A Year of Books

[Ashley]

Well, as Carol pointed out, we passed the one-year mark! Hooray for us! I'm curious: What was your favorite book you read for the club, and which was your least favorite? To review, in Year One we read:

Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
Skippy Dies
A Dog's Purpose
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Remarkable Creatures
The Book Thief
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
The Violets of March
The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
Story of Beautiful Girl
Love in a Cold Climate
The Lonely Polygamist


For me, Violets of March was definitely the worst. Heck, even my mom, who picked it, thought it was crap. I think my favorite was Remarkable Creatures.

What about y'all?

[Carol]

Worst - Skippy Dies or Tarter Cuisine - no offense meant to anyone!!!
Best - A Dog's Purpose or The Book Thief

Couldn't decide, so you get two!!!

[Meghan]

least: Remarkable Creatures

best: A dog's Purpose and Lonely Polygamist

and man am I behind in this year's selections.

[Lauren]

Least favorite: The Violets of March
... although The Lonely Polygamist is a close second
(We should so hook up those two protagonists ... they deserve each other)

Favorite: Skippy Dies
Honorable mention to Remarkable Creatures (which was fascinating and led to me finally cracking open Age of Wonder, which is wondrous) and Love in a Cold Climate (How did I not read Nancy Mitford sooner?)

I will also admit that my own selection, Major Pettigrew, is low on my list. I was so disappointed by that book.

[Carol]

I'm intrigued by comments so far. We are a fascinating group of women, diverse in age, in backgrounds, in family history, education, employment, and who knows what other many differences we have.

Interesting to see one persons favorite will be another's worst, and anothers worst be anothers favorite.

I found myself going back and reading our comments to help me decide, and without getting hammered by Ashley and Mom, I really liked Violets of March. Don't hit me! But I did like it a lot. I figure you've heard enough from me about Our Friendly Polygamist, but it moved up a notch or two when it didn't cover all the bad stuff I've already amply covered. Keep writing. I'm enjoying this thread.

[Julie]

I liked Tartar Cuisine the best, followed by Skippy Dies and Remarkable Creatures.

My least fave was Story of Beautiful Girl.

I'm sorry I have been MIA on the discussions lately! Don't give up on me :)

[Cheryl]

I DISLIKED MAJOR PETTIGREW. I JUST COULDN'T GET INTO IT. SKIPPY WAS A CLOSE 2ND. I REALLY HATED THOSE CHARACTERS. I LIKED TARTAR CUISINE AND REMARKABLE CREATURES THE BEST. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO READING ALL THE BOOKS ON THE LIST THIS YEAR AS I'M NO LONGER A STUDENT AND WORKING ONLY PART TIME!

[Carol]

HOWDY LADIES! HAPPY SECOND ANNIVERSARY. Was looking at our list of books, and we passed our SECOND YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN JUNE! HOORAY FOR US. Appears we've lost quite a few, but it's been a fun ride reading with those of you that are still here.

Hey, How is Julie and baby doing? Been thinking about them a lot, and hope all is well!!! See ya soon.

[Cheryl]

WHAT EXACTLY HAVE WE READ THIS YEAR?????

[Carol]

These are the ones we've read since Ashley made the list above. So I have a few in the next year.


When Washington Was in Vogue
State of Wonder
Luncheon of the Boating Party
Galway Bay
Blind Decent
Half Broke Horses
Unexpectedly, Milo
A Winter Palace: Novel of Catherine the Great
Little Bee
The World Before Her
Beauty Queens
Revenge of the Radioactive Lady (this week's)

I enjoyed our input last year when we all put the one(s) we liked the most and the least. Want to do that again????

My two favorites were Half Broke Horses and State of Wonder, least favorite When Washington Was in Vogue and Beauty Queens.....next....

[Julie]

Hi Carol- thanks for thinking of me! Baby Samuel and I are doing so well. I am tired but very happy. I know I have your email somewhere- but can you repost? I would be happy to send a pic!

[Cheryl]

I LOVED HALF BROKE HORSES HANDS DOWN. GALWAY BAY WAS GOOD BUT IT NEEDED AN EDITING JOB. UNEXPECTEDLY MILO WAS THE WORST.

[Carol]

Julie - my email is cajonesdoa@juno.com. Delighted to hear that you all are doing well. How is your stepdaughter doing. Is she lovin the new one or is she kinda jealous. Hope it is just perfect for you all. You are missed.....come back when you can.

[Ashley]

My favorite was Little Bee. Luncheon of the Boating Party bored me to death--I just couldn't get into it--but I think Unexpectedly, Milo was the worst-written novel of the bunch.

Honorable mention to State of Wonder and Beauty Queens. And maybe World Before Her, the more I think about it . . .

[Alisha]

I missed a lot of these. Just one more year of grad school, and then maybe I can come back full time!

Of what I read, Halfbroke Horses was the best. Unexpectedly, Milo was the worst. I wanted to quit reading it so many times, but couldn't because it was my terrible pick!

[Lauren]

I enjoyed everything I read for Reader's Ink this year. I don't know if I could pick a favorite ...