THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

I was reading 8 recently & got to the point where I was not enjoying any of them. Got the list down to 4 finally which is manageable, but am going to pick up 2 more for group reads so wish me luck ... hope to finish one of the original 4 in a day or 2 which will help & one is an audiobook. I'm always listening to an audiobook while traveling.

Martha wrote: "I was reading 8 recently & got to the point where I was not enjoying any of them. Got the list down to 4 finally which is manageable, but am going to pick up 2 more for group reads so wish me luck ..."

good luck!!! 4 almost had me down for the count!!!
Shay does bring up a very good point though!
as long as the books are quite different in plot- it is like having your own time machine- with The Poe Shadow- I am in 1840's Baltimore, with Pillars of the Earth I now traveling back to 1100's England and with Bangkok Haunts I am now in modern day Asia!

That is exactly what is so wonderful about books!! We can go anywhere in time or place.

Woe that wiki, is very accurate

I know Rick, that's exactly how I feel. I guess that's why I always have more than one book going, you never know what time or place you'll feel like at any moment. I just updated my "currently reading" list and I'm at 10 books again.

Awesome

Shay wrote: "I know Rick, that's exactly how I feel. I guess that's why I always have more than one book going, you never know what time or place you'll feel like at any moment. I just updated my "currently rea..."

I am considering reading Beezus and Ramona because I really enjoyed the film and grew up reading all the Beverly Cleary books

One at a time. I once caught myself reading 5 books at once in high school. I mixed Stephen King with Swiss Family Robinson, and it wasn't pretty!

Suza wrote: "One at a time. I once caught myself reading 5 books at once in high school. I mixed Stephen King with Swiss Family Robinson, and it wasn't pretty!"

haha! I imagine that combo made for interesting dreams at night!

I would be disturbed

I hardly read any children's books growing up. Most of the children's books I read were after I had kids and as a teacher. I'm glad I had kids and got to catch up on all the stuff I missed.

I only read YA books. Seriously, I have nearly all my life read them

Kable wrote: "I only read YA books. Seriously, I have nearly all my life read them"

YA books are interesting

have you ever read
The Guardians Of Time Triolgy

Kable wrote: "have you ever read
The Guardians Of Time Triolgy"

no-whats the theme

it is about this group of people(The Named) who have to keep the Goddess of Chaos from distorting the past, strengthening her armies.

Kable wrote: "it is about this group of people(The Named) who have to keep the Goddess of Chaos from distorting the past, strengthening her armies."

major cool

i know, but I have to say the final book almost made me cry

Kable wrote: "i know, but I have to say the final book almost made me cry"

why

it's just super sad. do u know how all books that end series the authors completely change they're style?

Kable wrote: "it's just super sad. do u know how all books that end series the authors completely change they're style?"

completely understand- itslike they are happy to be finished with series so they cut corners

I tend to be a one book at a time girl...

in this series, she is like
"SCREW IT! I'M MAKING IT DEPRESSING!"

Cecilia wrote: "I tend to be a one book at a time girl..."

sometimes I wish I was still a one book at a time reader- but I am so overflowing with books! need to read at least 3 at a time- actually its kind of fun!

i read lots, I even forget about most of my books

I remember every word I read

*mouth drops* wha?

yes - like just the other day I was starting a new novel- and remembered the first words from about 2 years ago and realized that I already read it!

Rick wrote: "Cecilia wrote: "I tend to be a one book at a time girl..."

Sometimes I wish I was still able to read one book at a time reader- but I am so overflowing with books! need to read at least 3 at a time- actual..."

I use to be able to read more than one book at a time. It was a survival skill that I learned in college, but now that I am getting older I find that just learned to read faster. I can usually finish a book in two to three days, so my overflow is not too bad.

There are the rare occasions where I will read more than one book at a time. Like right now I am reading "Pillars" for our buddy read, but I am so far ahead of the group that I put it down for a couple of days every now and then and read something else.

I guess that is not really at the same time... ONE BOOK AT A TIME GIRL . Maybe that should be my new name. LOL!

ha

Cecilia wrote: "Rick wrote: "Cecilia wrote: "I tend to be a one book at a time girl..."

Sometimes I wish I was still able to read one book at a time reader- but I am so overflowing with books! need to read at lea..."

LOL! well you are certainly far ahead of me in Pillars- I am just at the point where Philip is approaching the Bishop to tell of the Royal scheme!

I don't do buddy reads

Kable wrote: "I don't do buddy reads"

thats cool- thats what great about this Group- open to all folks and points of view!

Rick wrote: "LOL! well you are certainly far ahead of me in Pillars- I am just at the point where Philip is approaching the Bishop to tell of the Royal scheme!"


I just finished Part 3 so I am going to read a silly chick lit book that is due back to the library on Tuesday.

BTW.... I am glad that you feel the same way I do about Prior Philip.

I am reading RED PYRAMID: Rick Riordan and I have to say it fits perfectly to all my other books

it has kick-A cover

Rick wrote: "Kable wrote: "it's just super sad. do u know how all books that end series the authors completely change they're style?"

completely understand- itslike they are happy to be finished with series ..."

I think it's a very difficult thing to end a series. Especially now, in an internet age, there is a collective will/sentiment among readers that may differ from what an author had envisioned. Yet, the author is incredibly aware of what their readers want and expect. So, you get a lot of cop out endings- kind of like the Sopranos fade to black. Deliberately vague so everyone sort of gets what they want or at least it leaves a lot of what people want as a possible scenario. To me, I'm assuming the author is more talented than I am, I want their vision not mine. I don't know, I think that Americans are more apt to want a happy ending, with everything neatly tied up no matter how realistic that is within the context of the novels. Any writers out there? How much pressure can be brought upon an author to change an ending to conform to an outcome more palatable to the masses?

I also have a very LOoooooong TBR list .. some are ones that I ant to re-read, some are classics that I've never read, but feel that I should read before I die, and the others are all books that I've seen recommended here and on book blogs by regular readers like me. Since I review books myself now, I usually have 2-3 going (but not more than one in the same day, unless I've finished another). If a book doesn't pull me right in, I'll open another to see if IT does, then I may open another. In this case, I have two "OK" books, but the third is one that pulled me right in. THAT third book will be my treat to myself once I finish the other two that are due for review! I usually always have an audiobook that I can listen to when there's no one else in the house (which doesn't happen often).
I have taken breaks (the latest was when I put aside all review books and read "Hunger Games" and "Catching Fire" within 24 hours), where I only concentrate on one VERY GOOD book :)

Shay wrote: "Rick wrote: "Kable wrote: "it's just super sad. do u know how all books that end series the authors completely change they're style?"

completely understand- itslike they are happy to be finished w..."

mmmm... what an interesting question. First up there are a lot of US Lit agencies who prefer HEA(happy ever after)so, as they are the gatekeepers to the publishers, you can assume they are expressing what the publisher wants and expects.Then there are contract authors who do more or less exactly as they are told.Then there are the 'indie' authors who do exactly as they want, but sometimes change after a few duff reviews(esp ebooks).
This is evidently a generalization and there will be some who sell so many copies that they can call the shots.
For myself, I prefer to write endings that make you think on past the last page.

cool

R.D. wrote: "Shay wrote: "Rick wrote: "Kable wrote: "it's just super sad. do u know how all books that end series the authors completely change they're style?"

completely understand- itslike they are happy to ..."

FACININATING! R.D.

indeed

It depends on the book. If it requires a great deal of attention due to complex plot, etc. I read it and don't read any others but most of the time I read 2 or 3 at the same time.

Jane wrote: "It depends on the book. If it requires a great deal of attention due to complex plot, etc. I read it and don't read any others but most of the time I read 2 or 3 at the same time."

iteresting

I can only read one book at a time. Even if my 'currently reading' list says 2, I'm really only reading one. That just means that I picked a book to 'currently read' and changed my mind before i started it. I like to start and finish a book before moving on to another.

I also read a 'deep' book, then read a handful of 'fluff' books to keep my sanity.

I just read one book at a time. I can read more but it has to be light (comic, manga). I did read two books at a time and it confused me. Mostly because those two books were fantasy books and the stories mixed itself one another. XD

I typically have 2-3 books going at one time. I usually read an adult and YA novel at the same time. I keep a book at work, in the car and at home. That way, I always have something to read no matter where I am and never have to worry about leaving my book at home or at work. I tend to read on my computer at work so it looks like I am working!! LOL

Lisa wrote: "I typically have 2-3 books going at one time. I usually read an adult and YA novel at the same time. I keep a book at work, in the car and at home. That way, I always have something to read no m..."

Lisa, I did that too and it works. They think I'm working all the time. =)

I always have ALL my books with me. If I get bored, I change the book