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

jaxnsmom wrote: "Wow Connie. Have you thought of how many points you might accumulate?!?!

I think any competitions from now on based on number of pages will have a special rule for you - every 1000 pages you re..."

Jaxnsmom, I don't think my points will count unless I can make rainbows from them. I have so many other commitments to read that I know I will never use all my points in rainbows, but I am okay with that. I am just having fun now.


@Janice
I really enjoy Ian Rankin books. His books are set in Scotland about a police detective who is good at his job but has a wreck of a personal life. The Hanging Garden is really great.

I will give him a try. Thanks for the recommendation!

Oh - do I need to start at the beginning of the series, or is each book stand alone?

Janice wrote: "Oh - do I need to start at the beginning of the series, or is each book stand alone?"
I did not start at the beginning of the series (just read them in random order), and I understood what was going on fine. The later books are not Inspector Rebus books, so watch out for those. You want the Inspector Rebus books.

Red: Red cover: Author's last name begins with R

Red Lily Nora Roberts

30 points for eighth book completed in task
3 points for 320 pages
5 points for cover and title
4 points for each R in title and author's name

42 points for task
3228 points to date

Connie wrote: "Janice wrote: "Oh - do I need to start at the beginning of the series, or is each book stand alone?"
I did not start at the beginning of the series (just read them in random order), and I understoo..."

Thanks, Connie. It is so hard to tell with these series.

Blue: Blue cover: physical book

The Man Who Smiled Henning Mankell

30 points for ninth book completed in task
3 points for 325 pages
5 betrayal

38 points for task
3261 points to date

Blue: Blue cover: physical book

On the Island Tracey Garvis-Graves

30 points for tenth book completed in task
2 points for 281 pages
5 points for betrayal

37 points for task
3303 points to date

7th Rainbow: 50 points

Green: Green cover (light green): Nonfiction

Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature Linda Lear

30 points for seventh completed task
5 points for 584 pages
10 points for environment


45 points for task
3398 points to date

Now you have a rainbow for every color of the rainbow :)

Way to go Connie!

Green: Green cover (dark green): Nonfiction

The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed John Vaillant

30 points for eighth completed book in task
3 points for 256 pages
10 points for environment

43 points for task
3441 points to date

Yellow: Yellow cover: Set in Ireland and Iran

Rosewater and Soda Bread Marsha Mehran

30 points for eighth completed book in task
3 points for 304 pages

33 points for task
3474 points to date

Green: Green cover (doesn't show here, but it is a beautiful spring green cover with a few daisies on the cover, very green/can view on Amazon); Nonfiction

Simple Ways to be More with less Courtney Carver

30 points for ninth book completed in task
2 points for 68 pages
5 for environment

37 points to date
3511 points to date

Red: Red cover: Author's last name begins with R

Naked in Death J.D. Robb

30 points for ninth book completed in task
3 points for 306 pages
1 point for R in author's name

34 points for task
3545 points to date

Wow! Great going, Connie!

8th Rainbow: 50 points

Violet: Violet cover

Jamaica Inn Daphne du Maurier

30 points for eighth book completed in task
3 points for 302 pages

33 points for task
3578 points to date

Pragya wrote: "Wow! Great going, Connie!"

Thank you, Pragya. You are too kind! ; ) I am certain you are doing very well with your rainbows, too. It is good that we have the toppler coming up to help us out a bit.

Violet: Violet cover

Romeo and Juliet [author:William Shakespeare|947

30 points for ninth book completed in task
2 points for 283 pages
5 points for war

37 points for task
3615 points to date

Still going strong, I see. Great numbers and great books!

I have slowed down due to tutoring! Really cutting into my private reading time! ) :
Not good!

Red:Red cover:Author's last name begins with R

Let It Bleed Ian Rankin

30 points for tenth book completed in task
3 points for 320 pages
1 point for R in author'name

34 points for task
3649 points to date

Green: Green cover: Nonfiction

The Zookeeper's Wife Diane Ackerman

30 points for tenth book completed in task
3 points for 368 pages
10 environment

43 points for task
3692 points to date

How many rainbows have you completed? I'm thinking I need to get off my duff and start tracking everyone's progress or I won't be going to my parents' for Christmas.

Janice wrote: "How many rainbows have you completed? I'm thinking I need to get off my duff and start tracking everyone's progress or I won't be going to my parents' for Christmas."

LOL Janice. At the rate, Debra and Connie are reading that is a likely possibility.

You girls are too funny! ; )

8 rainbows, Janice.

9th Rainbow: 50 points

Yellow: Yellow cover: Setting India

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A Novel Deborah Moggach

30 points for ninth book completed in task
3 points for 320 pages
2 points for # I(s) in author's name and title

35 points for task
3790 points to date

Yellow: Yellow cover: Setting India

Secret Daughter Shilpi Somaya Gowda

30 points for tenth book completed in task
3 points for 358 pages
2 points for each I in author's name and title

35 points for task
3812 points to date

What did you think of Secret Daughter? I see that you gave it 4 stars.

@ Judy: I have not seen the movie, but I am looking forward to seeing it after reading the book. I have heard that the movie is pretty different from the book in a good way. I read the book for another book group, and many of the members either gave up on the book or did not like it. Something must be wrong with me because I actually liked the book. It is a typical dark British comedy; therefore, not for everyone. I laughed at some points and wanted to cry at others. A witty, dark comedy.
Have you read this book? seen the movie?

@ Janice I like this book. Themes presented in this book are ones that are difficult to confront. Some of the characters could have been more fully developed; however, I appreciate her use of dual plot lines to tell how female infanticide and poverty affect families in India. Very rarely do I cry when reading, but this book did cause me to tear up. I was much more emotionally invested than I realized, and I am not really certain how that happened. The main issues in the book were only hit at an angle, and I feel that the entire novel would have been a stronger if these issues were addressed in a more forward manner. If I had read the book at another time, I might have given it another score; however, I have been reading a lot about the poverty of India lately, so it hit me in a soft spot.
Have you read this book?

Violet: Violet cover: Violet in title

The Violets of March Sarah Jio

30 points for tenth book completed in task
3 for 304 pages
5 for title and cover requirement
10 points for purple flowers on cover

48 points for task
3860 points to date

I shall let you know what I think as soon as I see it. I love Judi Dench and one of the other actresses playing an old lady. I just cannot think of her name now. She was on Downtown Abbey as the grandmother. Did you see Downtown Abbey on PBS? Love that show!

Yes, I read Secret Daughter and gave it 3 stars. I think she tried to incorporate too many themes and didn't develop any of them. I also thought the character development suffered as a result. It had promise, but ended up being superficial. It would make a good series. If she devoted a book to each person and theme, she could have had better character & story development.

Judy wrote: "I haven't seen it so I looked it up in Wikipedia. Downtown Abbey has an interesting concept. I'll have to see about renting it to see if it is something we would like to purchase.

I like Judi De..."

I believe Downtown Abbey is to be continued this season on PBS because it was so very popular last year. It is an amazing series!

Janice wrote: "Yes, I read Secret Daughter and gave it 3 stars. I think she tried to incorporate too many themes and didn't develop any of them. I also thought the character development suffered as a result. I..."

I agree that there is room for growth in her development of the novel. I have not heard of this author before, so it will be interesting to see how her work continues to unfold as she hones her skills. I am interested enough to want to read another book by her later.

If I stumble across another of her books, I may read it. Right now, I've got so many promising books on my TBR & To-Listen-to shelves, that it will be a long way down the road.

I understand. PBS Masterpiece Theater and Mystery are the only shows I try to catch on tv. Otherwise, I have a book and somewhere comfy to cuddle.
I never know what folks are referring to when they talk about characters on sit-coms. Haha I just sit there looking like a dope!

Janice wrote: "If I stumble across another of her books, I may read it. Right now, I've got so many promising books on my TBR & To-Listen-to shelves, that it will be a long way down the road."

Me too! I am not interested until much later. Too much on the old tbr list!!!

10th Rainbow: 50 points

Blue: Blue cover: physical book

The Light Between Oceans M.L. Stedman

30 points for eleventh book completed in task
3 points for 343 pages
5 points for betrayal theme

38 points for task
3948 points to date

Almost 4000 points! Wow!

Blue: Blue cover
The Stories of Mary Gordon Mary Gordon

30 points for twelfth book completed in task
4 points for 480 pages
5 points for betrayal

39 points for task
3987 points to date

Connie, you are awesome! Almost 4,000 points! I have a long way to go!

Awwwww shucks! (blush)

Blue: Blue cover: physical book

Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson

30 points for 13th book completed in task
2 points for 219 pages

32 points for task
4019 points to date

Blue: Blue cover: physical book

Night of Many Dreams Gail Tsukiyama

30 points for 14 th book completed in task
2 points for 287 pages
5 points for betrayal

37 points for task
4056 points to date

Red: Red in Title: Author's last name begins with R

Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls

30 points for the 11th book completed in task
5 points for # Rs in title and author's name
2 points for 272 pages

37 points for task
4093 points to date

Connie wrote: "Red: Red in Title: Author's last name begins with R

Where the Red Fern GrowsWilson Rawls

30 points for the 11th book completed in task
5 points..."

Oh Connie, I adore that book!

Me, too! It is an amazing book!

It is not her best book. Gilead and Home are much better books. This one has beautiful language, but the story line is very slow and depressing.

Yellow: Yellow cover: Setting Italy

Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love, and Death in Renaissance Italy Sarah Bradford

30 points for 11th book completed in task
4 points for 448 pages
2 points for each I in title and author's name

36 points for task
4129 points to date

Yellow: Yellow Cover: Setting Italy

The Agony and the Ecstasy Irving Stone

30 points for 12th book completed in task
2 points for each I in title and author's name
5 points for 777 pages

37 points for task
4166 points to date