mumto2 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Noseinabook, :grouphug: So sorry to hear about your aunts death. Hopefully March will be a better month for you. Teacherzee, you definitely deserve to cuddle up with lots of fluffy reading material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascadia Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I'm having the most fun reading Bitch in a Bonnet and Northanger Abbey together. I decided I'd read the relevent chapter of Bitch in a Bonnet, then read the chapters of Northanger Abbey that were discussed. It's a bit tricky going back and forth, but I'm enjoying it. Ahh, you got me! I just bought Bitch in a Bonnet to read with Northanger Abbey as well. it sounds like a fun pairing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Ahh, you got me! I just bought Bitch in a Bonnet to read with Northanger Abbey as well. it sounds like a fun pairing. I bough Volume One quite some time ago, and just read it like a regular book. I never thought to make it a side read. In fact, if I wasn't reading Northanger Abbey for Flufferton February, I might not have thought of it with this volume of Bitch in a Bonnet either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 NoseInABook I am so sorry for your loss. Thanks ladies For the romance readers out there: Just A Sip: The Ultimate Romance Drinking Game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Noseinabook and Teacherzee--I "liked" your posts without thought to content. But you know that "like" on this thread translates to a hug, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hi All~ I haven't been posting but I'm reading with you all. I've finished 16 books so far this year. My goal is 60 so I'm a bit ahead of schedule. :) I wanted to pop in with a recommendation. I am currently reading A Passion for Books edited by Harold Rabinowitz and Roy Kaplan. It is a delightful collection of stories, essays, lists, etc. from book lovers. I think so many of you would really enjoy it! I currently have it checked out from the library but am considering buying it for my own personal library. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I finished Cosmos, sped through Mrs. Polifax Pursued, and have started Library: An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles. Oh, my, the amount of writing that has been lost to decay and destruction! I recently watched this and thought you all might enjoy it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4RCFLobfqcw&list=PLwxNMb28XmpdJpJzF2YRBnfmOva0HE0ZI¶ms=OAFIAVgR&mode=NORMAL (What is literature for?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Well, well, well...Google does trigger memories, doesn't it? I was looking up something or other on Wuthering Heights and discovered that the latest Folio Society edition of the book has an intro by Patti Smith. Patti Smith!?! Before some of you dear BaWers were even born, your friend Jane went off to see Patti Smith in concert. She was the opening act for a group called Journey in which my friends and I had no interest. So after Patti played, we stayed for two or three Journey tunes then left. While recalling this today, I had to Google Journey. I could not recall a single song associated with them or why Patti Smith would have been their opening act. In typical fashion, my husband and son were amused by my disconnect. As some of you might be. Although I hope that for you too the word "journey" evokes something else. Maybe I need to read Patti Smith's National Book Award winner, Just Kids. I know that a couple of you have liked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen. Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I listened to the audio version of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the World of Narnia" by James Bell. It's a little heavy on the religious symbolism and parallelism in Lewis' books, but overall interesting. My 8yo read "Angelina in the Wings" by Katharine Holabird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Well, well, well...Google does trigger memories, doesn't it? I was looking up something or other on Wuthering Heights and discovered that the latest Folio Society edition of the book has an intro by Patti Smith. Patti Smith!?! Before some of you dear BaWers were even born, your friend Jane went off to see Patti Smith in concert. She was the opening act for a group called Journey in which my friends and I had no interest. So after Patti played, we stayed for two or three Journey tunes then left. While recalling this today, I had to Google Journey. I could not recall a single song associated with them or why Patti Smith would have been their opening act. In typical fashion, my husband and son were amused by my disconnect. As some of you might be. Although I hope that for you too the word "journey" evokes something else. Maybe I need to read Patti Smith's National Book Award winner, Just Kids. I know that a couple of you have liked it. Ah, I saw Patti Smith play in Lowell, Mass when she came out of retirement in, like, 1996 or something? We were there celebrating Jack Kerouac's birthday. She was already quite venerable by that point, but she totally rocked my world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 NoseInABook, :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: during this hard time for you & your family. TeacherZee, :grouphug: for your crappy day & week. Ronette, so good to see you! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Noseinabook - Hugs and prayers! Eliane and MM - Congratulations to your daughters and Jenn to her son - All very proud mama moments! Welcome to Sherri Hope you feel better soon, Angel! Can always count on Violet Crown for educational and intriguing selections Thanks to Kareni and Stacia (love the hot dudes) for all the great links and Shukriyya for the poetry Zee - hope you get that much needed sleep Mum - I've only read 13 of the romances listed on goodreads --- Fascinating that they'd include Oke's Love Comes Softly and McCulloughs The Thorn Birds. Violet Crown - Very neat about The Pre Raphaelites and Their Circle. Look forward to hearing some selections. CaMom - Thanks for popping in with a great book recommendation Otherjohn says the multiquote problem is a Javascript problem somewhere on the site and he is still digging. Let's send good vibes his way that it will be sooner than later, when he discovers and corrects the problem. :grouphug: and :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 My first 5-star read of 2015: The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. I absolutely loved it. Sharp satire, historical fiction & folly, standing on top of heart, soul... & freedom. There's a lot of fiction in it, but also a lot of well-researched history & fact too. A National Book Award winner & rightly so. Highly recommended. Winner of the 2013 National Book Award for FictionSoon to be a major motion picture starring Liev Schreiber and Jaden SmithA Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Oprah Magazine Top 10 Book of the Year“A magnificent new novel by the best-selling author James McBride.†–cover review of The New York Times Book Review“Outrageously entertaining.†–USA Today“James McBride delivers another tour de force†–Essence“So imaginative, you’ll race to the finish.†–NPR.org“Wildly entertaining.â€â€”4-star People lead review"A boisterous, highly entertaining, altogether original novel.†– Washington Post From the bestselling author of The Color of Water and Song Yet Sung comes the story of a young boy born a slave who joins John Brown’s antislavery crusade—and who must pass as a girl to survive.Henry Shackleford is a young slave living in the Kansas Territory in 1857, when the region is a battleground between anti- and pro-slavery forces. When John Brown, the legendary abolitionist, arrives in the area, an argument between Brown and Henry’s master quickly turns violent. Henry is forced to leave town—with Brown, who believes he’s a girl.Over the ensuing months, Henry—whom Brown nicknames Little Onion—conceals his true identity as he struggles to stay alive. Eventually Little Onion finds himself with Brown at the historic raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859—one of the great catalysts for the Civil War.An absorbing mixture of history and imagination, and told with McBride’s meticulous eye for detail and character, The Good Lord Bird is both a rousing adventure and a moving exploration of identity and survival. After looking up some more of the history of John Brown, Harpers Ferry, etc..., I found that Brown's son Owen escaped from Harpers Ferry & eventually made his way out to California (Altadena). A couple of interesting articles I found for that: Owen Brown’s Escape From Harper’s Ferry. Atlantic Monthly (March 1874) Abolitionist Owen Brown gravestone, missing for 10 years, found in Altadena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I finished the third book in the Lady Darby Mystery series this afternoon. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693717-a-grave-matter. A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber was a satisfying instalment in a series I have enjoyed. The series is set in Scotland's border area in the early 1800's. The heroine is a Lady who has been ostracized by society because of what her deceased husband did and made her do. He was an anatomist who forced her to draw his illustrations, highly unnatural. All was revealed at his death. She goes into seclusion with her family a stumbles onto mysteries to solve, like everyone does. ;) This is a series to read in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I am so sorry, Noseinabook! I forgot I'm listening to Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman. I'm still in love with his voice. *sigh* I'm not really sure where The Dead Tossed Waves is going. I'm quite a bit into it and there haven't been many plot developments. My super adorable 14 yo got totally ecstatic by a B&N classic edition gold edged Great Expectations a few days ago, so we now have TWO copies. And we have multiples of a few other books-all different editions. I at least pruned my 7 different copies of Les Mis. What does everyone else do about multiples of the same book? I feel bad parting with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Have now started Anthony Winkler's The Duppy, published by Akashic Books. (I read his book The Lunatic a year or two ago & found it laugh-out-loud funny. Raunchy & delightful.) On Akashic's website, I see that it says ebook versions (kindle, ibook, nook, kobo) of The Duppy are just $2.99 during the month of February. "How funny is this social satire? Akashic Books’s pledge to our readers: Laugh out loud at least once or your money back. Seriously." Sounds like a good money-back-guarantee to me. :thumbup1: **The Duppy is available for only $2.99 until the end of February wherever e-books are sold! Baps, a Jamaican shopkeeper, drops dead unexpectedly one Saturday morning and finds himself being transported to heaven via a crowded minibus. Everything about Paradise that he had been raised to expect and believe, he finds to be utterly and completely wrong. For one thing, Paradise suspiciously resembles Jamaica. Baps has much to learn: about the afterlife, about God, about the distortions of established religion, and ultimately about humanity . . . With his characteristic outrageousness, and with more than a hint of postmodern playfulness, Winkler defies taboos and subverts conventional thinking in this entertaining, thought-provoking, and ultimately uplifting novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Last night I re-read a favorite historical romance novella ~ The Governess Affair (The Brothers Sinister) by Courtney Milan. "The start of a critically acclaimed historical romance series by New York Times bestselling author Courtney Milan... Hugo Marshall earned the nickname "the Wolf of Clermont" for his ruthless ambition--a characteristic that has served him well, elevating the coal miner's son to the right hand man of a duke. When he's ordered to get rid of a pestering governess by fair means or foul, it's just another day at work. But after everything Miss Serena Barton has been through at the hands of his employer, she is determined to make him pay. She won't let anyone stop her--not even the man that all of London fears. They might call Hugo Marshall the Wolf of Clermont, but even wolves can be brought to heel..." Trigger alert: The heroine was raped prior to the start of the book. The full length first novel in this series is currently available free to Kindle readers. I read and enjoyed it some time ago ~ The Duchess War (The Brothers Sinister) One need not read the novella before reading the book. It can stand alone. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascadia Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I finished Cosmos, sped through Mrs. Polifax Pursued, and have started Library: An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles. Oh, my, the amount of writing that has been lost to decay and destruction! I recently watched this and thought you all might enjoy it: (What is literature for?) Did you see that an updated version of Library: An Unquiet History will be released this July? This looks great, and I think that I'll treat myself to the updated version for our summer vacation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 AND . . . another blizzard . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I am so sorry, Noseinabook! I forgot I'm listening to Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman. I'm still in love with his voice. *sigh* I'm not really sure where The Dead Tossed Waves is going. I'm quite a bit into it and there haven't been many plot developments. My super adorable 14 yo got totally ecstatic by a B&N classic edition gold edged Great Expectations a few days ago, so we now have TWO copies. And we have multiples of a few other books-all different editions. I at least pruned my 7 different copies of Les Mis. What does everyone else do about multiples of the same book? I feel bad parting with them. I do this too! I have 3 copies of Pride & Prejudice, and at least two copies of a bunch of other classics. And books piled everywhere . . . I don't have a good solution. I tell myself that keeping two is ok, right, so we can read together? But then, there is a library less than a mile away . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I am seeing that you all have read so many of the books that I am dying to get to! Good Lord Bird, Trigger Warning, Library: an Unquiet History...I getting there, I'm getting there! I finished "Half of a Yellow Sun" and cannot recommend it enough. It ends feeling unresolved, but it is about a civil war and that is the nature of the beast. Very worth the time. I am definitely going to read her third book "Americanah" and probably anything else she writes. I am a little bit undecided about what to start next. I was going to go with "Bring Up the Bodies" and it is available from the library as I speak. But, I own The Orphan Master's Son and it is right here. But I also try to read a minimum of 2 non-fiction books a year and "Pro" by Katha Pollitt is calling my name. I would have request that one though, all local copies are out. I've got "Your Inner Fish" in the house as well, so maybe I will start that one. Salt: a World History? Le sigh.... I do this every time. I start a book and tell myself that as soon as it is done I know exactly which one to start next. I make a list for exactly this reason. But, then I finish my book and I get overwhelmed by possibility. So, feeling like a big 'Book a Week" slacker, btw. But the books I have been reading have all been pretty thick. I am pretty sure most humans with adult responsibilities cannot read David Copperfield in a week, lol. And Half of a Yellow Sun was also over 500 pages. I can manage 350 pages per week, but past that it gets difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 AND . . . another blizzard . . . A post that I cannot "like", Nan. Snow is one thing, 50 mph winds blowing snow around another! It is cold here too although temperate by northern standards. The number of birds off shore this morning is astounding. There are loons (as well as others) in the water and overhead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I finished "Half of a Yellow Sun" and cannot recommend it enough. It ends feeling unresolved, but it is about a civil war and that is the nature of the beast. Very worth the time. I am definitely going to read her third book "Americanah" and probably anything else she writes. So, feeling like a big 'Book a Week" slacker, btw. But the books I have been reading have all been pretty thick. I am pretty sure most humans with adult responsibilities cannot read David Copperfield in a week, lol. And Half of a Yellow Sun was also over 500 pages. I can manage 350 pages per week, but past that it gets difficult. I read Adichie's books in that order - Half of a Yellow Sun first, then Americanah. I loved Americanah even better than Yellow Sun. I do plan to read more by her, but haven't been able to get around to it yet. I've read that Purple Hibiscus reads very much like a first novel, like she tried to include all the "must haves" in it. I don't know if I want to read it anyway, or go with a later novel. Goodreads should have a better reading challenge system than just a number of books. Some years I read less because I read a lot of big books, other years more because of shorter choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Goodreads should have a better reading challenge system than just a number of books. Some years I read less because I read a lot of big books, other years more because of shorter choices. You probably already know this, but you can view how many pages total you've read. Click on any of your shelves on your Goodreads page. At the top right, click on 'Stats'. That will bring up a yearly list graphic. Click on 'pages' & it will show how many pages you've read for each year. (I'm not sure how that number is impacted by hard copy vs. ebook form, since page numbering seems to be different for the two versions.) Anyway, just another way to view some reading stats (but you can't get to it from your reading challenge page -- you have to go through one of your bookshelves). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Nan :grouphug: on the snow. I am heading to my mom's this next week for her 93rd birthday and some outpatient surgery for her. Hoping that it will stop snowing for the week so I can get everything on her list done. Beautiful picture Jane. I finished the latest in another favourite series. Miranda James Arsenic and Old Books https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22522020-arsenic-and-old-booksdid not disappoint. This really is a great cozy series with interesting characters, a cool maine coon cat, and books. Great combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Nan :grouphug: on the snow. I am heading to my mom's this next week for her 93rd birthday and some outpatient surgery for her. Hoping that it will stop snowing for the week so I can get everything on her list done. Beautiful picture Jane. I finished the latest in another favourite series. Miranda James Arsenic and Old Books https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22522020-arsenic-and-old-booksdid not disappoint. This really is a great cozy series with interesting characters, a cool maine coon cat, and books. Great combination. Safe travels! I fear you are in for bitter cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 You probably already know this, but you can view how many pages total you've read. Click on any of your shelves on your Goodreads page. At the top right, click on 'Stats'. That will bring up a yearly list graphic. Click on 'pages' & it will show how many pages you've read for each year. (I'm not sure how that number is impacted by hard copy vs. ebook form, since page numbering seems to be different for the two versions.) Anyway, just another way to view some reading stats (but you can't get to it from your reading challenge page -- you have to go through one of your bookshelves). I know I can see my stats, but wish I could set up my challenge differently. Like: I want to read X number of classics, X 21st century literature, X non-fiction, etc., rather than just I want to read X total number of books. I would love to look it over at the end of the year and see if I read more of one genre or another, and if I read what I wanted to in each genre. The best I can get from the stats is publication year. I do use Evernote for the above, but I'd love to just have it all in one place. And I'd like that place to be Goodreads because I spend a lot of time on that site. Too much time, probably. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I know I can see my stats, but wish I could set up my challenge differently. Like: I want to read X number of classics, X 21st century literature, X non-fiction, etc., rather than just I want to read X total number of books. I would love to look it over at the end of the year and see if I read more of one genre or another, and if I read what I wanted to in each genre. The best I can get from the stats is publication year. I do use Evernote for the above, but I'd love to just have it all in one place. And I'd like that place to be Goodreads because I spend a lot of time on that site. Too much time, probably. :) I had an account on Goodreads long ago, maybe even soon after it started? It feels like a very long time ago. Anyway, I closed my account soon after etc because I couldn't really figure out what it was for and it seemed like yet another way for me to be datamined. I know it happens all the time, but I'd like my payoff for access to be more tangible, kwim? I am also not on facebook for the same reason, and everyone was comparing it to facebook. That was enough to convince me to hightail it out of there, lol. You say you spend a lot of time there, for what? I didn't really understand what I was supposed to do there. I heard they got bought by Amazon and this was long before that, so it is prob different now. I have my goals on a note on my iphone. I have two notes dedicated to books (I am a very big fan of the note). One is 'books to read' and the other is 'books I have read'. I am always adding to my 'books to be read' note, I have lots of categories. But in December and January I spend some time making my list for the year. Not that it does me any good, lol. I am off to the library pretty soon. I have a feeling that "Bring Up the Bodies" is going to win by virtue of being on the shelf, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 You say you spend a lot of time there, for what? I didn't really understand what I was supposed to do there. I heard they got bought by Amazon and this was long before that, so it is prob different now. I used to think there wasn't much to do there but list books I've read, want to read, or am reading. It wasn't until I spent time wandering around the site that I found more. I'm a member of several groups there (they're like online book clubs), I have goodreads friends from whom I get recommendations. I like the book reviews there much better than the ones on Amazon - they're much more thoughtful than "OMG this is the most AMAZING book I've ever read!" or reviews about the shipping time and method, which really has nothing to do with the book itself. I know not all Amazon reviews are like that, but I do find goodreads reviewers to be simply better at reviewing books. Many authors, both well-known and new, have author pages. They list information about upcoming books and even have their own list of books they like. It's kind of fun to see what some of my favorite authors are reading. Much of my time there is spent in the various groups, or reading reviews. They are an Amazon company now, but Amazon seems to have left it pretty much alone. I realize people who don't like social media wouldn't care much for goodreads, but for those of us who do like it, it's a pretty good place for readers to hang out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckster Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I used to think there wasn't much to do there but list books I've read, want to read, or am reading. It wasn't until I spent time wandering around the site that I found more. Hmm... Looks like I am going to spend my afternoon poking around Goodreads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I enjoyed this blog post from the Smart Bitches Trashy Books site about Lady Dorothie Feilding-Moor who was an ambulance driver during WW1. Kickass Women in History: Lady Dorothie Feilding-Moor "Lady Dorothie Mary Evelyn Feilding-Moor was a British aristocrat who served as an ambulance driver and nurse with the Munro Ambulance Corp, a volunteer unit based in Belgium. She was the first woman to be awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field, and she also received the 1914 Star, the Croix de Guerre, and the Order of Leopold II. ..." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I don't typically listen to audio books, but I know I've heard several of you mention listening to books from Audible. Here's a free offering (until March 9). FREE: Classic Love Poems Narrated by: Richard Armitage "For anyone who's in love - or hopes to be - what greater celebration could there be than to hear the world's greatest love poetry read lovingly by Richard Armitage? With 15 poems by William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and more, Classic Love Poems is a listening treat for Valentine's Day - or any day. Included in this collection are: "How do I love thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning "Sonnet 116" by William Shakespeare "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe "To Be One with Each Other" by George Eliot "Maud" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell "Bright Star" by John Keats "Love's Philosophy" by Percy Bysshe Shelley 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "Meeting at Night" by Robert Browning "The Dream" by Edna St. Vincent Millay "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe "I carry your heart" by e. e. cummings "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron "Give All to Love" by Ralph Waldo Emerson" Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 "For anyone who's in love - or hopes to be - what greater celebration could there be than to hear the world's greatest love poetry read lovingly by Richard Armitage? :001_wub: and, might I add :svengo: :blushing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I used to think there wasn't much to do there but list books I've read, want to read, or am reading. It wasn't until I spent time wandering around the site that I found more. I'm a member of several groups there (they're like online book clubs), I have goodreads friends from whom I get recommendations. I like the book reviews there much better than the ones on Amazon - they're much more thoughtful than "OMG this is the most AMAZING book I've ever read!" or reviews about the shipping time and method, which really has nothing to do with the book itself. I know not all Amazon reviews are like that, but I do find goodreads reviewers to be simply better at reviewing books. Many authors, both well-known and new, have author pages. They list information about upcoming books and even have their own list of books they like. It's kind of fun to see what some of my favorite authors are reading. Much of my time there is spent in the various groups, or reading reviews. They are an Amazon company now, but Amazon seems to have left it pretty much alone. I realize people who don't like social media wouldn't care much for goodreads, but for those of us who do like it, it's a pretty good place for readers to hang out. I've had the same problem. I much prefer Goodreads for real reviews. I finished The Dead Tossed Waves. Meh. It wasn't awful, but it was so awfully whiney. Yes, yes, zombie apocalypse. I felt like the author was trying to be far more philosophical and it was distracting. Not that her philosophy was bad, but just slightly...contrived? And the main character? Phhh. Seriously? So selfish. Bah, anyway. 3 stars. I'm not sure if I'll read the last in the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Link to week 7 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I used to think there wasn't much to do there but list books I've read, want to read, or am reading. It wasn't until I spent time wandering around the site that I found more. I'm a member of several groups there (they're like online book clubs), I have goodreads friends from whom I get recommendations. I like the book reviews there much better than the ones on Amazon - they're much more thoughtful than "OMG this is the most AMAZING book I've ever read!" or reviews about the shipping time and method, which really has nothing to do with the book itself. I know not all Amazon reviews are like that, but I do find goodreads reviewers to be simply better at reviewing books. Many authors, both well-known and new, have author pages. They list information about upcoming books and even have their own list of books they like. It's kind of fun to see what some of my favorite authors are reading. Much of my time there is spent in the various groups, or reading reviews. They are an Amazon company now, but Amazon seems to have left it pretty much alone. I realize people who don't like social media wouldn't care much for goodreads, but for those of us who do like it, it's a pretty good place for readers to hang out. Thanks, I have a better idea of what is there now. When I was there it was just sort of a listing of books. I didn't like it when I wrote that I was reading a particular book and then I was contacted via good reads by the author (I assume it wasn't actually her) and asked to write a review and to notify my friends that if I liked it etc. That really bugged me. I am sure there are ways to make that not happen, but wasn't particularly attached to the site so I just stopped using it. A while later I deleted my account..I think, lol. Anyway, I did start Bring Up the Bodies yesterday. It is shorter than Wolf Hall and feels like it reads faster? My dh is a librarian at a big research library and they recently instituted Overdrive. So, I spent a chunk of time looking at what they have that I might like to read on my kindle. It's a small collection but it will only get bigger. Nice coincidence that dh is the supervisor of the people who select the ebooks and we often meet socially. DH trusts my tastes (says I am a born selector) and encouraged me to let the selector know what I think would make the collection stronger. My quest for world literary domination begins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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