky book. She was flipping through the pages pretty fast and I could see from where I was sitting that the font was easy on the eyes. I was envious. I was also dying to know what she was reading, but thought it would be forward of me to ask.
jaxnsmom wrote: "For anyone considering reading The Martian, I saw several reviews that didn't like all the technical talk. There is a lot at times, but it is an integral part of the story (a lot o..."I'll be reading to it on audiobook for the toppler. I'd heard some people say that they found the technical parts to be a bit mundane. Others didn't mind it. I shall see.
What catagory are you reading it for, Janice?
Janice wrote: "jaxnsmom wrote: "For anyone considering reading The Martian, I saw several reviews that didn't like all the technical talk. There is a lot at times, but it is an integral part of t..."I actually got caught up in some of the technical stuff. I started picturing in my mind how the techno speak translated into reality.
Cherie - there's a "Dammit Jim" line in it for you :)
Cherie, that would have been a good idea! I read book 1, but could have started book 2. I started Welcome to the World Baby Girl yesterday after all, it's a bit long, but at least it's light. And it's more efficient in terms of the series challenge ;-)Janice, I always try to glimpse people's book titles too :D
Cherie wrote: "I have been listening to the Outlander books on audio (Drums of Autumn is my current one), but I have sooooo many others that I want to listen to, including The Martian..."'Station Eleven' was pretty addictive reading Cherie. I completely understand about 'Bellman and Black' not being a priority. I found I had to force myself to keep reading it each day.
If you haven't read anything by Sarah Waters you are missing out. Fingersmith is the best and is totally awesome. I just finished The Paying Guests and it was maybe not quite as awesome, but it was certainly another 5-star read. I encourage y'all to check her stuff out.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Did Martin rip part of your heart out in vook 1 Janice or Debra"Travis, I agree with everything you said in your spoiler, especially about the wolf."
Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Did Martin rip part of your heart out in vook 1 Janice or Debra""
Ditto on your spoiler, too, Janice.
Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "The nice thing with game of thrones is what comes around goes around. I was thinking on it and I can't think of one character who doesnt have at least one bad thing happen to ..."That's what I'm afraid of, and what I look forward to. LOL!
I'm waiting on the next book and I'm afraid and excited at the same time, Janice.
Travis, I know what you mean about the details. Blah, blah, blah, get on with it, already. But it sets the atmosphere of the world they are living in.
Cherie wrote: "I agree with your comments, Travis. The clothing used to crack me up, but over time, it became one of the things that made everything so unique. Some of the details drag and some of them just mak..."I agree, Cherie!
Janice wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Arya eventually gonna be singing "I been around the world and aye aye aye" i don't even know where she is at this point. Hope she is still alive but kind of lose trackafter a ..."As long as she keeps sticking them with the pointy end, she'll be fine.
I love that stick em with the pointy end quote. Made me laugh.
Janice wrote: "Next up: Twelve Years a Slave. ..."I saw the movie and that was more than I could handle. Don't think I could do the book, too.
Janice wrote: "Peggy wrote: "800+ is a considerable amount too! The Outlander books I have also have small and condensed print compared to average books. When I compared it to the book my boyfriend is currently r..."Never! Jeez. As long as you don't interrupt forever and just say "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you really look like you're enjoying that book and I was wondering what it was?" Or something. I'd be so chuffed!!
Now I'm reading Shattered, the most recent in the Iron Druid Chronicles. I'm finding I still think Oberon is the best character. He's a hoot, and now (view spoiler).
Debra wrote: "Now I'm reading Shattered, the most recent in the Iron Druid Chronicles. I'm finding I still think Oberon is the best character. He's a hoot, and now [spoilers removed]."I thought the arcdruid was quite an entertaining addition to this episode
Travis of NNY wrote: "I thought the arcdruid was quite an entertaining addition to this episode "Yes, and the story is told from 3 different points-of-view. (view spoiler)
Burned through 2/3 of Thunderhead yesterday. Little disappointed in myself as I planned to read this before #3 in Prndergast. Oh well way too late for that. Before #4 will have to be good enough. I had good intentions of getting the back story of Nora Kelly first really I did.
Starting Calling Me Home for a buddy read today and hoping to finish The Hidden Ones in the next few days. It's really good, but I had to put it aside for other book obligations, so I'm looking forward to getting back to it.
Cherie wrote: "What catagory are you reading it for, Janice?"Couples - Gene Roddenbury and somebody-or-other: Science Fiction.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Burned through 2/3 of Thunderhead yesterday. Little disappointed in myself as I planned to read this before #3 in Prndergast. Oh well way too late for that. Before #4 will have to b..."Can't remember Nora Kelly showing up in the Pendergast series, but I may have just forgotten.
Rusalka wrote: "Never! Jeez. As long as you don't interrupt forever and just say "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you really look like you're enjoying that book and I was wondering what it was?" Or something. I'd be so chuffed!! "I know I wouldn't mind if some stranger walked up to me and asked me what I was reading. I've had interesting discussions with people in the seat beside me on planes. But I'm a bit of a chicken.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Burned through 2/3 of Thunderhead yesterday. Little disappointed in myself as I planned to read this before #3 in Prndergast. Oh well way too late for that. Before #4 will have to b..."Consider it a prequel, then.
Debra wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Burned through 2/3 of Thunderhead yesterday. Little disappointed in myself as I planned to read this before #3 in Prndergast. Oh well way too late for that. Be..."She has a fair sized role in Cabinets of Curiosity
Travis of NNY wrote: "She has a fair sized role in Cabinets of Curiosity "Ahhh, it has been too long since I read the earlier ones. I would like to go back and do them all over again sometime!
Thunderhead is reported to be a standalone book. I think it was one of my first Preston/Childs books. I was surprised that Nora Kelly was one of the main characters in The Cabinet of Curiosities. When I reviewed Cabinet, I recommended that people read Thunderhead first because it gives the backstory to Nora. There were quite a few references to that book in Cabinet. William Smithback is also in both books as well as book 1 and 2, I believe. I imagine the reason Thunderhead is not included in the series is that Pendergast isn't in it.
Trying to finish The Hobbit! The version I got from the library is a pocket edition :( I don't think I will ever get a pocket edition again..tiny writing :(
As I think about it I read Csbinet as a toppler book in October. I realized the references were coming from Thunderhead and was like crap I can't fit thunderhead for the task and I'm into the book far ebough I can't set it down because it's a toppler and I can't throw out pages already read just because.
Janice wrote: "Thunderhead is reported to be a standalone book. I think it was one of my first Preston/Childs books. I was surprised that Nora Kelly was one of the main characters in The Cabinet of Curiosities. When I reviewed Cabinet, I recommended that people read Thunderhead first because it gives the backstory to Nora. There were quite a few references to that book in Cabinet. William Smithback is also in both books as well as book 1 and 2, I believe. I imagine the reason Thunderhead is not included in the series is that Pendergast isn't in it.."Now that you mention it, I do vaguely remember that. If I ever get around to rereading the Pendergast series, I will also reread Thunderhead.
Now I'm rereading one of the best werewolf books, which doesn't read like a horror story (it's more introspective and psychological), The Last Werewolf. I'm rereading it because I can't remember much of it and I want to read the rest of the trilogy.
I've been slogging my way through Caribbean and it's not really holding my attention. I love Michener, but this book reads more like a text book than a novel. Plus it's more like vignettes than a cohesive tour through the history of the islands. I'm going to set it aside and start Life After Life tonight for the group read. Then, the toppler. I may come back to Caribbean in a couple of weeks.
Janice wrote: "I've been slogging my way through Caribbean and it's not really holding my attention. I love Michener, but this book reads more like a text book than a novel. Plus it's more like vig..."Michener can be a bit wordy and he gets lost in the details at times. Still I know I enjoyed reading him a long time ago.
Just realized if I buy and read Time and Again. I can double whammy the months theme and challenge. So I did. Just started
I finished Station Eleven for a buddy read. Now I'm moving on to the monthly challenge with The Water Knife.
Debra wrote: "Michener can be a bit wordy and he gets lost in the details at times. Still I know I enjoyed reading him a long time ago. .."I'm learning that books/authors that I really enjoyed years ago don't necessarily hold the same appeal for me now. But in reading other reviews for this book, I hear others making similar comments - reads like a text book, each island is separate chapter, loss of storytelling narrative. Maybe it was problematic in that the Caribbean has so many islands with individual histories that don't mesh with each other.
Travis - There are only two books in the Time series. Not trying to discourage you from reading the book, I thought it was a great story, but not good for your series hopes.
I just started
. I really like this series. They are easy to read and I find they are entertaining :) I think I may be biased when it comes to books that have anything to do with dogs ;)...well except for
. That was not a good book, unfortunately:-(
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
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’Salem’s Lot (other topics)
Insurgent (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Shirley Jackson (other topics)Oscar Wilde (other topics)
Shirley Jackson (other topics)
Nell Bernstein (other topics)
Joyce Reardon (other topics)
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Tomorrow I will be starting The Forgotten Garden which will be my first Kate Morton novel.