What are you reading: February, 2011

[Claire]

Pam wrote: "Shruti wrote: "I just finished In the Woods and was so pissed off about the ending I don't think I'm going to read any more of the series. Someone slipped and told m..."

Pam and Shruti, I agree re: In the Woods. I think she is a good writer and can tell a good story, but would have liked to have had the question answered!

[Mis_Reading]

@Flora: Really?! You liked Clockwork Angel? See, I couldn't really et into it at all! I was so bored with it! The characters all want to be Jace, Alec, Isabel, and Clary when they grow up! I just, I'm sorry, I just couldn't stand it, but I'm glad to hear other people do! I'd hate to hear that a favorite author writes a failing book!

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Beth wrote: "Kbrown wrote: "Beth wrote: "I just started Any Human Heart by William Boyd"

Flora wrote: "Just finished [book:Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Three Complete Novels of the Hainish Series ..."

LOL Karen, I've been watching Any Human Heart on PBS and love it! I've had the book on my TBR forever and watching the series inspired me to move it up. I'm doing it backwards but oh well, that happens sometimes. I'm loving the book too! Thank you, though, for letting me know. I do wish I would have read the book first but when I saw that the series was on PBS I just couldn't resist watching it!

I'm doing this one backwards too! I've been enjoying the PBS series.

[nancy]

I just finished "Room". I was hesitant start it but then couldn't put it down. Our book group also read "Catcher in the Rye" and discussed the two "voices"..it made for a terrific comparison.
I'm now in the middle of Mary Kerr's "Lit"--She's an amazing writer with a hell of a story to tell.
I'm near the end of "To the End of the Land"..it's been a long slog for me but I sense it will be worth it. It's so shocking to know how David Grossman's life mirrored the book he was writing.

[Wendy]

Nicole wrote: "Vanessa, so sorry to hear about your fall! We just got another 15+ inches of snow where I live and I'll take that over ice any day!

I'm reading for ..."

Nicole- loved that book I could hardly believe that they really did foot binding-- crazy stuff. Her other books are also good

[Vanessa]

Shruti wrote: "Ellie wrote: I love all 3 but the 2nd (The Likeness) is my least favorite. So if you're having doubts, you could go to the third Faithful Place without spoiling anything, I don't think.
But then I ..."

French, I think, is such a good writer. I enjoy her characters so much that I forget they are characters.

I was also really disappointed by the ending of In the Woods because of the thread she left untethered. I do think her other books are good though, Faithful Place is actually my favorite out of her current books, though The Likeness comes in a really close second. It does seem that she needs to work on her endings but I'm willing to stick around.

[Vanessa]

Shruti wrote: "Vanessa - hope you end up liking it. :)
Pam - glad I'm not the only one who felt that way about the ending!
Ellie - I think I'm going to skip the Likeness since I know the ending, but I will recons..."

Awww... The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is a book that I've been wanting to read for some time. Is there anything in particular that made you not like it?

[Shruti morethanmylupus]

Vanessa wrote: "Awww... The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is a book that I've been wanting to read for some time. Is there anything in particular that made you not like it? "

I didn't feel any connection to the characters. She jumped the story by skipping many years, so it felt fragmented to me. It also seemed like there were a lot of characteristics of her characters that she hinted at but she didn't fully develop most of them. To be honest, I didn't really even feel like I felt I knew the narrator by the end. Even the premise didn't feel fully explored.

Judging by the reviews posted so far, though, it seems to be a book that people either love or hate so you should definitely read it and see for yourself!

[Vanessa]

Shruti wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "Awww... The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is a book that I've been wanting to read for some time. Is there anything in particular that made you not like it? "

I didn't feel any ..."

That's disappointing but thanks. I will decide whether or not to read it myself, I always do. It's just not as high a priority as some other books now. :)