2011 Group Challenge Showing 351-400 of 1,212

[Becky]

248. Happy Ever After-Nora Roberts

[Beth]

Tara wrote: "Kourtney wrote: "240. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

SO GOOD! I can't wait to get home and start reading the next one!"

I LOVED that series too!"

I don't want to give away spoilers, but what did you all think of the last book in "The Hunger Games" series, especially the ending? I was warned ahead of time that the ending was dark, but I was still surprised it went as dark as it did. I thought, especially since it was YA, that it would be a bit more positive.

[Kourtney]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! DON'T SAY ANYMORE!!!!!!!! I can't read ANY spoilers because I already ruined the Me & Emma grand twist at the end...stupid me I was flipping through Me & Emma to ensure the person who sent it to me didn't leave anything in it, and the stupid reader guide at the end had the surprise twist listed...of course my eyes went RIGHT to it. GRRR!!!

[Kourtney]

Beth wrote: "Tara wrote: "Kourtney wrote: "240. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

SO GOOD! I can't wait to get home and start reading the next one!"

I LOVED that series too!"

I don't want to give away spoil..."

PS - now I want to get to the end of the series EVEN MORE than I did before! :) Beth, you have my mind racing as to how it all could end, and I'm still at the beginning of book 2. I am so impatient!!!

[Jen B]

Did anyone else find The Hunger Games as deeply disturbing as I did? I started it when I was about 8 months pregnant and quickly realized that I was way too much of a hormonal, emotional wreck to make it through the book. So I picked it up when my son was about 6 months old and finished it. Poor Rue was almost my undoing...I cried like a baby. I might've liked the book a lot more before I had kids, but it left me deeply disturbed to the point where I actually had a nightmare from it. Needless to say I haven't felt compelled to pick up the others yet. I will eventually, but I have to gear myself up for it. And probably buy more tissues.

[Tara]

Kourtney wrote: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! DON'T SAY ANYMORE!!!!!!!! I can't read ANY spoilers because I already ruined the Me & Emma grand twist at the end...stupid me I was flipping through Me & Em..."

Oh no! You still have to read it though.

[Tara]

249. Switched-Amanda Hocking
250. Demonglass-Rachel Hawkins

[Kourtney]

Jen B wrote: "Did anyone else find The Hunger Games as deeply disturbing as I did? I started it when I was about 8 months pregnant and quickly realized that I was way too much of a hormonal, emotional wreck to m..."

I didn't want to rush out a reply to this when I read it Jen since you got my mind working around POV's when reading a book. I can tell you being about 100 pages through book 2, you may want to avoid reading the last 2 until both of your kids are out of the house (but before the grandkids start rolling in!)

I can say with certainty that I was not disturbed when I read The Hunger Games. Yesterday I couldn't put my finger on why it didn't affect me. All I could come up with was that the whole time I was reading it, I knew it was fiction. Books like Helter Skelter and Columbine had me disturbed to the point where I was freaked out that people were going to kill me. But The Hunger Games reminded me of Lord of the Flies and Harry Potter (don't ask me why as I don't know this either! I think it is the whole kids having to save themselves without parents), and there is some comfort in the classics (YES HP IS A CLASSIC!) The only problem with this line of thinking is that it is flawed - that Rob Zombie movie about that house with the crazy people in it? Someone help me out here...well anyways that was a work of fiction but it left me beyond disturbed that there are people in this world that think like that even for entertainment sake!

So bottom line? I don't think it was because of the hormones, it's just your POV at the time of reading. You are married with 2 kids, and I'm a bitter single girl who would love to throw my ex's in the arena. Yet if you brought me a book about dogs being in the arena (such as The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption) I can't read it, even though it's sitting on my shelf. Caring for my dog who was abused and volunteering now at the shelter have altered the way I read books about dogs now. All about the POV...

[Kourtney]

251. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

MUST...READ...BOOK...THREE...NOW...

[Tara]

Kourtney wrote: "251. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

MUST...READ...BOOK...THREE...NOW..."

LOL! It's a GREAT series! Just wait for The Hunger Games movie that's coming out. :)

[Suzanne]

I loved The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I didn't really care for Mockingjay that much. I found the books disturbing, and I kept thinking about them for a long time after I read them. But I agree with Kourtney... I am a bitter single girl too & I have no kids, so it didn't affect me the way it affected Jen. I also agree that I just kept in mind that it was fiction. I thought the idea of the Hunger Games was fascinating (especially the arena), but I wouldn't want it to actually happen in real life! If that makes sense. I cannot wait for the movie!

[Beth]

Sorry Kourtney! I was actually happy that someone I knew clued me in because I think I would've been upset about the ending if I didn't know the tone in advance.
But no more, I promise!

So just hurry up and read the dang books so then we can talk about it :)

[Beth]

On an somewhat related note, has anyone read any books by either HP Mallory (paranormal romance, but I don't think they're YA) or Amanda Hocking (YA paranormal romance)? If so, which series (they each have a couple) and would you recommend?

I'm not a huge reader of YA or paranormal, but I've read the Twilight Series (don't get me started on the last book in that one!) and Hunger Games, so I'm willing to venture into those genres if they're really good books.

[Suzanne]

Beth- I have not read either of those series. I like paranormal sometimes, but I'm not a huge fan. I LOVE YA though and read a lot of YA books. Have you read Paranormalcy or Hex Hall? I highly recommend both of those!

[Becky]

252. Can You Keep a Secret? Sophie Kinsella

[Tara]

253. Bitter is the New Black-Jen Lancaster

[Cathy]

254. Tales from the Yoga Studio: A Novel by Rain Mitchell

Pretty good - you definitely get more into the characters by the books end:)

[Becky]

Tara wrote: "253. Bitter is the New Black-Jen Lancaster"

LOVED this book...

[Stacy]

255. Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase
256. Darkness Under the Sun
257. Sweet Love
258. A Total Waste of Makeup

Vacation time on the beach is GREAT for reading!!!!

[Tara]

Stacy wrote: "248. Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase
249. [book:Darkness Under the Sun|924..."

Do you have Pretty in Plaid the actual book or was it a Nook book? If it's regular I want to Mooch it from you if you're getting rid of it.

[Stacy]

Tara wrote: "Stacy wrote: "248. Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase
249. [book:Darkness Unde..."

I do have the actual book. I'm actually keeping these, but you're welcome to borrow it.

[Tara]

Stacy wrote: "Tara wrote: "Stacy wrote: "248. Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase
249. [book..."

Ok. I may borrow it at some point. I have been waiting for the library to get it but it has said "on order" for months now! UGH! Damn library. :)

[Suzanne]

So, it says on my Goodreads 2011 reading challenge that I'm 11 books behind! They must have just added that. Doesn't look like I'll reach 100 books this year.

[Kourtney]

Psssst Stacy - your numbers are off! And how did you like A Total Waste of Makeup? One of my FAVORITE books!

259. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Ok Beth! You had me so curious as to how it ended, I stayed up until 12:30am to finish it! We can now discuss, unless someone jumps up and says not to!

[Ashley]

Does the book read have to be chick lit?

[Cathy]

260. The Scent of Jade by Dee DeTarsio

[Kourtney]

Ashley wrote: "Does the book read have to be chick lit?"

For this list, or for Suzanne's?

[Kourtney]

261. Valentine Princess by Meg Cabot

[Stacy]

Kourtney wrote: "Psssst Stacy - your numbers are off! And how did you like A Total Waste of Makeup? One of my FAVORITE books!

259. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Ok Beth! You had me so curious as to how it ende..."

Ok, seriously. I just fixed it and when I looked and saw how far off I was, I totally laughed out loud at myself. I knew my brain was fried from yesterday but I didn't think it was THAT bad. Wow. LOL!

[Stacy]

Ashley wrote: "Does the book read have to be chick lit?"

If you're talking about this list, no, it doesn't. I just wanted to see if we, as a group, could read 1000 books during the year.

[Stacy]

Suzanne wrote: "So, it says on my Goodreads 2011 reading challenge that I'm 11 books behind! They must have just added that. Doesn't look like I'll reach 100 books this year."

I think they just added that cuz mine says I'm four books ahead. I like it, it gives me a little extra satisfaction that I'm ahead of my goal (I was not as brave as you to choose 100, LOL!) and if I get behind, I think it'll be my motivation pusher.

[Stacy]

Kourtney wrote: "Psssst Stacy - your numbers are off! And how did you like A Total Waste of Makeup? One of my FAVORITE books!

259. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Ok Beth! You had me so curious as to how it ende..."

And my brain is still fried, forgot to answer your question. I LOVED it!!! I loved Charlie and Drew and Andy and Dawn and Jordan and Charlie's parents and great grandma! Can't wait to read the second one. I have a couple books I just borrowed from the library to read on my nook that I have to get to before I can start it though. :(

[Kourtney]

261 and 1/2: Project Princess by Meg Cabot

This was more like a pamphlet than an actual book (only 50 pages), so I'll sneak it in under a 1/2 point.

(Next person - just go with 262!!!)

[Beth]

Kourtney wrote:
259. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Ok Beth! You had me so curious as to how it ende..."

So what did you think? Were you surprised that the ending was as dark and cynical as it was? I was warned that it was dark, but I was still surprised. I don't think I would've been quite as surprised if this was an adult book, bit I didn't think YA books were supposed to be that cynical!

[Kristin (Kritters Ramblings)]

262. My One and Only by Kristan Higgins

[Kourtney]

Beth wrote: "Kourtney wrote:
259. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Ok Beth! You had me so curious as to how it ende..."

So what did you think? Were you surprised that the ending was as dark and cynical as it wa..."

To start out, I would NEVER let my child read a book like that because I don't think they would understand a lot of the subtext I took away from it regarding government and politics, etc. Plus I wouldn't want them to have nightmares...

As far as the ending, I didn't think it was all that dark...BUT it was because I was expecting MUCH worse! When you told me it was a dark ending, my imagination got the best of me in an effort to "prepare" me, so it felt almost a bit of relief that it ended the way it did (plus I predicted the last person Katniss shot so YAY FOR ME!)

I didn't like who ended up with who though...that irritated me a bit. Trying not to give anything away (SO LOOK AWAY THOSE THAT HAVEN'T READ IT!) but here is this explosive end then BLAMMO nice tidy bow. Given all 3 books, I NEVER thought that would happen...just feels like settling to me...

And I'm in love with Finnick. Can I have a crush on a fictional character?

[Kourtney]

263. Room by Emma Donoghue

[Ashley]

Kourtney wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Does the book read have to be chick lit?"

For this list, or for Suzanne's?"

For this list. I read a book by James Rollins... Can I add it to this running list?

[Ashley]

264. Ice Hunt by James Rollins

[Beth]

Kourtney said: Can I have a crush on a fictional character?

Yes, you can have a crush on a fictional character. It happens to me all the time :)

There was an interview with the author in today's NYTs if you're interested. Apparently her agent was a little upset with the ending of Book 3 also.

[Ashley]

265. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

[Kourtney]

Beth wrote: "Kourtney said: Can I have a crush on a fictional character?

Yes, you can have a crush on a fictional character. It happens to me all the time :)

There was an interview with the author in today'..."

Strange enough, that part didn't bother me. I'm on the side of the author on that note...it was even after all that bothered me (sort of like the epilogue).

[Becky]

266. Sweet Little Lies By Lauren Conrad

[Tara]

267. Bright Lights, Big Ass-Jen Lancaster

[Becky]

268. The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik

[Kourtney]

269. Fendi, Ferragamo, & Fangs - Julie Kenner, Johanna Edwards, Serena Robar

Meh...

[Kristin (Kritters Ramblings)]

270. The Martini Diet by Jennifer Sander
271. Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

[Kristin (Kritters Ramblings)]

Just a thought - i wonder if any of us have read the same book during the year.

[Stacy]

Kourtney wrote: "269. Fendi, Ferragamo, & Fangs - Julie Kenner, Johanna Edwards, Serena Robar

Meh..."

Not good, I have that one.

[Stacy]

Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) wrote: "Just a thought - i wonder if any of us have read the same book during the year."

I'm sure that has happened more than a few times since most of us like to read the same stuff. :)