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[[deleted user]]

The first real reviews of The Casual Vacancy are starting to appear, without the flashing lights.

[Chrissie]

Gundula, I think you are absolutely right in not starting a new thread. In the past I have had little contact with such impolite behavior. It saddens me and darkens my view of GR. I don't think I am alone with this. GR staff should wake up. Clearly, they want to make all decisions. Now lets see what they do. Will nothing change? Will they make it possible to block GIFs? What kind of a site do they want to have? That will be interesting to see.

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "Gundula, I think you are absolutely right in not starting a new thread. In the past I have had little contact with such impolite behavior. It saddens me and darkens my view of GR. I don't think I a..."

Two things might happen:

1. Another hate-fest (and some of the anti-GIFs crowd have unfortunately been just as bad if not at times even worse than the pro-GIFs crowd, sigh)

2. I might get in hot water come Monday for creating a new thread after Kara had previously closed comments on the other thread (and after reading some of the rants and insults in the thread you created, I can actually now sort of understand why the feedback thread was closed).



But I think this has been one of the first times someone (or a group of people) have actually attempted to ask for a way to block GIFs. What I am probably going to do (and you should know that the wheels of change turn slowly) is wait and see and if in few weeks or so there has been no changes or no announcements, I might start another thread, one specifically and only asking for the option of being able to disable or block GIFs.

[Lisa]

Jeannette wrote: "The first real reviews of The Casual Vacancy are starting to appear, without the flashing lights."

Yay! I'm waiting to read any until I've finished and reviewed the book. I don't want to be influenced. At the rate I'm going, I'll be lucky to finish by the end of next weekend.

[Lisa]

Gundula, You wouldn't get in any trouble if you started a new thread without mentioning the closed one. I don't think. But I don't know what kinds of posts would appear in it. I think I actually posted on that thread, but without reading more than a couple posts in it. May I ask: What kinds of things were being posted from each side? I don't see why it couldn't have been a civil discussion. It doesn't seem as fraught with emotion as some other issues here. Even though I don't like the bells & whistles, I don't hate them so much that I feel mean about it. I just wish there was a way to not see that, but if there isn't, I'll scroll.

Of course, most of us here are more mature about things than some members, thankfully %age wise few.

[Chrissie]

Gundula, what you have planned is wonderful. I support you completely.

[Manybooks]

Lisa wrote: "Gundula, You wouldn't get in any trouble if you started a new thread without mentioning the closed one. I don't think. But I don't know what kinds of posts would appear in it. I think I actually po..."

Just a bunch of nastiness, with name calling, expletives and suggestions of hate literature and the like (not all of the posts, but enough to certainly make the atmosphere rather nasty). And that is my main reason for not being keen on starting a new thread on GIFs; it would likely degenerate into an online shouting match.

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "Gundula, what you have planned is wonderful. I support you completely."

Just remind me in a few weeks to start a thread if nothing has been done :-)

[Chrissie]

Gundula, as I stated before, I think it is best to wait a while.

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "Gundula, as I stated before, I think it is best to wait a while."

I definitely agree with that.

[[deleted user]]

Just started "Lawman" by Diana Palmer

[Tracey]

Gundula wrote: "Just a bunch of nastiness, with name calling, expletives and suggestions of hate literature and the like (not all of the posts, but enough to certainly make the atmosphere rather nasty). And that is my main reason for not being keen on starting a new thread on GIFs; it would likely degenerate into an online shouting match..."

If you ever feel like a fight, just go into the group and utter the magic words "half stars". >poof!< Instant fury and hatred.

Reading: I needed a break from "duty reads" for Netgalley and such; some of the books have been good, but even some of the good ones have been just ... fine. I gave up for a while and spent the week with Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson books; I'd read the first three and collected the other three, and I've blown through the whole series at a rate of about one a day (just started #6). And it's been wonderful, like a battery recharge. I do love Briggs.

[Covingtoncat73]

I just finished Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. It was wonderful. The payoff when he starts wrapping the stories up is worth it.

I am now reading The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt. I'm enjoying it so far but am only about 8% in due to this being a busy Monday.

[Aoibhínn]

I've finished reading by John Grisham last night and this morning I've started by Christopher Ransom.

[Chrissie]

I finished Empires of Sand - an exciting, plot-driven adventure story!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will now startRules of Civility, an audiobook, and The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: A Jewish Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World, a paperback.

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie wrote: "I will now startRules of Civility, an audiobook, and The Man in the..."

I look forward to following your progress through Rules of Civility. Who's the narrator?

[[deleted user]]

I just finished Footsteps in the Dark. I am reading The Willows for a group read, and will be starting Terry Pratchett's new book, Dodger

[Chrissie]

Jeanette, it is Rebecca Lowman.

[[deleted user]]

I just listened to a sample. She's young, but it sounds all right. I think she'll do justice to Katey Kontent.

[Manybooks]

I am reading a quite good and engaging YA book about a rather spoiled sixteen year old Toronto girl who is transported back to the time of the Acadian Expulsion (app. 1755), Winds of L' Acadie (not only an exciting, often poignant story, with one of my favourite YA plot devices, time travel, this book also manages to incorporate much historical information about both the Acadians and the expulsion of the Acadians by the British, one of the darkest and most troubling acts in Canadian history).

[Chrissie]

Jeanette, some friends have listened to the audiobook and disliked the narrator; others had no objections.

I just get a little worried because I think immediately that the choice of words and thoughts of the protagonist seem off to me. I know, I am not very clear. I have just begun, so give me a chance to sink into it.

[[deleted user]]

I know that I enjoyed "reading" this book, because I could take my time to think about what was just said, how it was phrased. I could go back and re-read a line, if necessary. I hope listening to it works out. Once you get into the story, and out of the art gallery, it should sound more natural.

[Chrissie]

Jeanette, I want to like it. Everybody else likes it...... I don't want to be an oddball all the time.

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "Jeanette, I want to like it. Everybody else likes it...... I don't want to be an oddball all the time."

Chrissie, if you don't like it, you don't like it, and that does not make you an or the oddball either :-)

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie wrote: "Jeanette, I want to like it. Everybody else likes it...... I don't want to be an oddball all the time."

You've just started, so I don't think you should be worrying about it just yet, Chrissie. I'm often the odd-man-out, too, but it's no biggie. I hope you enjoy it once you get into the story.

[Jemidar]

We should embrace our individuality. I mean, who wants to be one of the sheep?

[[deleted user]]

Yep! You got that right! And, to each their own as their individual tastes dictate. I, mean, it's lovely when a friend loves the book you love, but it's not as important as reading what suits you best. (Or more important than the friendship!)

[Jemidar]

I've got a friend going ga-ga over 50 Shades of Grey at the moment, and while I'm sick of hearing about it I will eventually forgive her for her gushing. LOL.

[Chrissie]

Re: Rules of CivilityWell, I have fallen in love with the depiction of NYC. I have lived there, years ago, and it all comes rushing back to me. NYC has a special feel, sound, smell and the author captures that.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I loved Rules of Civility.

I decided to give Nevada Barr another try even though I was disappointed with the last book I read in the series. Deep South was a great choice to get me out of my reading rut and I'm glad I have her another shot.

[Jessika]

I started Ghosts of the Titanic by Charles Pellegrino this morning, and wow! The first chapter really packed an emotional punch. I can't wait to keep reading.

I'm also still reading The Short Novels: Tortilla Flat/The Moon is Down/The Red Pony/Of Mice & Men/Cannery Row/The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I'm working my way through Cannery Row, which I started last night.

[Gabriella]

I'm reading 44 Scotland Street by Alexander mcCall Smith and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis. I only read the first two books of this series and I forgot what a joy they were.

[Chrissie]

Lee, I find that my original hesitance has changed. I absolutely adore the feeling the author creates of NYC! The similes are fantastic. I get so nostalgic.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm so glad, Chrissie!

[Chrissie]

Lee, :0) The writing - just read the about the Bergdorf fall window-settings! What imagination.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I think this book grew on me the longer I read it. It wasn't a wow from the beginning but I did end up loving it.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I'm about to start a mystery called The Hot Pink Farmhouse. It's the second in a series featuring an interesting pair of characters that I read a couple of years ago.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Okay, instead of continuing to look at dogs on Petfinder.com and falling in love, I decided to start a dog book. The Perfect Companion - Understanding, Training and Bonding with your Dog! is the one I'm reading first.

[Chrissie]

Lee, you are really thinking through you dog decision. :0) I am sure whatever you decide it will be right. It is those that buy a dog on a whim that are headed downhill. What is hard is that you don't really have the experience of having dogs. They always give you more than the effort you put in to them.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Reading about dog behaviour is helpful but it's difficult to know without ever having lived with a dog, if the training techniques are effective. The book I've started seems to focus on positive reinforcement. It's all so unfamiliar to me.

[Lisa]

With dogs, it's a question of training their people to behave in ways that will motivate dogs to "behave." 9/10 of dog training is people training. Before I adopted my dog, I read many books of all kinds, including the personalities and traits of different breeds, how to trian (positive reinforcement is great, usually!!) I read a lot because I'd never had a dog as part of my family.

Lee, How seriously are you thinking of getting a dog?

[Jamie]

I am currently reading "My Name is Memory" by Ann Brashares. Diving into the time travel genre!

[Helena]

I'm currently reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. Everyone at the yahoo book group, WeLove2Read, have raved about it and I felt it was time I read it! I also made it part of my TBR books for the year. :)

[[deleted user]]

Just started on Kindle "The House of Closed Doors" by Jane Steen and in paperback "The Valentine Two-Step" by Reanne Thayne

[[deleted user]]

I really enjoyed The House of Closed Doors. I hope you do, too, Becky.

[Jennifer]

I'm reading:
Kitty Foyle and The Caine Mutiny: A Novel of World War II , the latter on audio, and the narrator sounds a little like Bogie when he reads the Queeg character, which I can't help thinking is deliberate. Also reading A Brew to a Kill , The Paris Wife and The Sister Queens -- so I'm kind of all over the map at the moment!

[Chrissie]

I absolutely loved Rules of Civility!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will now start the audiobook Those Who Save Us and open The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World. I never started it because I could not stop listening to "Rules of Civility"! Remember? I thought it wouldn't work for me. Boy, was that erroneous.

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie wrote: "I absolutely loved Rules of Civility!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....."

That's fantastic, Chrissie! I'm off to read your review....

[Manybooks]

Chrissie wrote: "I absolutely loved Rules of Civility!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will now start the audiobook Those Who Save Us and open The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Fa..."

Let me know how you like Those Who Save Us (it's been on my to-read list for quite a while), ha).

[Chrissie]

Gundula, I have just begun. I should not open my mouth and say anything yet, but th minute I open a book I start thinking things.....

Jeanette, yes! We definitely agree on this one!