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Post by #notLauren on Oct 8, 2018 19:34:32 GMT
If you read an anthology, for example, "The Complete Works of _____________________", that contains five novels, do you consider it reading one book or five? For me, definitely 5 books. You just happen to have them in one edition. Good. I set myself a goal each year. I keep track on Goodreads. Goodreads considers it one book but I'm counting it as 5.
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Post by leftturnonly on Oct 8, 2018 20:17:01 GMT
If you read an anthology, for example, "The Complete Works of _____________________", that contains five novels, do you consider it reading one book or five? Five.
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Post by mnmloveli on Oct 8, 2018 20:24:50 GMT
For me, definitely 5 books. You just happen to have them in one edition. Good. I set myself a goal each year. I keep track on Goodreads. Goodreads considers it one book but I'm counting it as 5. Maybe try entering each book individually on Goodreads instead of “The Anthology of ....”.
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Post by auntkelly on Oct 9, 2018 1:21:58 GMT
I'm reading The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. It's hard to believe this novel was written in 1905. It reminds me of the saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same.
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Post by jackietex on Oct 9, 2018 2:28:14 GMT
I finished listening to Safe At The Edge of the World by Jean Grainger. It's second in a series of two, but not as enjoyable to listen to as the first. Now, I'm listening to Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.
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Post by birukitty on Oct 9, 2018 3:15:57 GMT
One for me this week. I read What The Night Sings by Vesper Stamper. This is a YA historical fiction book about the Holocaust, but it is different than most Holocaust books. When it came in to my local library and I first picked it up I was surprised by it's heavy weight and when I opened it I was also surprised by the heavy weight of the pages and the beautiful black and weight drawings within the book. "This is different" I thought to myself. It begins with the liberation of Gerta a teen of 18 from the Bergen Belsen camp and although it goes back in time to tell the story of what happened to Gerta and her family, how they ended up in the camps, what happened to them and Gerta, a full half of the book is about the aftermath of liberation-a subject most Holocaust books fail to cover. Through out the book music features strongly. Gerta's father is a viola player in the orchestra before the Nazi's invade and has taught her well. Music in fact is what saves Gerta's life. This book was very well written. I gave it 4 stars at Goodreads.
Currently I'm half way through The Butcher's Daughter by Victoria Glendinning. I'm enjoying this one very much. It's another historical fiction book taking place in 1535. It's about a nun and her sisters in an Abby in England. King Henry the VIII has just married and lost Queen Jane Seymour (his 3rd wife) in childbirth and since he is now head of the church (and not the Pope) he has decided and decreed that all of the abbys, convents, etc. be destroyed, their property collected for his coffers. The nuns and monks turned out to the street. The novel follows Sister Agnes Peppin who with her great intellect has become assistant to the head of the abby-the Abbess. Because Sister Agnes can read and write she becomes the secretary to the Abbess and sits in on all of the meetings with the men who bring her the news on how and when the abby will be dissolved. I like it because it's about history, an intelligent woman and being a Catholic I understand the hurt feelings of watching the statue of the Virgin Mary being destroyed and how that would have felt. I'll finish the review next week. BTW, I knew King Henry did this, but it's great to read a historical fiction novel of what it might have felt like to be a nun on the inside of it-that's why I love historical fiction.
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Post by leftturnonly on Oct 9, 2018 7:53:17 GMT
I just finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, by Claire North. I'm just not quite sure what to think about it yet. It's a bit of an odd book. The writing often filled my Kindle page without a break, making it harder to read, and I often found myself waking up while reading, so depending on whether you're in the market for something that helps you fall asleep or not, this may be something to take into consideration. The premise of the story is interesting; there are some among us who are constantly reborn into their exact same birth situation after they die, living countless lifetimes that are bounded by consistent consequential things - such as World War - yet other things are ever changing. I don't really understand how the big things happen with exactly the same results if all the lives of the people involved are always slightly different, so, the premise is faulty right from the beginning to me, but nonetheless, it is interesting. And the way these immortals meet and pass messages to each other is definitely a clever idea. But, boy howdy.... there are some scenes that are described in gruesome detail in a tone that just doesn't jive together at all. The book jumps between Harry's 1st 15 lives quite a bit, which doesn't bother me, but it is a type of narrative that isn't liked by everyone. Probably the biggest negative for me was the amateur consideration of advanced physics. I think the story would have been far stronger without using a "quantum mirror" as an ultimate arch-nemesis. I have little tolerance for pandering to people's fears based on a concept that the author has grasped little more than one can grasp smoke, which is exactly how this read to me. Descriptions of the "quantum mirror" and how it would work were too generic. "We build this thing to look at one atom and suddenly we know everything," just isn't good enough. In short, the main concept of the book is excellent, but the flaws may be significant if those are the things that annoy you in a story. So.... I guess I give it a 50-50 split. Half worth it, half annoying to me.
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scrappyesq
Pearl Clutcher
You have always been a part of the heist. You're only mad now because you don't like your cut.
Posts: 4,032
Jun 26, 2014 19:29:07 GMT
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Post by scrappyesq on Oct 9, 2018 13:03:37 GMT
I finished Circe by Madeline Miller, which I LOVED. OMG, RIGHT!!!!
I'm recovering from book hangover. Last week was my birthday so I splurged on myself and bought a bunch of new romance novels. One of them was A Tall Dark Cowboy Christmas by Maisey Yates. Now mind you I finished one of her books (and loved it) last week. I was going to save this one for December but then things got crazy (nothing at all to do with last week’s news cycle) and I needed a real escape, or I was going to lose my mind. Hello, Cowboy. And it was so good. I think better than the book I read last week. AND I couldn’t read anything new for a day because I was thinking about it so you know it had to be pretty darn good. 5/5
This week I’m reading A Scandalous Deal by Joanna Shupe. It’s book 2 in a series. I read and liked the first one, and book 3 is one of my splurge books from last week so I want to get finished ASAP. I’m also still reading The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headly. I started this book weeks ago and I have not been able to get into it at all. I’m only trying because two of my friends loved it and highly recommended it. If I don’t make a serious dent in it because it starts to pick up this is a book destined for the DNF pile.
Finally, I’m also reading The Book of M by Peng Sheperd. It was a daily deal last week, and so far I’m really liking it.
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,731
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Oct 9, 2018 14:06:13 GMT
I finished Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Great book! She has such a way with storytelling. I love the way she writes in first person, and the feelings and stories behind the Greek story we all know so well. Loved it.
I'm about half-way through Circe by the same author and it's even better. Thank you for the recommendations! This is by far the best book I've read this year.
BTW The two books are both stand alone -- you don't need to read them in order. Song of Achilles is based on The Iliad, and Circe is based on The Odyssey.
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Post by thundergal on Oct 9, 2018 14:27:42 GMT
I must admit my shock that a couple of you can't get in to Educated. I find that so interesting! But I know I shouldn't. Not every book was made for every person. I just loved it so much.
I read Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It was fine. I'd wanted something a little spooky for October.
For book club we chose Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. Has anyone read it? One gal started and finished it on Saturday and she loved it. I'll start it soon.
This charming, irresistible debut novel set in London during World War II about a young woman who longs to be a war correspondent and inadvertently becomes a secret advice columnist is “a jaunty, heartbreaking winner” (People) — for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Lilac Girls.
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Post by ruralgirl on Oct 9, 2018 14:33:30 GMT
You all have convinced me. I am starting Circe next.
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Post by leannec on Oct 9, 2018 15:06:37 GMT
For book club we chose Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. Has anyone read it? One gal started and finished it on Saturday and she loved it. I'll start it soon. I usually read thrillers and mysteries so this was something different for me and I really enjoyed it
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scrappyesq
Pearl Clutcher
You have always been a part of the heist. You're only mad now because you don't like your cut.
Posts: 4,032
Jun 26, 2014 19:29:07 GMT
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Post by scrappyesq on Oct 9, 2018 15:22:02 GMT
I'm about half-way through Circe by the same author and it's even better. Thank you for the recommendations! This is by far the best book I've read this year. It was sooooo sublimely good. I need to stop quoting everyone who loved it but I can't help myself.
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Post by thundergal on Oct 9, 2018 15:43:44 GMT
For book club we chose Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. Has anyone read it? One gal started and finished it on Saturday and she loved it. I'll start it soon. I usually read thrillers and mysteries so this was something different for me and I really enjoyed it Oh good! Thanks! i'm looking forward to it.
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Post by mnmloveli on Oct 9, 2018 16:15:17 GMT
Another one for me.
HATE LIST BY JENNIFER BROWN 4/5 Stars for me.
Many TwoPeas Recommendations and I can’t thank you all enough. Another great recommendation ! Shows how a school shooting can affect so many people differently. I felt for all of the kids. It showed how bullying can take over someone’s mind and have devastating results.
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Post by thundergal on Oct 9, 2018 16:24:45 GMT
Another one for me. HATE LIST BY JENNIFER BROWN 4/5 Stars for me. Many TwoPeas Recommendations and I can’t thank you all enough. Another great recommendation ! Shows how a school shooting can affect so many people differently. I felt for all of the kids. It showed how bullying can take over someone’s mind and have devastating results. That sounds like a special book...added to (ridiculously long) list.
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Post by mnmloveli on Oct 10, 2018 16:17:58 GMT
AMBUSH BY JAMES PATTERSON & JAMES O. BORN 3/5 Stars for me Why oh why do I keep buying his books ! I was cranky right at the start of the book because I always check where the book ends; 68% & IT'S OVER ! If you pay $14.99 for a book, do you want it to end at 68% ? I keep telling myself STOP buying his books but this was his Michael Bennett character who I've been following for years. I need to stop buying his books because during the whole reading I was angry and feeling cheated. I did enjoy the story but not worth the money. In this book he added a "bookshot" at the end called Manhunt which was published in Nov 2017 and I purchased at that time. Last Sept 2017 I read Patterson's book, Haunted and at the end he indicated that story would continue in a bookshot call Manhunt available Nov 2017. I don't buy his bookshots because I don't like short stories but I bought Manhunt because he said it was a continuation. NO - nothing to do with the last book. NOW to get that same bookshot FREE in this current book, really pisses me off. Hopefully I've learned my lesson and will stop buying his books. Until the next Alex Cross book comes out next month
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
Jun 25, 2014 19:53:37 GMT
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Post by Mystie on Oct 10, 2018 17:39:07 GMT
my after school book club An after school book club for kids? What a wonderful idea! This is the first time I've ever even heard of one. I love it! When I was a kid, there was a bookmobile that would come to our school once a year and it was always such a thrill for me. Did anyone else ever have a bookmobile come to their school? Yes, the library system of the town that was our county seat had a bookmobile that came about once a month to my school. It was one of the highlights of my elementary school experience!
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Post by leftturnonly on Oct 10, 2018 17:48:21 GMT
Yes, the library system of the town that was our county seat had a bookmobile that came about once a month to my school. It was one of the highlights of my elementary school experience! Once a month! You lucky girl.
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Post by birukitty on Oct 10, 2018 20:03:29 GMT
You all have convinced me. I am starting Circe next. Me too. I just added it to my hold list at my local library. There are 9 people ahead of me on the wait list-that's not too bad. I've seen it a lot worse for popular books. This is for the paper book. For the ebook version that are 192 people on the wait list. I'm happy right now I'd don't have an ereader although my left arm isn't with the amount of books I check out-it's been hurting a bit lately. I can't figure out what I've been lifting that's heavy other than library books.
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Post by scrapnatya on Oct 10, 2018 20:08:25 GMT
Just picked up 4 books at the library that I had on hold. They look so good! Before and After - Delinsky I just finished this book. I really enjoyed it. I couldn't get through another Delinsky book...the one with the mother/ daughter/ new driver/ hit and run, so I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I'm currently reading a free Amazon Prime (October) book Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb. I am really liking it. It has a supernatural twist to it and is a quick read.
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Post by birukitty on Oct 10, 2018 20:11:05 GMT
Yes, the library system of the town that was our county seat had a bookmobile that came about once a month to my school. It was one of the highlights of my elementary school experience! Once a month! You lucky girl. When I was a little girl in elementary school we had a bookmobile that came through our community and it was the highlight of my life since I loved books so much. My mother couldn't drive at the time-it was the only way I had access to new books during the long summers away from school. I don't remember my father taking me to the local library during the weekends although he was a reader too-maybe he did. Although most likely he was busy and the bookmobile filled the need. I remember climbing aboard the bookmobile filled with anticipation as to what new and wonderful books I was going to find to read next. Every time was like Christmas to me.
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Post by mnmloveli on Oct 10, 2018 20:22:48 GMT
You all have convinced me. I am starting Circe next. Me too. I just added it to my hold list at my local library. There are 9 people ahead of me on the wait list-that's not too bad. I've seen it a lot worse for popular books. This is for the paper book. For the ebook version that are 192 people on the wait list. I'm happy right now I'd don't have an ereader although my left arm isn't with the amount of books I check out-it's been hurting a bit lately. I can't figure out what I've been lifting that's heavy other than library books. Downloading a sample right now. Doesn’t seem like my type of book, but soooo many recommendations I can’t resist at least trying the sample.
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Post by birukitty on Oct 10, 2018 20:39:49 GMT
I must admit my shock that a couple of you can't get in to Educated. I find that so interesting! But I know I shouldn't. Not every book was made for every person. I just loved it so much. I read Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It was fine. I'd wanted something a little spooky for October. For book club we chose Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. Has anyone read it? One gal started and finished it on Saturday and she loved it. I'll start it soon. This charming, irresistible debut novel set in London during World War II about a young woman who longs to be a war correspondent and inadvertently becomes a secret advice columnist is “a jaunty, heartbreaking winner” (People) — for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Lilac Girls. I feel the same about the reviews this week about Educated being negative. I loved it and gave it 5 stars. I found it so interesting that I couldn't put it down. I read it in two days it was so good. But I realize we all have different tastes. Some of us will love one book and others of us will hate it. Some of us love thrillers, some of us love mysteries, some of us love romances, and some of us love historical fiction. We all have different tastes. I get that.
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Post by leftturnonly on Oct 10, 2018 21:15:11 GMT
Once a month! You lucky girl. When I was a little girl in elementary school we had a bookmobile that came through our community and it was the highlight of my life since I loved books so much. My mother couldn't drive at the time-it was the only way I had access to new books during the long summers away from school. I don't remember my father taking me to the local library during the weekends although he was a reader too-maybe he did. Although most likely he was busy and the bookmobile filled the need. I remember climbing aboard the bookmobile filled with anticipation as to what new and wonderful books I was going to find to read next. Every time was like Christmas to me. The only library I went to as a child - that I remember - was the school library, which was a truly a magical place with all those books! The bookmobile was where I could buy books for myself. I wish I could remember if we had a monthly flyer in class that we were able to purchase books from, like my children did. It seems to me that we must have had something. My son was a little guy, and when his book orders would come in, his backpack would be stuffed so full that it was bigger than he was! Such a happy memory. Anyway, my kids never had a bookmobile come, but the PTA did do a book sale for a week every year in one of the huts on campus, and at that time, we not only had a really nice local library with a great kids section, there were several really good bookstores nearby that we used to frequent. (Not anymore!) Not to mention that I homeschooled my kids for a number of years without a group or pre-made curriculum and we had a couple of stores nearby that specialized in teaching material (Again, not anymore!)... and we're talking about a serious amount of time spent browsing books. Nostalgia. We all need a good dose of it every now and then.
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Post by leftturnonly on Oct 10, 2018 21:17:19 GMT
But I realize we all have different tastes. Some of us will love one book and others of us will hate it. Some of us love thrillers, some of us love mysteries, some of us love romances, and some of us love historical fiction. We all have different tastes. I get that. And some of us love all of the above.
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Post by mrgiedrnkr on Oct 10, 2018 22:18:13 GMT
I finished 2 recommendations from here while we were on a short vacation this past holiday weekend.
I read All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. It seemed very timely to read it in the wake of the Kavanaugh hearing - a sexually explicit photo goes viral and it goes thru who did what and the implications. I also read The Dirty Book Club by Lisi Harrison. It was a lighter read but it was multi-generational about 8-10 women and their book club that reads dirty books. I enjoyed it.
Stacy
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Post by ruralgirl on Oct 10, 2018 23:29:53 GMT
Me too. I just added it to my hold list at my local library. There are 9 people ahead of me on the wait list-that's not too bad. I've seen it a lot worse for popular books. This is for the paper book. For the ebook version that are 192 people on the wait list. I'm happy right now I'd don't have an ereader although my left arm isn't with the amount of books I check out-it's been hurting a bit lately. I can't figure out what I've been lifting that's heavy other than library books. Downloading a sample right now. Doesn’t seem like my type of book, but soooo many recommendations I can’t resist at least trying the sample. I just finished reading the sample download and am about to download the full version. It's good so far! I didn't think it was my type of book either and would never have considered it if it weren't for the recommendations on here. I hated reading The Odyssey in high school.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on Oct 11, 2018 5:19:41 GMT
I must admit my shock that a couple of you can't get in to Educated. I find that so interesting! But I know I shouldn't. Not every book was made for every person. I just loved it so much. I read Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It was fine. I'd wanted something a little spooky for October. For book club we chose Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. Has anyone read it? One gal started and finished it on Saturday and she loved it. I'll start it soon. This charming, irresistible debut novel set in London during World War II about a young woman who longs to be a war correspondent and inadvertently becomes a secret advice columnist is “a jaunty, heartbreaking winner” (People) — for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Lilac Girls. I feel the same about the reviews this week about Educated being negative. I loved it and gave it 5 stars. I found it so interesting that I couldn't put it down. I read it in two days it was so good. But I realize we all have different tastes. Some of us will love one book and others of us will hate it. Some of us love thrillers, some of us love mysteries, some of us love romances, and some of us love historical fiction. We all have different tastes. I get that. I’m another one who would put Educated as one of my favorite books of the year. I recommended it to my mom (The Glass Castle is one of her all time favorites) and she just said it was “different”. Not exactly a stellar review there. Lol. My book club has selected this for our November read, it will be interesting to hear the different opinions on it.
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inchworm70
New Member
Posts: 7
Oct 9, 2018 2:17:28 GMT
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Post by inchworm70 on Oct 11, 2018 6:41:47 GMT
I am reading Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser. I have loved LIW's books forever. I still reread some of them every single year. This book is long and taking me a while to read. I didn't so much like the beginning -- a lot of it rehashed what was in the Little House books and previous biographies. But once it moved to her adult life and the writing of her books it became more interesting. The biggest thing is that I am coming to really dislike Laura's daughter.
I will finish it but I am ready to get back to a novel afterwards.
The last book I read before Prairie Fires was The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison. It was a fast amazing read. Post-apocalyptic, strong female character. There is a sequel that I can't get locally and I'm trying to figure that out.
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