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

Discuss books will one word titles here!

*Simply stating that you have read the book will not be enough to earn a badge for the group read, please discuss the book. You may link to your review if you like as a means of discussion. Or you may update us periodically on your progress and thoughts as you read through the book.

Can we combine this book discussion with the chunkster challenge? And does this mean ANY book with a one word title will qualify?

I suggested Sweetsmoke during the nominations, but right after I found a deal on Hounded which I've been wanting to read for a while, so I'll go for that one.

Yes Ann, group reads can be counted for the yearly challenge or the monthly challenge. You just can't use the same book for 2 challenges :)

As to your second question, as long as the title of your book contains only one word it will qualify as long as you meet the requirements stated above and you have read it before the end of April.

Awesome, thanks !

I'll be reading Brewster. Probably will read it in the course of this week, beginning tomorrow.

Wow, how interesting, Shanna. Two books with the same name based on the same "historical" character. Pratchett can really put a twist on characters. ;) I better add this one to my list. Thanks for the info!

They sound like two interesting books and extra interesting that they are about the same person. I'm considering adding them both....

Damn you! I couldn't resist adding them!! *no willpower*

I have just started reading Stalked by Lorraine Taylor. It was a book I received as a Goodreads Giveaway but haven't got a chance to get to yet.

It started out feeling a bit cliche or like it was set in the 1950's or something (though I think it is meant to be present day). A guy sitting in a bar drinking, feeling sorry for himself because of a woman, even made a reference to bartenders acting like amateur psychologists.

But I think it is about to take an interesting turn. I am curious to see just how this story will progress.

Tejas Jane
I have Brewster, too, so will be watching to see how you liked it !

I need a qualification. Does this really mean one word, or does it "exclude a, an & the", as the moderators sometime state in the rules?

Suspect or The Journeyer

I would say that, in this case, one word only is what we're aiming for. So Suspect is in; The Journeyer is out.

Janice wrote: "I would say that, in this case, one word only is what we're aiming for. So Suspect is in; The Journeyer is out."

Gotcha, thanks.

Stalked is starting to put me in the mind of the Edgar Allen Poe story "The Man in the Crowd" which is about an indidvual who is people watching when he feels the impulse to start following a random stranger he happens to see.

Though thus far I don't think the writing in the is that strong, I do think the concept is rather interesting. An individual who when he becomes discontent with his own life chooses random strangers to follow. While his actions are a little creepy, he has no malicious intentions and thus far hasn't really done anything illegal. He just follows people to try and escape his life and momentarily live vicariously in someone else's life.

Silver, I think a spell check program hijacked the last part of your message. I bet you meant "live vicariously in someone else's life."

lol oops I did not catch that

I've been having trouble deciding what to read. Since I just finished American Gods, I don't want to read "Neverwhere" right now, and I don't want to read Affinity, which sounds like it might take a while, if I am going to be reading "Fingersmith" for the buddy read. I notice Peggy is going with Hounded, and I could read that if she wants someone to discuss with. I've just started Moonheart, which fits into my chunkster challenge, so I may use that.

Casceil wrote: "I've been having trouble deciding what to read. Since I just finished American Gods, I don't want to read "Neverwhere" right now, and I don't want to read Affinity, which ..."

I know what you mean about not being able to figure out what to read next, Casceil. Sometimes taking a day or two for a breather will get me through the roadblock. There are so many good one word titles out there. Keep looking and one will pop up and get you excited to start reading it.

I found Next and Next on my TBR list. :)

I enjoyed Next by Michael Crichton Cherie!

Sarah wrote: "I enjoyed Next by Michael Crichton Cherie!"

LOL! I think that is why I have it in my TBR list, Sarah.

I just thought it was unique that I was looking over my list of books for one word titles to suggest to Casceil that I found both on my list.

I have two more books with one word titles to finish off my Slick's Slugs list after I moved some things around. I still have four other books to finish before I can get to them though, unless I leave off reading The Shadow of the Wind until next month. Just too many other good books to read and all of you reading The Shadow of the Wind and American Gods right now has made me jealous. I was not going to read Neverwhere this month, but I couldn't wait after my daughter bought the audio version for me.

Yes that is funny Cherie! Yes there are lots of good buddy reads going at the mo! As for one word books, I'm going to read Affinity and Fingersmith but also my chosen toppler book also happens to be a one word title Seed

Sarah wrote: "Yes that is funny Cherie! Yes there are lots of good buddy reads going at the mo! As for one word books, I'm going to read Affinity and Fingersmith but also my chosen topp..."

Yeah, you and Travis and Janice all seem to be reading the same books. It is interesting watching the titles fly back and fourth. I don't think I will get to Affinity for a while. I found over 20 one titles and I had only looked through half of my TBR list. I might have to do a self challenge next year and read all of them. Several are chunksters that I probably added from this year's challenge. I have over 70 titles in my Australia shelf now.

Cherie wrote: "Yeah, you and Travis and Janice all seem to be reading the same books...."

We're the "Tome Triplets".

I'm currently slogging through a one word title, Consumption. It's due back at the library on Wednesday and I'm debating whether I should renew it, or call it done. I'm anxious to start Affinity.

Janice wrote: "Cherie wrote: "Yeah, you and Travis and Janice all seem to be reading the same books...."

We're the "Tome Triplets".

I'm currently slogging through a one word title, Consumption...."

What a terrible title for a book, but I just read the summary and it sounds interesting (added to TBR). Is the audio good or are you reading it? Good luck with the renewal. It makes me so frustrated to have a book go back because there is a hold on it.

I have the hardcover edition. I can renew it online without taking it back to the library. Physical books can be renewed twice, so I'm good.

Casceil wrote: "I've been having trouble deciding what to read. Since I just finished American Gods, I don't want to read "Neverwhere" right now, and I don't want to read Affinity, which ..."

I'd be happy to discuss it together! I planned to read it after my current book, which will probably be at the end of this week. That way I can fit it in before the Fingersmith buddy read. Or did you decide on another book for this month? Choices choices... :)

I've begun reading Brewster. Took about 35 pages, but I started to connect... Now I'm on about page 50 and think the writing is drawing me in more now. I can really relate to what he writes about with running being a way to connect, disconnect, and both simultaneously.

I did that, too, with dance and running and later with yoga... but still nothing makes life utopia tho it can be very good.

I'm still stuck with me as me, ha ha, and I ain't no wonder woman unfortunately ; )

I started listening to Frankenstein this afternoon. Dan Stevens is the narrator. The horror and anguish and emotion in Marry Shelly's words are magnified twice over by the sound of his voice. The tremor and feeling he has put into the story are wrenching!

Cherie wrote: "I started listening to Frankenstein this afternoon. Dan Stevens is the narrator. The horror and anguish and emotion in Marry Shelly's words are magnified twice over by the sound of his voice. Th..."

I never think of looking for audio for "the classics". You make this version sound really good.

Almeta wrote: "I never think of looking for audio for "the classics". You make this version sound really good..."

IT IS!!! There have been a lot of different narrators for this book. I noticed it when I was looking for the version I am listening to. The write up from Audible and the sample was too good to pass up.

There is something to be said for listening to a story you alread know. A good narrator can bring that third dimension to a story, like seeing a movie can do also. With audio, it allows you to keep your own mental image without imposing what someone else thinks it should look like. The words are exactly the same as the text, but the emphasis on words and emotional quality is added that may be different than how you may have interpreted them. That said - a narrator can make or break a story. For this one - this guy should get an Acadamy Award!

(view spoiler)[What has always puzzled me about this book is how horrified Frankenstein was when he brought his monster to life. Listening to the words has changed my perception. I always took it for granted that he knew what he was doing and I could not understand how appalled he was when it really happened. I never understood it before, and I have read the book two or three times over the years. I always felt mad at him for abandoning the monster. (hide spoiler)]

I have been listening for a couple more hours. Frankenstein is in the cave on Mont Blanc listening to the monster tell his story. This was always my favorite part of the book. It is so incredible to think that Mary Shelley was only 19 years old when she wrote this.

Cherie wrote: "There is something to be said for listening to a story you alread know. A good narrator can bring that third dimension to a story, like seeing a movie can do also...."

My mother had a collection of "classics" in huge coffee table sized format, which now is part of Debra's and my library. Frankenstein, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, The Hobbit are among them. These volumes are part of an annotated series, which I always have in the back of my mind I will read one day. (Kind'a like Book Drum, before the internet.☻)

Now, you are convincing me to try audio versions as well.

I really liked George Guidalls performance of Frankenstein. Guidall is my go to guy for classics though. Simon Prebble and Neville Jason and Patrick Tull do very well with classics also

I think I have settled on Moonheart as my book for one-word title month. I'm twenty percent of the way into it now, and finding it very engaging. The main character, Sara, is extremely likeable. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, and I am still not sure which of them are supposed to be good guys and which of them may turn out to be bad guys. The book was first published in 1984, and is regarded as something of a fantasy classic. Sara runs an antiquarian store, and finds some fascinating things buried in dusty boxes in the back room. She doesn't really need to work, as she is an heiress, and lives with her uncle (also rich) in a large and very mysterious house called Tamson house, where an odd collection of characters either live or come and go. The house fills a full city block in Ottawa, and is large enough to completely enclose a four-acre park most people don't know about. The house seems to be a portal to some other ancient and mysterious place, and Sara's latest find in the attic seems to have sent her there. It will be interesting to see where this goes.

Casceil wrote: "I think I have settled on Moonheart as my book for one-word title month. I'm twenty percent of the way into it now, and finding it very engaging. The main character, Sara, is extrem..."

Sounds facinating, Casceil. Can't wait to see how you feel about it after you have finished. :)

I'm done with Brewster. Sigh. Very well written but quite bleak. A little tough to rate. People, events, emotions quite realistic and effective. However, I wound up feeling um... maybe manipulated, not sure. Felt like the author perhaps used the darkness, tapped into it for his own purposes, like to elevate the stakes for his work. It wasn’t like I expected a Disney, Hollywood ending, but in fictional works when the author takes me some place really dark, I kind of need to also feel like it was worth the journey. I felt heartsick and kicked around, wounded, but without much, if any, healing. There was resolution, yes, but without transcendence. Real-world, everyday life has darkness and struggle already covered in spades so I expect/need something more from my fiction. But that's me. I rate the writing 5 stars and my reaction to how it made me feel about 3 stars. So that's how this one gets 4 stars from me.

I was going to tell you that I think I have to take a pass on your book, Janet. I was tempted not to add it to my reading list. Your comment about resolution without trancendence has me curious though. It makes me think about why I want to read certain books and not others. Your four stars were right between the five from Diane S and three from Dem, just so you know.

Travis of NNY wrote: "I really liked George Guidalls performance of Frankenstein. Guidall is my go to guy for classics though. Simon Prebble and Neville Jason and Patrick Tull do very well with classics also"


I have made a note elsewhere to look for these narrators when seeking audio.

Thanks for the tip, Travis.

I've changed my plans (again), and decided to read Warbreaker.

I've read the prologue and part of chapter 1 of Warbreaker. I just met Siri and I love her already. I'm also curious about Vasher and what kind of person he is and what kind of world they live in. What I disliked a bit is how the world and people in it are explained to the reader. I prefer to discover these things as part of the story, but in the prologue it felt like the story was often interrupted to give explanations about Awakening and Breath for example. I'm not sure if I can really explain correctly... but this kind of writing always annoys me for some reason. Hopefully it's only in the beginning of the book.

Peggy, Siri was one of my favourite characters as was Vasher. The Awakening and Breath are to do with the magic system which features in the book and it's quite an important part of the story (and a bit complex) so I suppose that's why Sanderson chose to explain it at the beginning in that way. From what I remember, as the story continues, the system is built upon and it fits in to the story better.

Peggy, it sounds like you are complaining about "tell, don't show," which is annoying.

I'm very pleased with Moonheart so far. I'm about half way through. When I was a kid, my favorite kind of books was stories like the Chronicles of Narnia and Edward Eager's The Time Garden and Knight's Castle, where children have magical adventures in another place and time. Moonheart is like a grown-up version of those books. We have the large and mysterious old house, the connections by which some characters (but only some) can go to the "Otherworld," and the odd adventures there, while the people back home in Tamson House try to figure out where Sarah went and what the heck is going on. It's fun.

@Sarah: good to know :) If it's complicated I would probably also be complaining if I had to figure it out myself and it remained unclear for too long ;-)

@Casceil: ah! that's what it's called! Sounds exactly like what I was trying to say, thanks :)

Moonheart sounds interesting! I might have to add it to my tbr...

I finished reading Consumption, .

I struggled with this book. I started out disliking it, but then it started to grow on me. At one point, I was really enjoying it. But then, it kind of died. It was like watching the fuse on a stick of dynamite just fizzle out.

Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished Moonheart. and I give it five stars. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Casceil wrote: "I finished Moonheart. and I give it five stars. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list..."

That link takes us to your bookshelf. Here's the link that goes directly to your review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks, Janice. Clearly I did it wrong. How do I get the link for my review?

You need to snag the URL from the actual review. Go to your shelf and click on "view" which is underneath "edit", and it pulls it up.