You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Books that big could cause some serious carnage!

Alison wrote: "50 shades, Dan Brown and American Psycho - it just sounds horrid."

American Psycho was horrid (and the rest).
I have books and authors I'm never going to read again, but I'm not sure there are any I'd say I'd never read. I have no desire to read 50 shades (from what I've heard it's a mediocre example of its type) but that doesn't mean i wouldn't ever read it. i may be stranded on a dessert island with just that for company, so I'd probably read it shortly before using it to light a fire.

Judy wrote: "Almeta wrote: "Bodice Rippers.

Multi-generational sagas. Yawn.

I agree with you about all of these except I do like a Edward Rutherfurd about every five or six years. :-) "

Yes, and it takes 5 or 6 years to get through one. sarum I liked. Dublin might be one i'd give a go as well.

Amber wrote: "I will say that I was adamantly against reading Fifty Shades of Grey, but my RL book clubs wanted to read them and they were receiving such a huge amount of hype (and somehow have become the best s..."

I just loved that rant Amber, if it felt good for you if gave me twice as much Joy ! :-) Feel free to rant anytime.

Rusalka wrote: "URGH! Conrad and I are not friends either. He's my brother's favourite author and I literally threw Heart of Darkness across the room when I finished it. Then wrote a ranty blogpost... ah the 21st ..."

Yes, Rusalka! Attempted The Alchemist...never again!!!

Secondly, I am with your friend. The Pillars of the Earth was a great read.

I thought I would never read Harry Potter but my friend was relentless. So I read the whole series and LOVED IT!!!

Nicole wrote: "I thought I would never read Harry Potter but my friend was relentless. So I read the whole series and LOVED IT!!!"

Good to know!

Rusalka wrote: "Jennifer, after reading your comment Danielle Steel just went from "maybe if I was desperate" to "not even if it was the last book on earth".

Thankyou."

A cereal box is less repetitive. Just sayin'.

Kat wrote: "Oh we've got a split decision on Rutherfurd vs. Michener!

LOL"

I loved Hawaii although yeah, he could have started that book a couple of millennia later. The beginning reminds me of the beginning of The Moon And Sixpence-- you get past it and into the story and find yourself wondering why?

That being said, I read London several years after having recommended it on hearsay to my new sister-in-law, and found it so awful I felt like apologizing to her on the off chance she'd taken my recommendation.

Oops - it wasn't Sarum: The Novel of England I read. It was London. Or was it? I can't remember. All I remember was... bleck!

I have not really ever sworn not read certain books BUT I have been avoiding the Twilight series, Fifty Shades of Grey series (seriously, its a series) and this next one that I know I will get flack for: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Has been recommended to me umpteen times but is really not my kind of book at all and I do not see myself ever reading it.

Never say never though, as there are some I thought I would not read but did (e.g. The Hunger Games and was pleasantly surprised. (Read it before letting my 10 year old read it - He didn't like it but couldn't put it down).

Shannon wrote: "I have not really ever sworn not read certain books BUT I have been avoiding the Twilight series, Fifty Shades of Grey series (seriously, its a series) and this next one that I know I will get flac..."

I understand Shannon -
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo doesn't appeal to me either - just because a book is a best seller, doesn't mean it's for everyone!

Kat wrote: "Shannon wrote: "I have not really ever sworn not read certain books BUT I have been avoiding the Twilight series, Fifty Shades of Grey series (seriously, its a series) and this next one that I know..."

Thanks Kat, I really expected the first reply to my post to say how great that book is! Nice to know there are a few of us for whom it does not appeal.

I read GwtDT and the next one and hated them. I abandoned the last one I think. Whatever it was called.

I read them all, the GwtDTs. I loved the first one and read it in 2 days (although completely agree it is not for everyone. For example I will not be recommending it to my mother).

The Girl that Played with Fire was not as good, but ended with a cliffhanger. I got through the Hornet's Nest after putting it down for 6 months. And the only reason I did was I needed something mindless and easy to read while spending a lot of time sitting around a hospital. If it was 200pp shorter, it would have been much better.

So point is, if you're going to read it, stick to the first and be prepared it's not for you.

These books less so. I learnt a bit about Baltic and Scandinavian politics and economics in the first one.

The movies are more typical thriller as they take that aspect it out, which is one of the main storylines in the book. Not as good on film and they needed to condense a 500pp book into 2.5 hours.

If you watch either film, watch the Swedish one. Much better movie, closer to the book, and has the wonderful Scandinavian mood. The American one was complete bollocks. I had to restrain myself from screaming at them all the time, and as I was on a plane and screaming would have resulted in less G&Ts being brought to me, I held it in.

Judy wrote: "as I was on a plane and screaming would have resulted in less G&Ts being brought to me, I held it in.

LOL! I'm glad you have your priorities straight, Rusalka."

That's the kind of prioritisation I like to see! Not concerned about the other passengers, or even being arrested upon landing, but about the frequency of drink delivery, that's the spirit Rusalka ;-)

And just to be on topic, there aren't really any books I've said I'll never read (it is such a long time after all) but I tend to avoid most chick lit/romance type novels and after reading Confessions of a Shopaholic I'm avoiding the rest of the series like a super-GM-will-turn-me-into-a-member-of-the-flesh-eating-undead-if-I-catch-it version of the plague!

We have a "spirited" Rusalka in our midst. :)

If i never read another Harlequin romance novel it will be to soon.......blech

I read the first 2 books in the 50 shades trilogy asking myself why i kept reading the whole time. I wont ever read the third one.

Sam wrote: "And just to be on topic, there aren't really any books I've said I'll never read (it is such a long time after all) but I tend to avoid most chick lit/romance type novels and after reading Confessi..."

Ha Ha Funny Sam...I feel have a aversion to Chick-lit as well. However, I was surprised by and enjoyed the 2 that I have read by Emily Giffin. But I still can only take them few and far between.

Heh Life is all about having ones priorities in order.

Now, inquisitive minds have to know AmyK, what on earth is a Harlequin romance novel?

Rusalka wrote: "Heh Life is all about having ones priorities in order.

Now, inquisitive minds have to know AmyK, what on earth is a Harlequin romance novel?"

Type Harlequin presents in the book search there are like 4000 of those things....

Will do. I must say, after I hit enter, I was expecting an answer like this http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Harlequin+romanc...

OH! Mills and Boon! /facepalm.

Rusalka wrote: "Heh Life is all about having ones priorities in order.

Now, inquisitive minds have to know AmyK, what on earth is a Harlequin romance novel?"

Inquisitive minds run from Harlequin romances. :)

You know, my great grandmother read Harlequin's as escape. They were so short and easy to read that if she put it down and forgot to put in a bookmark it didn't matter because she could pick up the storyline wherever the book fell open and there was something comforting in the formula for her. (I am talking early Harlequin's here as my GG passed away in the 1980's and she was reading them before I was born - probably in the 50's or earlier. I remember sneaking into her closet and reading some (she had a box full!!!!)

You're right, Shannon. They are escapism. I used to read them religiously when I was a teen/young adult. I even had a subscription to them and received 6 a month.

They are pretty much fluff though - very formulaic - and I started wanting something with more substance.

I have friends who have written for Mills and Boon as we call them here in Aus (and the UK I believe). They actually send you a kit with the formula on how to write them.
"Around page 200 make sure you mention heaving bosoms."

Well... not quite... but very damn close.

You know, it might be fun to try to write one with the kit one day.

I'm sure we could manage a group effort at writing a candyfloss romance. Add a sentance or two at a time. It'd be an amusing thread even if nothing else...

Sam wrote: "...I tend to avoid most chick lit/romance type novels and after reading Confessions of a Shopaholic I'm avoiding the rest of the series like a super-GM-will-turn-me-into-a-member-of-the-flesh-eating-undead-if-I-catch-it version of the plague!"

I can relate to that. I read one chick-lit (also a Kinsella) because I wondered if I was being too sniffy about her and her ilk. Suffice to say, it's not an author or genre I'll be revisiting.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a chick-lit aversion! Most of the women in my office love those kind of books (weird readers that they are) and they're always trying to convince me that the one their reading is the one that will change my mind...not likely after my Confessions experience though!

What surprises me most (from my sample of one Kinsella) is the degree of sexism. If a man wrote about women like that, I suspect the female fans I know would be outraged. Very odd. And sad.

I think that is what annoyed me so much. By page 7 I just wanted to shake the woman and tell her to get a grip. She came across so useless and like you say as a 'stereotypical woman'.

I would not read Black Beauty by Anna Sewell or any other book involving cruelty to animals. I understand why Anna Sewell wrote Black Beauty and I admire her for drawing attention to a distressing subject.

On a lighter note, I would not read anything by Barbara Cartland nor any chick lit because life is too short.

There are no books I would never-ever read, but there are some which I feel no inclination to read - any die-hard religion book, anything that is not my field - like anything about difficult science (at least for me)-, 50 Shades of Grey, Twilight, Justin Bieber / Miley Cyrus etc. books, Ulysses, gay erotica books (not gay romance, but as a heterosexual woman, I just don't feel urged to read a book solely about two hunks getting it on with each other, without any deeper emotions or plotlines)...

Well I said I would never read Moby Dick just because I thought it would be a really difficult read and far too long, and I didn't think the subject matter would particularly interest me - but then it was allocated as one of my essential readings on my degree so naturally I read it - and I'm pleased to say it wasn't all that bad! Although sometimes it did feel like I was reading an encyclopedia more than a novel - but all the same I'm glad I read it.

I really dont like chick-lit or anything by Jodi picoult. Eurgh!!

Altho I finished Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I decided I wouldn't bother with the other books in Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. Just didn't care much for it.

Started Jo Nesbo's The Leopard, but didn't care to finish it. Not enjoyable to me.

50 Shades of Grey is another series I feel sure isn't for me.

Can't think of any other specific ones I feel strongly about at present.

The Notebook. Never!!
:D

I read almost EVERYTHING. But NO Paulo Coelho *argh*

Mariab wrote: "I read almost EVERYTHING. But NO Paulo Coelho *argh*"

Hear hear!

uh oh, am I supposed to take The Alchemist off of my TBR list then? Was it terrible? I can't take anything else off because I already read almost all of the terrible books you all said you will never read. That is except for Moby Dick - I started, just never finished.

I only read the 1st Fifty Shades of Grey books. One was enough to make sure I didn't care about the rest. I liked the Twilight books and read the all more than once. In a million years I would never consider Bella a role model for anything, but I thought the stories were interesting.

Conrad is not high on my list for enjoyable reads, but I may read one of his someday - I just haven't done it yet...

Cherie wrote: "uh oh, am I supposed to take The Alchemist off of my TBR list then? Was it terrible? I can't take anything else off because I already read almost all of the terrible books you all said..."

Up to you of course. I would say read The Alchemist as it's short and his most well known. And I didn't find it as Mary-Sue-y. In all honesty The Fifth Mountain wasn't terrible either.

It's his modern set novels where he "thinly veils" (read not at all) the main character to be a fantasy version of himself who is AMAZING, with out of place airy-fairy, philosophical bullshit liberally sprinkled all over the place.

At least you expect it when you read The Alchemist, other books I just feel assaulted by it. And how wonderful the man obviously thinks he is.

...

I need a lie down.

Ahhh, got it, Rusalka. Sorry to drag it up. I think there are other authors out there doing the same thing.

It will stay on my list then, unless you have a challenge to read a book that starts with "A...." (ignoring "the"). ;p

Hehe not a problem at all Cherie.

Judy wrote: "I'll have to pick up a copy, Kat. Let's see, I'll be due for my next Ruthurfurd in about 2014. lol. :-)"

I was looking back at the posts in this old thread and saw this. LOL! It is time, Judy. :)

I can't believe that so many of you really don't like to read 50 Shades of Grey series, or the Twilight series. I have both of them and I love them... More the Twilight series than the 50 Shades...
I really dislike, Zombie books...
But most of the authors that you guys have mention, such as Nicholas Sparks, Stephen King, Danielle Steel, and other I'm crazy for them...

lol Michelle, I was just going to say Twilight and 50 Shades. 50 Shades I just couldn't get past the middle school writing style. Though George Takei reading it on a YouTube video was hilarious. As for Twilight, I'm just a Buffy Fan. Accept no substitute.