On The Same Page discussion

NEVER DOUBT ME!! ;-)

Now go read Matilda lol

Glad you have read a Road Dahl book now, I read that as a kid - not sure I'd recommend the sequel though, don't remember enjoying that nearly as much

Bill wrote: "I hope you enjoy them. Then find the old movies from the 60s; especially Journey to the Center of the Earth... Oh and listen to Rick Wakeman's musical adaptation of it.. ;0)"

This is a great idea, thanks, Bill. I really need to step up my movie watching game. We never really watch movies anymore. If I've got some down time, my nose is in a book. There are some great shows out there that I need to watch! :-)

Lillie wrote: "17 books this month?! That's fantastic. Haven't read any of your February books but now I have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on my radar. I've seen both versions of the movie but I think it'd be fun to read the original source. And you gave it 5 stars so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Have been flirting with starting Leigh Bardugo's earlier series since I did like Ninth House. I'll need to push it up further up the pile."

I hope you like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory too. I do so love children's books, my mind must be very young (or immature, but young just sounds much more positive!)

I was flirting with Bardugo for awhile too, but never pulled the trigger, until she started winning the GRC Awards. I am trying to read all the GRC books every year, and I figured if I want to do that, I better get caught up in the Grishaverse. Of course, reading like 12 books in multiple series cuts down on the other series that I can read this year.

I hope she finishes the next book in the Ninth House series soon. I read that last year for the GRC Awards and now I'm invested in knowing what will happen. And I don't want to forget the details. Fingers crossed...

Alondra wrote: "Mmmm, have you read any of Stephen Kings short stories?? If yes, but they did nothing for you, then I recommend staying away from short stories. Some of the best writing from him has been novella or short story sized works. Like Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption:Hope Springs Eternal; and The Green Mile, which was a series of 6 short noir-style books."

I love Stephen King's short stories, it was his short stories that persuaded me how talented he is. One of my favorite books by him is Everything's Eventual, which is a compilation of short stories that I ordinarily wouldn't read. I'll definitely look into those other two books, I haven't read them yet, and I think his short stories usually work for me.

Strangely enough, another author that I think writes good short stories is Ernest Hemingway. I am not a fan of his longer books though. If you give him too much space, he writes too many boring details that I just can't care about, but his short stories are good and pack a punch.

For the most part, I think short stories will can lack intensity and have to be very well crafted. I don't say that I never read them, but it is rare that I rate them very highly. Stephen King and Ernest Hemingway as exceptions. :-)

Alissa wrote: "NEVER DOUBT ME!! ;-)

Now go read Matilda lol"

LOL, yes ma'am, it's on one of my lists, moved up. :-)

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Glad you have read a Road Dahl book now, I read that as a kid - not sure I'd recommend the sequel though, don't remember enjoying that nearly as much"

I have heard that about the sequel. I hate to leave Charlie hanging, so I'll probably listen to it and complain about it and tell you that you were right and that I shouldn't have listened to it. So get ready, Desley. :-)

Lea wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Glad you have read a Road Dahl book now, I read that as a kid - not sure I'd recommend the sequel though, don't remember enjoying that nearly as much"

I have heard th..."

Fair enough - you might well enjoy it, you'll never know unless you try

Lea wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Mmmm, have you read any of Stephen Kings short stories?? If yes, but they did nothing for you, then I recommend staying away from short stories. Some of the best writing from him ha..."

I'm also hit and miss with short stories

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "I hope you enjoy them. Then find the old movies from the 60s; especially Journey to the Center of the Earth... Oh and listen to Rick Wakeman's musical adaptation of it.. ;0)"

This is ..."

My favorite show on TV right now, Professor T, the original Belgium series. Amazing. You do have to put up with subtitles, but it's fantastic.

March Mid Month Report

Books Read: 7 books this month and 39* year to date

*Includes loads of children's books and short stories

Books from Filling in the Gaps: 29/100; 2020 Books 0/7, 2021 Books 1/11, and 28/82

Books from 12+4 Challenge: 3/16

Recently Finished:

20000 Leagues Under the Sea - I finally read a book from my 2021 list. I'd read a lot of list books, but not any from 2020 or 2021 yet this year. I was interested in reading this one because I'd just finished reading Daughter of the Deep last month. It was my first book by Jules Verne, but will not be my last. I liked it. Some very dated references, but must have been an amazing story to those who read it shortly after it was written. 3 STARS

Siege and Storm - This is the second book in the Shadow and Bone series, and I enjoyed this one too. I thought it was better written than Shadow and Bone, but there was more action in the previous book. Another issue I have is that the love interest for the main character is not very interesting to me, and it's like watching your friend settle for someone when you think they should do better. There's like a love rectangle or pentagon going on here, and I think she should ditch the whole lot, all of them are using her and/or aren't comfortable with her power. And why should she make herself less in order to make other people more comfortable? We'll see where the author goes in the final books of this series. I feel like it is getting better. 3 STARS

The Reading List - A buddy read with Denise and Alissa. I loved it. One thing that I have long believed is that the words in books meet you where you are at, and you can get a different message from reading the same book as another reader. It's why I like buddy reads so much. Oftentimes, the impact of the book on another person will cause me to think more deeply on the issues in the book. And, the book list that they are reading is amazing. The only book on it I haven't yet read is A Suitable Boy, which is a tome of 1,474 pages. Maybe next year. If it is on the list, it has to be good. 3 STARS

Crying in H Mart - A memoir about losing her mother, but also about growing up Korean American. Her life was quite far removed from mine, but I felt the connection through the food, the raw emotion of grief and the struggle to follow her dreams and find her way in the world. 4 STARS

Klara and the Sun - On the one hand, I've been reading a lot of books about robots. And this book certainly didn't bring to light any answers. If anything, it served up more questions. The author, Kazuo Ishiguro, tends to write books with ambiguous endings, and this one definitely had one. What I believe happened in the ending may not be the same as how you believe the book ended. That said, the question of what it means to be human is asked. It's a beautiful way to ask the question. 3.5 STARS

The Naked Sun - This is another robot book in the I, Robot series by Isaac Asimov. I may have enjoyed this one a bit more than the last. It takes place on a different planet called Solaria, where there are few humans spread out, and lots of robots. A place where they view each other instead of see them. Kind of how I've felt about the last two years. :-) How can a murder happen where robots are not able to harm humans under the laws of robotics and people don't see each other at all. Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw investigate. 3.5 STARS

Captain Wentworth's Diary - I'll let you in on a very unpopular opinion I have - I prefer Captain Wentworth from Persuasion to Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. My best friend is currently appalled with this, so you may as well be also. I have many reasons for this, but the main one is that Mr. Darcy comes from wealth, but Captain Wentworth makes his fortune in the world. Both work hard, but I think it is harder to come from nothing than it is to retain what you've inherited. So, of all these diaries, this was the one I was most looking forward to reading and I really enjoyed it. 3 STARS

Currently reading:

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - Oh dear, I don't know about this one. At least we're out of space and back at home. It's Roald Dahl so there is a lot of hilarity, but I'm preferring Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the sequel.

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic - A compilation of fairy stories set in the Grishaverse. So far, I'm actually quite enjoying them.

A Time for Mercy - Jake Brigance, the hotshot lawyer from A Time to Kill and Sycamore Row is at it again. So far, I'm really enjoying the setup to this book, I really hope that John Grisham does not poop out on the ending!!

Holy Bible: New International Version - Well, I made it out of Leviticus, so I can probably read this book this year. :-)

Progress on the Whack-a-Mole Series Situation –

Series Completed this year (for the moment...):
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (1)
2. Lore Olympus (1)
3. Sweet Sanctuary (2)
4. Greentown (2)
5. The Henna Artist (2)

Series Started This Year with Books Remaining:
1. Shadow and Bone (2)
2. Charlie Bucket (1)
3. Capitaine Nemo (1)

Series Started Last Year with Books Remaining:
1. Robot (2)

Series That Added Books This Year with number of books I still need to read in that series:
1. Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez (8)

Series That Added Books Last Year with number of books I still need to read in that series: (so you can see how I really made no progress!)
1. Ender's Universe (5)
2. The Tattooist of Auschwitz (1)
3. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid (9)
4. Xanth (39)
5. Stephanie Plum (7)

Series that added books this year that I'm abandoning, until I change my mind and read them anyway:
1. Crescent City

Bill wrote: "I hope you enjoy them. Then find the old movies from the 60s; especially Journey to the Center of the Earth... Oh and listen to Rick Wakeman's musical adaptation of it.. ;0)"

Thanks, Bill. I am not sure why I never read or watched any of these adaptations. I must have been intimidated for no real reason. The book was surprisingly good, and I've added these to the long list of movies I need to watch!

Lillie wrote: "17 books this month?! That's fantastic. Haven't read any of your February books but now I have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on my radar. I've seen both versions of the movie but I think it'd be fun to read the original source. And you gave it 5 stars so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Have been flirting with starting Leigh Bardugo's earlier series since I did like Ninth House. I'll need to push it up further up the pile."

I do love children's books, so take that into account. The good thing about them is that they don't usually have a lot of extra fluff and description in them that I'm not as interested in reading! Well, that and they are shorter. So, of course they are contributing to the high number of books I've read so far this year. :-)

I'm glad you are still enjoying the Robot books. Naked Sun was excellent. A kind of closed door mystery as I recall and as you say very reflective on today's sit where you feel uncomfortable when in contact with other humans. Enjoy the rest of your Mar reading.

What a great month you are having Lea! So many books! I really enjoyed both The Reading List and Crying in H mart so I'm glad to see you did too. It looks like we felt similarly about Klara and the Sun. I won't ask what you thought happened because I might have to rethink the whole thing.

Bill wrote: "I'm glad you are still enjoying the Robot books. Naked Sun was excellent. A kind of closed door mystery as I recall and as you say very reflective on today's sit where you feel uncomfortable when in contact with other humans. Enjoy the rest of your Mar reading."

I'm starting to get to the point in the series where I don't want to read the last book and compilation of short stories, because then there won't be any more. For all my compulsive need to finish out series, I always mourn when there are no more books left to read. :-)

I was on a Jules Verne kick in my teen years...I haven't read all his books, but I really enjoyed the ones I've read. There were some good movies too, most likely dated now.

39 books to date, yay! I have a couple of books of this month's list on my TBR, so hopefully I'll get to them someday. Now, with longer days and spring coming, there will be less reading, but I'm not complaining.

Michelle wrote: "What a great month you are having Lea! So many books! I really enjoyed both The Reading List and Crying in H mart so I'm glad to see you did too. It looks like we felt similarly about Klara and the Sun. I won't ask what you thought happened because I might have to rethink the whole thing."

Hee hee, then don't click this spoiler...especially those of you who haven't read the book yet...but if you have read this book....you know you want to! (view spoiler)[I am absolutely convinced that Josie was replaced. The "survey" Klara completed essentially was used to infuse another artificial mind with all things Josie, but it didn't work. New Josie was not the same being who Mother, Father and Rick loved. (hide spoiler)] I know you can make a solid argument other endings, but I do like the book better with my interpretation.

Ioana wrote: "I was on a Jules Verne kick in my teen years...I haven't read all his books, but I really enjoyed the ones I've read. There were some good movies too, most likely dated now.

39 books to date, yay! I have a couple of books of this month's list on my TBR, so hopefully I'll get to them someday. Now, with longer days and spring coming, there will be less reading, but I'm not complaining."

Yay! I'm glad that Spring is coming. It's been like summer here in California, I hope it stays just like this all year long, but I worry that summer will be oppressively hot.

I am looking forward to reading Jules Verne. His stories are dated and I'm sure that the movies are as well, it's almost like reading about a Blackberry when we are in the age of iPhones. :-)

I know you'll make some interesting choices for reading. Looking forward to envying what you've selected. :-)

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "I'm glad you are still enjoying the Robot books. Naked Sun was excellent. A kind of closed door mystery as I recall and as you say very reflective on today's sit where you feel uncomfo..."

I know exactly what you mean. But Asimov was a prolific writer so you can find other books by him.

Bill wrote: "I know exactly what you mean. But Asimov was a prolific writer so you can find other books by him."

I can't believe I'm reading Asimov. enjoying it, and wanting to read more. I really was quite intimidated by him!

Captain Wentworth's Diary - I'll let you in on a very unpopular opinion I have - I prefer Captain Wentworth from Persuasion to Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

I'm with you on this one (but then I generally prefer Persuasion to Pride and Prejudice).

Interesting month of reading!

Speaking of short stories, read Youth if you haven't yet. It's excellent.

Carolien wrote: "I'm with you on this one (but then I generally prefer Persuasion to Pride and Prejudice).

Interesting month of reading!

Speaking of short stories, read Youth if you haven't yet. It's excellent."

Carolien, then there are two of us in this world that prefer Persuasion to Pride and Prejudice. Excellent! The letter at the end...it is perfection. The movie adaptation, though isn't as good as P & P, because it is confusing to people who didn't read the novel. I spent the whole time explaining who everybody was and how they were related to one another the first time I watched it with friends.

I downloaded Youth from the library right now and will read it this week. Thanks for the recommendation! :-)

Lea wrote: "For the most part, I think short stories will can lack intensity and have to be very well crafted. I don't say that I never read them, but it is rare that I rate them very highly. Stephen King and Ernest Hemingway as exceptions..."

I agree, and love Hemingway. Of course, I've only read shorter works.

March Month End Report

Books Read: 16 books this month and 49* year to date
*Includes loads of children's books and short stories

Books from Filling in the Gaps: 33/100; 2020 Books 0/7, 2021 Books 2/11, and 31/82

Books from 12+4 Challenge: 5/16

Previously discussed:

20000 Leagues Under the Sea
Siege and Storm
The Reading List
Crying in H Mart
Klara and the Sun
The Naked Sun
Captain Wentworth's Diary

Recently Finished:

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic - Sometimes I don't enjoy the in betweener books with short stories, but I did very much enjoy this compilation. Disclaimer warning - the fairy tales in this book are not for small children. They are dark. 3 stars

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - Desley warned me. But, I wanted to finish out a series. The nicest thing I can say is that I didn't hate this book. But, it certainly doesn't have the strong plot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2 STARS

A Time for Mercy - This is a sequel to A Time to Kill and Sycamore Row. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it. 4 STARS

Hard Luck - I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one in the series, but I'll keep it real. These books are now all starting to blend together. 3 STARS

Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid is like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to me. I like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but I do not love them nearly as much as other people seem to. Same with Reid. I like her books, but I don't seem to enjoy them as wholeheartedly as others. Her books are always well written and well plotted and entertaining, but I never think much about the way she depicts relationships. 3 STARS

Ruin and Rising - Well, that didn't end how I thought it might. I liked it, but I really thought the story might be more powerful if it went in a different direction. I'm looking forward to reading the next duology in the Grishaverse. 3 STARS

Postscript - I read the original book in this series in 2010, and when I heard that the author had written a sequel in 2019, I seriously considered whether to read it. I didn't want to re-read the original book, so I watched the movie instead. I thought the sequel was good, and if you really enjoyed the first book, you'll probably like this one. It was nice to know what happened. My one quibble is that it felt like, in order to establish character growth throughout the novel, the characters had to start from a place that didn't feel right for where I thought they should be. It's hard to describe without giving away spoilers, so I'll just say this was good for me, but not as good as the original book. 3 STARS

Youth - Carolien recommended this to me, and I very much enjoyed the short story about an encounter with an alien species. 3 STARS

Giovanni's Room - This was the first book I've read by James Baldwin and I really enjoyed the writing style. The book is extremely short, but I don't think it could have gone on too much longer. What a tragic and heartbreaking story. 3 STARS

Currently reading:

City of Ink - I cannot even tell you how happy I am to sink back into the world of Li Du, and how sad I will be when I no longer have this book to look forward to. I'm already considering if I will read Elsa Hart's other standalone book that came out in 2020.

Edmund Bertram's Diary - It's kind of unfair really. I just finished Captain Wentworth's Diary about Persuasion which is my favorite Jane Austen novel and now I'm reading this diary about Mansfield Park which is my least favorite Jane Austen novel. Can the author redeem Bertram for me? Remains to be seen.

The Anthropocene Reviewed - The Anthropocene is the current geological age, and John Green is reviewing random things about it, from Halley's Comet to Scratch N Sniff stickers, on a five star scale. I didn't think I'd be into it, but I am enjoying it.

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life - A group read, so this will probably be read over the next few months.

Holy Bible: New International Version - I'm on target to finish this by the end of the year.

Progress on the Whack-a-Mole Series Situation –

Series Completed this year (for the moment...):
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (1)
2. Lore Olympus (1)
3. Sweet Sanctuary (2)
4. Lunar Chronicles (1)
5. Greentown (2)
6. The Henna Artist (2)
7. Charlie Bucket (2)
8. Jake Brigance (1)
9. Shadow and Bone (6)
10. P.S. I Love You (1)

Series Started This Year with Books Remaining:
1. Capitaine Nemo (1)

Series Started Last Year with Books Remaining:
1. Robot (2)

Series That Added Books This Year with number of books I still need to read in that series:
1. Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez (8)

Series That Added Books Last Year with number of books I still need to read in that series: (so you can see how I really made no progress!)
1. Ender's Universe (5)
2. The Tattooist of Auschwitz (1)
3. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid (9)
4. Xanth (39)
5. Stephanie Plum (7)

Series that added books this year that I'm abandoning, until I change my mind and read them anyway:
1. Crescent City

Book of the month: Crying in H Mart
Worst Book: None were really bad, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator was the only book I rated below 3 stars this month. I must have been in a very good mood. :-)
Biggest Surprise: Klara and the Sun
Biggest Accomplishment: Please note that at least 12 of my books have been super super short, and that my total page numbers to date is 14,177...but, how amazing is it that I've read 49 books already this year? I doubt I will continue at this pace, especially if I start actually reading some of those longer harder books on my Individual List, but still...I expected to read 100 books this year, so I'm months ahead at this pace.

Lea wrote: "March Month End Report

Books Read: 16 books this month and 49* year to date
*Includes loads of children's books and short stories

Books from Filling in the Gaps: 33/100; 2020 Books 0/7, 2021 Book..."

You had a great month. I'm looking forward to trying Leigh Bardugo and to getting back to Li Du.. Have a great April!

Great month!! I'm glad you enjoyed A Time for Mercy, and glad you considered Klara and the Sun the biggest surprise, I'm reading it now (just started yesterday). So far, so good.

I think I need to see what this Li Du is about, everybody seems to love this series.

You’re burning through your list! Great month :)

I hear you about Taylor Jenkins Reid. I feel the same about other popular writers (looking at you Sally Rooney). Now you’ve read her and you can put her aside for authors that give you more pleasure.

Glad you didn't hate Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, and at least you've read it now.

You had a good month and I'm glad you enjoyed Youth!

Great update and kudos on 49 books!! You're a reading machine., regardless of how short the books are. Books are books!!

📚📚📚📚📚💕

Congrats on your progress! So many good books this month!

Bill wrote: "You had a great month. I'm looking forward to trying Leigh Bardugo and to getting back to Li Du.. Have a great April!"

Thanks, Bill. Hamza is back in City of Ink, and it seems to be tying the series together very nicely. I don't usually like to re-read series, but I might want to do that this time. It's been five years since I read the last installment and six since I started the series. :-)

Ioana wrote: "Great month!! I'm glad you enjoyed A Time for Mercy, and glad you considered Klara and the Sun the biggest surprise, I'm reading it now (just started yesterday). So far, so good.

I think I need to to see what this Li Du is about, everybody seems to love this series."

I read your thread first and saw that you weren't that interested in Klara and the Sun. I did write a long paragraph or three under spoilers about what I think happened in the book, something some of my friends who read the book had not considered. Not all of them agreed with my interpretation of what happened, but anyway, I think it brings up a good discussion. I wished to have been buddy reading that one. :-)

I think you might like Li Du, Ioana. It's a mystery and the setting, 18th century China, is incredible.

Lillie wrote: "You’re burning through your list! Great month :)

I hear you about Taylor Jenkins Reid. I feel the same about other popular writers (looking at you Sally Rooney). Now you’ve read her and you can put her aside for authors that give you more pleasure."

I've only read one book by Sally Rooney, and I thought I was over valuing the book by giving it one star. I almost changed the speed on the audiobook, just to get through it much quicker. :-)

To me, Sally Rooney is like coffee. Everyone else likes it, I cannot stand it: the smell, the taste...it's all not for me.

But Taylor Jenkins Reid, I like. I'd read her books. But, whenever everyone else is five starring it and ordering more Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I'm happy with it, but I'm looking for a Lindt truffle and something with just a little bit more substance to it. :-)

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Glad you didn't hate Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, and at least you've read it now."

Yes! And my high school friend was always quoting Roald Dahl, several quotes from both the Charlie books. I now understand what he was trying to say to me all those years ago. I'll read more Dahl, I enjoyed it.

Carolien wrote: "You had a good month and I'm glad you enjoyed Youth!"

Thanks for suggesting it! I was hoping that the ending would be what it was! :-)

Alondra wrote: "Great update and kudos on 49 books!! You're a reading machine., regardless of how short the books are. Books are books!!

📚📚📚📚📚💕"

Thanks, my friend! Books are books, and I'm liking what I'm reading. I feel like I'm making progress, which is more than I felt two years ago at this time. :-)

Michelle wrote: "Congrats on your progress! So many good books this month!"

Thanks, Michelle! I am enjoying the selections!

Lea wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Glad you didn't hate Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, and at least you've read it now."

Yes! And my high school friend was always quoting Roald Dahl, several quo..."

Glad you'll read more Dahl, I do recommend his adult books

Lea wrote: "I read your thread first and saw that you weren't that interested in Klara and the Sun. I did write a long paragraph or three under spoilers about what I think happened in the book, something some of my friends who read the book had not considered. Not all of them agreed with my interpretation of what happened, but anyway, I think it brings up a good discussion. I wished to have been buddy reading that one. :-)"

To be honest, I haven't considered that (see my reply there), but I guess it's possible. It fits certain events/discussions but it contradicts others.
I wished to have been buddy reading it, too.

Lea wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Great update and kudos on 49 books!! You're a reading machine., regardless of how short the books are. Books are books!!

📚📚📚📚📚💕"

Thanks, my friend! Books are books, and I'm liking..."

Oh, that is so awesome!! These last few years have been rough, but I am really hopeful that we all see that light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like most of us have found a little more mojo than last year. 🤗🤗

Ioana wrote: "To be honest, I haven't considered that (see my reply there), but I guess it's possible. It fits certain events/discussions but it contradicts others.
I wished to have been buddy reading it, too."

I should know better. Note to self: Buddy read any future book by Ishiguro. It's always got something in it that has to be discussed. :-)

Alondra wrote: "Oh, that is so awesome!! These last few years have been rough, but I am really hopeful that we all see that light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like most of us have found a little more mojo than last year. 🤗🤗"

Yes! I'm reading more and better variety too. I felt so fragile before, had to be careful to select a book that wouldn't trigger anything that would be frustrating to me. Now, I feel like I can pick from a variety of genres without having to be so careful. I hope the past two years becomes a bad dream that when we try to explain it to someone who didn't live through it, we aren't able to come up with the words. That's my hope.

Lea wrote: To me, Sally Rooney is like coffee. Everyone else likes it, I cannot stand it: the smell, the taste...it's all not for me.

But Taylor Jenkins Reid, I like. I'd read her books. But, whenever everyone else is five starring it and ordering more Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I'm happy with it, but I'm looking for a Lindt truffle and something with just a little bit more substance to it. :-)

I love how you put things!! Yes about Sally Rooney, if I could’ve given her book I read a big old 0 stars I would‘ve. I should’ve bailed but I wanted to know what all the fuss was. I’ll stop here otherwise my rant will go on too long. I don’t normally hate books but this one was vile, imo.

I’m one of those that have loved TJR but maybe it’s because I listened to several of them as audiobooks. The cast for Daisy Jones & The Six was absolutely fabulous.

Lea wrote: "Now, I feel like I can pick from a variety of genres without having to be so careful..."

I like that. Being careful. I just wanted to get lost in a book; I didn't want to think about it. Ya know?? 🤔🤔

Fabulous month!! Well done my friend

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Glad you'll read more Dahl, I do recommend his adult books"

I didn't realize that Dahl wrote adult books, and then I started looking at all the books he'd written, and then I was completely lost in a world of books and thought I'd replied to this message, but I had not. :-) Any of his books you'd particularly recommend?

Lillie wrote: "I love how you put things!! Yes about Sally Rooney, if I could’ve given her book I read a big old 0 stars I would‘ve. I should’ve bailed but I wanted to know what all the fuss was. I’ll stop here otherwise my rant will go on too long. I don’t normally hate books but this one was vile, imo.

I’m one of those that have loved TJR but maybe it’s because I listened to several of them as audiobooks. The cast for Daisy Jones & The Six was absolutely fabulous."

I could not believe that Beautiful World, Where Are You won the GRC Award for Fiction. I had withstood reading books by Sally Rooney before then - they never looked interesting - but they didn't look bad either. I was very surprised, and not in a good way, and now I understand what people were saying.

I did listen to the audiobook of Daisy Jones & The Six and the audiobook was great. Unfortunately, I disliked all of the characters and their relationships and the way that they lived their lives. Everyone seemed to love Karen, forgive Daisy, understand Camila, and feel bad for Billy, whereas I felt none of those things. Interesting story, but the deep relationships that these people allegedly feel seem very surface to me. I vastly preferred the movie "That Thing You Do" to the book, even though they have similar plot points. And I had the same problem with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and now Malibu Rising. I'm guess I'm destined to love the overall plots of TJR books but not any of the characters and the plot points that stem from the character's and their motivations. It's OK not to like the characters if you get the impression that the author and / or most of the other readers think the same, but it is frustrating when you don't like them but everyone else does. It's kind of like watching your friend marry somebody that you feel like they shouldn't. You want to say something, but you figure you might well be the problem since nobody else sees it the same way you do.

Alondra wrote: "I like that. Being careful. I just wanted to get lost in a book; I didn't want to think about it. Ya know?? 🤔🤔"

YES! I hated having to be so careful about my entertainment. I've always had to be careful about TV, but it was frustrating to also have to think so hard about which book I could read with getting myself agitated. :-)