Retro Reads discussion

Barb in Maryland wrote: "#3 reporting in with book #2
Music In The Hills
Read 2/20 and I'm giving it 4 lovely stars.

I really enjoyed it. I'll add a review link later...."

Added to your tally, barb.

Barb in Maryland, you are making me want to re-read all three books; I remember loving them.

The third book is next up on my pile. Looking forward to it!

#1
Book 4. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie An interesting book about manipulation & control. 3.5★ Finished 22/02.

Elinor here (#14) and I finished my fourth book on February 26, 2023. Four stars. It was my own recommendation, The Building Of Jalna. This is the first of 16 volumes about the Whiteoak family. I loved it and I'm onto the second book in the series now.

Elinor wrote: "Elinor here (#14) and I finished my fourth book on February 26, 2023. Four stars. It was my own recommendation, The Building Of Jalna. This is the first of 16 volumes about the Whiteo..."

Added for you Elinor!

Susan here (#7), Crewe Train , DNFD after more than half through, 3/2/23, two-star ⭐️⭐️read for me. On my personal scale, two is for books I can appreciate, but don’t personally like or want to reread.

Here’s a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Warning, there are spoilers, but I included the pic of my kindle cover, which had a helpful but spoiler filled introduction. I admit, it affected my feelings and review, but I appreciate spoilers, saves precious reading time! ;)

Added as a DNF Susan.

I'm going away for a couple of days, will do any other updates when I get back. :)

Thanks Carol, have a lovely, safe trip!😘

Susan in NC wrote: "Thanks Carol, have a lovely, safe trip!😘"

Thank you!

#5
finished Queen Lucia
3/2/23

and hope you have/had a nice time Carol!

CindySR wrote: "#5
finished Queen Lucia
3/2/23

and hope you have/had a nice time Carol!"

Oops missed this, but I have added it now.

Cindy, in future could you put what number read this was for you. If I lose track, this will make it easier for me. & a rating as well if possible. :)

I'm tied up with another couple of challenges in other groups, but I hope to get back to this one soon!

#7 here, with book #4, finished 3/12/23, Mapp and Lucia by E.F. Benson. 5 stars!

Here’s a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Added to your total, Susan.

I'm hoping to get back to this challenge again soon!

Hope you had a nice trip, dearest! Thank you for adding my book.

Susan in NC wrote: "Hope you had a nice trip, dearest! Thank you for adding my book."

I did thanks! It's more that I have overcommitted myself to diffeent challenges/reads atm!

Oh, boy, Carol, I feel you! I told myself I’d do better this year, read only what I want, DNF if I’m not feeling the book, value and use my precious reading time wisely, etc - but I actually joined another group, because it sounded like books I really wanted to explore. But yes, I’m feeling overextended with the reads and challenges at the moment!

#9
Book no2, finished on 12/03.
Crewe Train, 4*s.

I plan to read the introduction which put Susan off later today.

I’ll be curious to see what you think, you may have already known all the spoilers.

Jenn, #11
Book no. 1, finished 3/12.

I also read Crewe Train and gave it 4-stars.

Susan in NC wrote: "I’ll be curious to see what you think, you may have already known all the spoilers."

It was interesting, and I agree that it was helpful, but gave away too much. I'd love to read Rose Macaulay sometime, she seems like a fascinating character.

Tania wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’ll be curious to see what you think, you may have already known all the spoilers."

It was interesting, and I agree that it was helpful, but gave away too much. I'd love to re..."

Thank you, I felt, “why read the book? You’ve told me everything!”She does seem interesting, especially if she is indeed (view spoiler)[writing herself into Crewe Train in the character of the older lady who’s a friend of the Greshams, Rome I think her name was? She seemed interesting and wise - and as if she could step back and look at situations with some perspective. I felt sorry for her when she was tired, and our poor heroine wanted to practice late-night, bedroom chatting on her! Poor Denham! Anyway, the Introduction said this lady appeared in another novel, and was meant to be Macaulay herself. (hide spoiler)]

Well quite. It does annoy me when the 'introduction gives away major plot points, but I'm very good at forgetting and will pit books aside if I think I'll enjoy them later. I have done this for a number of years with The Go-Between, (I saw the film), but I know I won't forget the ending, and I do want to rrad the book, so having put it off for so long, I added it here to give me the impetus to actually read it. (I wish I'd not watched the film, but I was with other people).

Tania wrote: "Well quite. It does annoy me when the 'introduction gives away major plot points, but I'm very good at forgetting and will pit books aside if I think I'll enjoy them later. I have done this for a n..."

That’s a very sound strategy, actually- with my memory, I’ll forget in no time ;)!

Jackie #4 with my #1 book finished 3/10 and I gave it 4 stars

I also read Crew Train and thought it was very well-written with a protagonist I will not soon forget. But I also thought it was (view spoiler)[ so sad, really heart-breaking she is pregnant and trapped. I think it was realistic, though (hide spoiler)]

Jackie wrote: "I also read Crew Train and thought it was very well-written with a protagonist I will not soon forget. But I also thought it was [spoilers removed]"

Hi Jackie could you set it out like it is in the post.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... (#143)

It will be so hard for me to check back if I make a mistake otherwise.

oh, Carol, I'm sorry not to be clear - it isn't actually on my list I was just talking about the book. so far I haven't finished anything on my list! gah!

Jackie wrote: "oh, Carol, I'm sorry not to be clear - it isn't actually on my list I was just talking about the book. so far I haven't finished anything on my list! gah!"

I'm confused.

The Book Pool we read any of the books in it, not just the ones we nominate - just as long as they weren't started before the first of January.

I thought we reading the ones we nominated. I'm so sorry! I completely misunderstood.

but I had the nagging feeling there was something I wasn't getting right from the beginning

I've edited it Carol, I hope it's right now.

Jackie wrote: "I've edited it Carol, I hope it's right now."

Date finished would be helpful. Also star rating, but if you don't like giving books ratings that is fine.

Added your book, Jackie!

& we welcome Kristi to the Book Pool. She is #18! :)

#5 here with my 3rd book finished today 3/18

The Endless Steppe: Growing Up in Siberia

Highly recommended! My short review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

CindySR wrote: "#5 here with my 3rd book finished today 3/18

The Endless Steppe: Growing Up in Siberia

Highly recommended! My short review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Is it definitely book no 3 Cindy? I already had you down as 3 reads.
Hope I haven't messed up.

You are right, it's number 4. I read 3 of my picks plus one other. Sorry!

#9 with book no 3 finished 19/03.

Yoked with a Lamb which I gave 4*s.

It's not quite as warm and cheerful as other books by Molly Clavering, but still very enjoyable.

Tania wrote: "#9 with book no 3 finished 19/03.

Yoked with a Lamb which I gave 4*s.

It's not quite as warm and cheerful as other books by Molly Clavering, but still very enjoya..."

Added for you Tania.

I'll be getting back to this challenge with my next read. :)

#15 reporting:

I finished “The Wolf and the Buffalo” by Elmer Kelton today (March 21.) It’s the story of a newly-recruited Buffalo Soldier, Gideon Ledbetter, who is learning how to be “free” after the Civil War and a Comanche warrior, Gray Horse, who is seeing the end of his way of life. There is a Buffalo Soldier Museum in Tacoma that I need to visit soon. Highly recommended.

Kate wrote: "#15 reporting:

I finished “The Wolf and the Buffalo” by Elmer Kelton today (March 21.) It’s the story of a newly-recruited Buffalo Soldier, Gideon Ledbetter, who is learning how to be “free” after..."

Added your second book, Kate. In future could you put what book number it is in your post? This helps me if I make a mistake. :)

Hey, Carol, #7 here with book #5, Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell. Finished 3/24/23.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me, love Thirkell’s humor, and revisiting Barsetshire as the county denizens gear up for WWII, with on the home front means a flurry of engagements and quick weddings as young men head off for war, and everyone else joins committees to keep everything going at home.

Here’s a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Susan in NC wrote: "Hey, Carol, #7 here with book #5, Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell. Finished 3/24/23.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me, love Thi..."

Added to your count, Susan!

Thank you, dearest!

#5 here with my 5th book finished today 3/25

Chip of the Flying U

Another winner I highly recommend! Short review:

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

Added to your book count, Cindy.

I'm going away for a couple of days, so will add any further ones when I get back.

Travel safely, have fun!

#2 here. I got dumped off this thread by Goodreads for a few weeks, and just see all that has happened! I hate it when Goodreads does that.

I’ve now read the 5th and last book on my list—decided to read my own selections first and then move on to others. Finished today, 3/25, Angel by Elizabeth Taylor. I gave it a very reluctant 5 stars; the main character is utterly loathsome and I have found Taylor’s novels bitter medicine in the past, but this book is brilliant in its horrificness. My review (which gives away rather more than I usually do) is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

And now I can select something nice and escapist from the list—maybe Beverly Nichols!

Angel is on of my favourite Elizabeth Taylor novels, and I quite agree, "brilliant in its horricness" is the perfect way to describe it. Maybe time for a reread.

I’ve struggled with the dreariness in her books in the past but this one had so much energy, it was hypnotic.

Abigail wrote: "#2 here. I got dumped off this thread by Goodreads for a few weeks, and just see all that has happened! I hate it when Goodreads does that.

I’ve now read the 5th and last book on my list—decided t..."

Added to your total, Abigail.

I was also intending to read my own five first. But I took a slight detour for my fifth read.

#1 Book 5 Laura I think this would be a 5★ for many people - it's just I'm not normally a fan of (view spoiler)[multiple POV! (hide spoiler)] 4★ for me. Finished 27/03.