Red Dress Ink Fans discussion
Challenges
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THE SPRING/SUMMER CHALLENGE (April 1 - June 30)
Books I've read so far:List C
Some Girls Are
Just Listen
Total points: 20
Just finished the Wedding Girl. I still can't get that into any of Madeleine Wickham's books...I mean they are unique and a little twisted and definitely unpredictable but I don't know sometimes they drag for me. This one particularly had a good premise but the conflict seemed resolved somewhat easily. I guess I was looking for a littel more suspense. I do have to give the book props (and all hers so far in general) for tackling everday real life type problems. In that sense they aren't really exaggerated. Maybe I look for the more fantastical books...don't know. Next on my list is Cocktails for Three...we'll see if that changes my mind on the author. So far for me that's three books. 30 points.
Others I finished:
How to Sleep with a Movie Star
Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
(I reviewed them in previous posts if you are interested:))
I loved the Wedding Girl! I still have Sleeping Arrangements to read, did you know that she is the same person as Sophie Kinsella? It is interesting how her books can be so different when it is all the same person.
Alicia wrote: "I loved the Wedding Girl! I still have Sleeping Arrangements to read, did you know that she is the same person as Sophie Kinsella? It is interesting how her books can be so different when it is al..."I know I actually only found out they were the same last fall...that's what turned me onto MW...they are so so so different! But just shows her talent.
I actually liked Sleeping Arrangements better...just more going on I think...have you read Cocktails for Three or gatecrasher....they sound good based on the description....
Mod
She actually started out publishing under her real name and only used the SK name when she wanted to publish a different writing style, or something like that.
I read Cocktails for Three. I thought it was ok. I didn't like it enough to want to read any of her other stuff, though. However, I LOVE every book written under the Sophie Kinsella name! I think it's crazy how different they are.
Suzanne wrote: "I read Cocktails for Three. I thought it was ok. I didn't like it enough to want to read any of her other stuff, though. However, I LOVE every book written under the Sophie Kinsella name! I think i..."Same I love SK!! Her, Marian Keyes and Emily Giffin are my absolute faves and (I try not to but) compare everyone else to them:)
Mod
That's the one of hers that I read too. As you said Suzanne, it was ok, but not good enough to make me look for more of her books.
Task completed:List C: Nanny Returns – Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
I was very disappointed in this. I really enjoyed The Nanny & I felt in the sequel there was just too much going on.
Total Points: 40
I've managed to read two books so far:Nearlyweds by Beth Kendrick
I liked this one - very light and easy in a chick flick kind of way. The characters are not very deep at all, though, and the plot is a little contrived. But if you were looking for a good day-on-the-beach read, this would be a good choice.
The Pink Ghetto by Liz Ireland
I put this on my List C because it had been on my Goodreads TBR list for nearly 3 years. I couldn't ever find a copy of it in the bookstore or on PBS, but I finally found one at the library. It was worth the wait to read -- I absolutely loved it! I gave it four stars instead of five because the main character's icky roommate kept really getting on my nerves (and she was a little too obsessed over him), but I definitely enjoyed it.
That means I have 20 points total. Now I'm working on The Spellman Files which is hilarious so far.
Kristine wrote: "I just Finished Look Again, & was so surprised about the ending. It was about a woman who has an adopted son who looks like one of the kids on a "Your child is missing" sign."Oohhhhhh that sounds like something I may be into! Darn it my reading pile is too high!
I miss reading!!! I have not picked up a book all week! I brought a book here with me on my weekend job so hopefully I can carve out some time to dive in. Wish me luck!
I finished The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard. List B
I thought it was ok. I think I liked the idea of the book better than the book itself.
Okay so I finally finished Girl's Guide to Witchcraft
. I had a real hard time just getting it done...I think now that the characters are set up and I know the basic history of them, the next books might be interesting...I felt like there was a lot of extra, unneccessary info taking up 30 pages or so in random spots...I don't know..all in all it was okay and had a good idea just not executed as enjoyably as I'd hoped...4/30 Books Read
Now I"m onto, The Night I Got Lucky
. Hoping this one's better!!
I finished Chick Lit from List B. Chick Lit fans who are interested in a scholarly approach to the genre should definitely give it a read. Some of the essays were better than others, but it's overall a great analysis.10/300
Just finished
by Janet Evanovich... Fantastic as always- definitely recommend it!I believe I am at 4/30 now. Currently reading Heart of the Matter by E. Giffin, and started Bare Bones by K. Reichs (audio) today.
Mod
Nearlyweds by Beth Kendrick
I liked this one - very light and easy in a chick flick kind of way. The characters are not very deep at all, th..."
Jen I loved The Pink Ghetto! When I get to read about the behind the scenes stuff in industries that I'm interested in, I absolutely love it! It's been a few years since I read this book but I remember learning a lot of stuff about the (romance) publishing industry.
Mod
. I had a real hard time just getting it done...I think now that the characters are ..."Reading your review of Girl's Guide to Witchcraft reminded me of when I read it. I liked it, really liked some of the characters and the whole premise of the story, but you're absolutely right about some parts being un-necessary (and boring).
Mod
And it was easily a quick read - I really liked it. I haven't read a Beth Kendrick book that I didn't like. I really recommend adding this to your TBR list!
I just finished up two books between yesterday and today: One from List B, The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale from Behind the Hollywood Curtain and one rfom List C, The Night I Got Lucky.They were both really good! I definitely recommend reading The First Assistant (or listening to the unabridged audio...it was really fun to hear more than reading the first one) and it wraps up the story from the first book nicely with a couple added characters to spice up the Hollywood drama.
The Night I Got Lucky was excellent. I was kind of surprised by the story (mostly because I knew very little about the synopsis and was judging it by its cover:)) But it had a great moral and was still a fun, light and quick read.
That'd be my 5th and 6th book. 60/300 pts.
List BCatching Fire-Suzanne Collins
Total Points=30
Mod
Glad to hear the RDI book is good! I liked First Assistant too, and I remember thinking that I liked that one better than the first one as well.
Mod
Really great book! I love how the author keeps the reader just as clueless as the characters are as to who the killer is. And then all the twists and turns at the end! Excellent!
That makes two books/20 points for me.
List C - The Fedility Files - Jessica BrodyThe premise is great - wives hire a woman to test their husband to see if he is cheater - the 400 pages it took to get to the end was just a bit too much
50 points
List CBig Girl-Danielle Steel
Total Points=40
List CThe Last Song, Nicholas Sparks
Total Points: 30
List AThe Importance of Being Married – Gemma Townley
Total: 60 Points
I just finished two books from list A. Baby Proof
and The Art of French Kissing
.Baby Proof was (as I expected) excellent!! I was surprised by the ending after listening to the unabriged audio about 3/4 of the way through. Once again, EG throws minor connection so to her previous books in this novel (which must be her signature because I'm starting to notice it in many others. Did she do it in Love the One You're With?? It was my first, so I wouldn't have known.) As always, great characters and a conflicting story about relationships.
The Art of French Kissing was nowhere near as good as How to Sleep with a Movie Star but still enjoyable. It fell short somewhat in the middle, getting kind of repetitive but the end picked up and left me with a really good feeling. I have two more of her books on my lists so I look forward to more of her work.
I'd definitley recommend both books. Their quick reads and fun for any day of the week.
8/30 books
80/300 points
List CKissing Frogs in Cyberspace-Dianne Sweeney
Total points=50
Kristine wrote: "List AThe Importance of Being Married – Gemma Townley
Total: 60 Points"
How was this Gemma Townley book? I have it on my list and own about 3 of her books but still haven't read anything yet?
Just finished
by Wendy Markham and really enjoyed it.Markham has 5 books so far in the series (I am hoping there will be more), all titles starting with Slightly- (Single, Settled, Engaged, Married, Suburban) and I really enjoy the main character, Tracey. I definitely recommend the entire series!
6/30 books read
Also finished List C's
Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs. Love the Tempe Brennan series! It's forensic/mystery/detective, not chick lit; definitely recommend them.7/30 books read
Cathy wrote: "Kristine wrote: "List AThe Importance of Being Married – Gemma Townley
Total: 60 Points"
How was this Gemma Townley book? I have it on my list and own about 3 of her books but still haven..."
I liked this one so much more than the other book of hers that I just read (I can't remember the title - that tells you what I thought of it)- but it was for the UK Chick Lit group. It had a great ending - really unexpected. Apparently there are 3 books to the Jessica Wild series (this is the first one)
Kristine wrote: "Cathy wrote: "Kristine wrote: "List AThe Importance of Being Married – Gemma Townley
Good to know! I'll have to mooch it and read it for this challenge!
Ashley wrote: "Just finished by Wendy Markham and really enjoyed it. I have the first of this series on my List B also! I almost picked it up last week...I'll have to start it as my next book.
Mod
I loved this book Cathy! In fact, I put the sequel on List C because I've wanted to read it but just haven't been able to get to it.
Just finished Enchanted, Inc.
. I definitely want to read the sequels. It was such a fun, quick read . For anyone who misses shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch or Bewitched, this book falls somewhere in between the two and makes itself a nice little niche in the ChicK Lit/Magic/Witchcraft/Paranormal category.9 Books
90 Points
Mod
. I definitely want to read the sequels. It was such a fun, quick read . For anyone who misses shows like Sabrina the T..."I really liked this book too. I've been on the wait list forever for the rest of them on PBS. Just recently the 3rd one came available on GR's swap so I snapped that one up, and my library ordered the 4th one (at my request), now I just need the second one...
Stacy wrote: "Cathy wrote: "Just finished Enchanted, Inc. . I definitely want to read the sequels. It was such a fun, quick read . For anyone who misses shows like..."I don't know if you have a portale device like a blackberry, iphone/ipod or an ereader like the kindle, but you can download the second one from either:
http://www.ipmart-forum.com/showthrea...
or from:
www.4shared.com
I've heard it's pretty tought o get these books any other way...I've had no luck besides ebooks myself.
Looks like those books are now available on Kindle. Woohoo. They weren't a few months ago when I checked. I have read the first one and really enjoyed it.My plan to stick to my list and read books I own has so gone out the window. My in person book club has chosen My Horizontal Life by Chelesea Handler, and I started LA Candy by Lauren Conrad even though I have never watched The Hills, I just needed a YA fix. Hopefully I will get back on track soon.
Just finished Thyme Out or Second Thyme Around by Katie Fforde today..it was cute..took me a while to get into it but left me with a good feelin at the end. Ill likely check out more of her books.100 points
10 books
Mod
This was a really great story! Not your super typical chick lit. I could really see the main character as a real person dealing with real person problems. It was a pretty easy read, I think I started it on Sunday - between school, work and child, I really don't have much time to read anymore. With this book, I kept wanting to turn the pages to see how the story unfolded. I would've loved to have given it four and a half stars, it wasn't "amazing" enough to rate five, but it in my opinion, it rated more than four.
Just finished Bras & Broomsticks by S. Mlynowski- cute book, I didn't realize that it was young adult when I started it (was on my TR list from years ago), but it was a cute read anyway. On to the second one in the series.8/30 books read
List BJulia & Julia - Julie Powell
Total: 70
Mod
Julia & Julia - Julie Powell
Total: 70"
What did you think Kristine? Have you seen the movie yet? I wonder how closely it follows the book. I have the book and plan to read it someday, even though I've already seen the movie (and liked it).
Stacy wrote: "Kristine wrote: "List BJulia & Julia - Julie Powell
Total: 70"
What did you think Kristine? Have you seen the movie yet? I wonder how closely it follows the book. I have the book and plan..."
I liked the book. Not what I thought the book would be like, but it was interesting. I have her second book - Cleaved - that I want to read next. I food lit type books & this was a great one to read. I wish I could have given it 3.5 stars.... No, I haven't seen the movie. How large of a role does Meryl Streep play in the movie?
Mod
Julia & Julia - Julie Powell
Total: 70"
What did you think Kristine? Have you seen the movie yet? I wonder how closely it follows the book. I have the..."
Oh wow, I didn't know there was a second book, I'm going to have to add that to my TBR list.
I'd say Meryl Streep has a pretty large role. The movie goes back and forth between Julie's experiences in the "current" time to Julia's experiences "back in the day." It's very interesting, I really liked it. The more I think about it, I think I want to try to buy it. I would definitely watch it again.
Stacy wrote: "Kristine wrote: "Stacy wrote: "Kristine wrote: "List BJulia & Julia - Julie Powell
Total: 70"
What did you think Kristine? Have you seen the movie yet? I wonder how closely it follows the..."
I haven't read Cleaved yet, but it's in my pile. Now I want to read it! I'll just have to wait.
Red Dress Ink Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
A Total Waste of Makeup (other topics)An Ideal Wife (other topics)
The Importance of Being Married (other topics)
Exes and Ohs (other topics)
Secrets of a Shoe Addict (other topics)
More...
Little Bitty Lies, Mary Kay Andrews: 4/3/10
Baby Proof, Emily Griffin: 4/7/10
Total Points: 20