frankie
-
Posts
16,958 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Books
Posts posted by frankie
-
-
-
If Sherlock Holmes is a book you've enjoyed reading, why not look for something similar? I hope other people can recommend similar types of novels, I haven't read any Sherlock Holmes books if I remember correctly.
You say you come from a 'crappy place of India'. How available are books to you? Do you have any problems finding the books you want to read? I think there was a member on here how might've been from India and she struggled with finding books... I'm not sure!
I think reading children's books and young adult novels is a great idea! They are easier to get into, and they can be really amazing reads
-
On 2.1.2019 at 10:29 PM, karen.d said:
I've just finished 'The Wasp Factory' by Iain Banks and all I can say is wow!
I loved reading your review of The Wasp Factory!
I don't think I rated it very highly right after reading it, but the book has grown on me over time. I did not remember that Frank was only 16 
Wow! In any case, I'm really happy you liked the book so much! On 7.3.2019 at 11:41 AM, karen.d said:'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' by Gail Honeyman.
Last year, this book got a lot of hype everywhere and won a lot of awards. I deliberately waited before reading this, because I didn't want the hype to influence my opinion of this book.
This is the first book I DNF'ed this year. Why? Well only after 44 pages, I felt that this had an ugly, spiteful tone to it. Eleanor, who is socially awkward, was sneered at by her mother and her colleagues and I didn't like it..
Whilst Eleanor had back story was incredibly sad, it felt like the author herself, was using Eleanor for laughs, that were at her, not with her.
I felt that some of the situations Eleanor found herself in, as an attempt at humour, both patronizing and not very funny. I mean, what 30 year old hasn't ordered a takeaway pizza before? This is demeaning of the character, to put her in that sort of situation. And also, the waxing at the beauty parlour, was just silly.
I can't really say much more about this novel. It's quite possible that, if I had continued on with it, it might have got better. However, just in this few pages I read, I was left feeling very uncomfortable, with the way in which socially awkward people was being portrayed by the author. I didn't feel that it was right to support this kind of attitude because, after all, we are not all the same and that's not a bad thing. Clearly, this writer doesn't agree.
Re the spoiler:
SpoilerI don't mean to nit pick, but I have never ordered takeaway pizza on the phone and I'm 37! I've ordered online, but I've done it with BF, and so I haven't done it myself. I can't remember if the order is made by phone or online, in the novel, or if she goes in a pizza place to get a takeaway pizza. But I haven't done so by myself, ever! And I don't consider myself as 'odd' as Eleanor, and this was only to comment on the take out -thing.
Anyway, I'm sorry you didn't like the book! Especially when it was so hyped and you probably expected to like it? To each their own, aye?
In any case, this is a very late wish but I do wish you have a smashing reading year in 2019, Karen! -
Hello and welcome to the forum, Scoaldacky! I'm glad you're enjoying John Steinbeck's novels. That's interesting, what you're saying, about Hemingway being with experiences as Steinbeck is with society. I take it you like Hemingway as well?
-
I'm currently reading three books: The Environment Equation: 100 Factors That Can Add to or Subtract from Your Total Carbon Footprint by Alex Shimo-Barry, Karhumies by Vesa Tuominen and Ilman minua by Marie Descheplin (the original title is Sans Moi, I don't know if it's been translated into English).
-
First of all, welcome to the forum!
I'm sorry to hear life has been a struggle lately. In times of struggle, it's sometimes hard to concentrate on books. I think we've all been there at one point in our lives. It's hard to recommend books to someone I don't know, so why don't you tell us what kind of books you've enjoyed in the past?
If all else fails, why not re-read a novel that you've loved before?
-
On 1.1.2019 at 1:26 PM, Athena said:
Books read in February 2019.
37. Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler62 1: De Uitnodiging (Kepler62 - Kirja 1: Kutsu)
38. Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler62 2: De Lancering (Kepler62 - Bok 2: Nedtelling)First of all, I wish you an amazing reading year in 2019!
I'm late to visiting all the threads this year 
I was looking at the books you have already read this year and these two stood out, because of the Finnish names Timo Parvela and Pasi Pitkänen. Did you know they are Finnish?
Personally I haven't heard of these books before. I did recognize Timo's name, I thought he's mostly a children's author but it seems he's written to children, teenagers and adults alike.
Re: your convo about BookTube with Hayley. I'm very unfamiliar with BookTube myself, I don't know what goes on in there. I have to admit that I'm not personally into any type of youtube videos and vlogs, I just wouldn't know what to watch and what to make of the videos. But that's beside the point. My point is, you shouldn't feel any pressure about the BookTube, as it's your hobby and you should only do what you feel comfortable doing.
Not everyone can always participate in everything, and it's totally understandable. I'm trying to juggle a few different things and I sometimes feel like I don't have the time to do it all, and I feel pressured, and then I'll just remind myself that I need to prioritize things and let the 'less meaningful' stuff go.
I also like the idea about recommendations of books by autistic authors!
I have made a new friend last year (off the internet) and she is somewhere on the autistic spectrum, and she also loves books, so I would definitely watch that video of those recommendations to see if she might like some of the books! I recommended The Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to her and she really loved it! (Although the book was not written by an autistic author.)
I did a little research and yes, we also have the autism awareness week over here in Finland at the same time as you do.
On 18.3.2019 at 12:49 PM, Athena said:I've decided most read-a-thons make me feel too stressed though and I'm too much of a mood reader for them, so going forward I plan to mostly just do the BCF read-a-thon
. But read-a-thons are such a thing on BookTube, that I'm also worried about offending anyone if I make a video about it. Most people on BookTube (as far as I know) do read-a-thons and love them, and most read-a-thons have challenges limiting you to specific books. But I'm such a mood reader, it doesn't work like that for me. I can do the graphic novels & manga, because it doesn't take me that long to read them, and I read them from a variety of genres so it works okay with my mood.
I posted about not doing read-a-thons on Twitter a while ago but no one from BookTube responded or liked the Tweet so.. I'm not sure if I want to make a separate video explaining or whether I'll just let my behaviour going forward, show how I feel (if that makes sense).
There is an Actually Autistic read-a-thon in the beginning of April, and some time ago I said I'd partcipate (I thought it'd be in the second half of April), but it takes place at the same time as the BCF read-a-thon and I can't do both at the same time (because none of the graphic novels and manga I want to read for our read-a-thon, are written by actually autistic authors). On top of that, during that week I'm pretty busy with a couple of appointments and one day going to my granddad's birthday. But I don't know how others feel about moving the BCF read-a-thon, ahhh the dilemmas haha. I guess I do have a short story written by an autistic author, so I could fit that into the BCF read-a-thon as it's short and it'd still be by an autistic author, but.. heh. I had also hoped to read C. G. Drews' newest book for the autistic read-a-thon but it's out on the 4th of April and will probably take a few days to ship to me, so I'll probably receive it after the Actually Autistic Authors read-a-thon is over.
Sorry for the long post
. I guess I needed to tell these things to a friend 
.
I totally understand about being a mood reader!
We are in the same boat! I don't think you could offend anyone on BookTube if you said you weren't going to participate. It's not a mandatory thing! I think you should do what you want to do, and if that's the BCF read-a-thon, then that's that I mean I understand that you would probably like to do them both but as you are busy that weekend anyway, you could just do the things you are ready, willing and wanting to do.
I do wonder if the Actually Autistic read-a-thon applies to other places besides BookTube?
-
I'm going to visit a friend that particular Saturday, but otherwise I think I might be able to take part! I can also read on the train on my way to see said friend, and back
-
On 24.2.2019 at 1:41 PM, Hayley said:
I actually thought we already had a thread of this but I can't find it so maybe I imagined it!
We do/did have a thread for this, so you are definitely not imagining it
I don't know why you couldn't find it, though. Just as well that you started a new one! All my current reads are in Finnish so I won't bother with the first lines this time
-
On 26.1.2019 at 2:42 AM, Raven said:
^ Two good Christmas films!
(they go down hill quickly after two, so be warned!)
So I've heard
I don't think I'll watch any of the rest, apart from the second movie!
The last movie I watched was The Naked Gun, which we caught on television by accident, and which is a comedy from the 1980's so it fits perfectly in the movie challenge I'm doing this year. I've seen the movie before and I thought I'd fall asleep out of boredom, but it was entertaining enough -
What a great thread idea!
I like it that you will also be re-watching the ones you've already seen. Have you counted how many you've watched in the past? I'm rather terrible at watching movies these days, I hope you will inspire me to watch more of them! Good luck with your challenge, I'll be looking forward to watching your progress.
-
On 10.3.2019 at 1:51 PM, Athena said:
I'm so glad your mojo is a lot better this year and you've been reading some nice books! I have One of Us is Lying on my TBR, so I'm glad you really liked it!
One of Us is Lying was a book I felt I could not put down, and I love it when I get that feeling with a book!
It made me want to read other YA novels, as well. I hope you will like the novel when you get to it! On 10.3.2019 at 1:51 PM, Athena said:It's excellent you haven't read any 1/5 books yet!
I'm certainly happy about it
Let's hope it stays that way! I'm really happy about the books I've chosen to read so far, overall
On 10.3.2019 at 1:51 PM, Athena said:I hope your reading keeps going well
.
Thanks Athena, and you two!
On 11.3.2019 at 2:30 PM, ~Andrea~ said:Ooh fantastic! Nice to see your mojo is back in town. I too am doing a lot better this year than last year!
I'm so happy to hear you are doing better, too, Andrea! You had a tricky year last year, so I'm glad you're doing a lot better this year!
On 11.3.2019 at 5:53 PM, muggle not said:You are doing very well with your reading this year. Hope that it stays good the rest of the year. I am pretty sure that you would like Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. It was not only my favorite book last year, but probably for a few years.
I did a little research for you"
"I can't even express how much I love this book! I didn't want this story to end!"--Reese Witherspoon
"Painfully beautiful."--The New York Times Book ReviewFor years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.
Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.
I think my google went to the same place as yours, because I think that's ^ the exact same thing I found myself when I dug around for a synopsis
It does sound like an interesting read! 
On 14.3.2019 at 2:59 PM, Lau_Lou said:Glad you are enjoying your reading. I am happy to see you liked One Of Us Is Lying I have that on my tbr. Not sure when I'll get round to reading it but hopefully soon.
I hope you get to it soon! Like I said to Athena above, I couldn't put the book down! I think this is YA at its best
-
On 4.1.2019 at 6:07 PM, muggle not said:
I have borrowed Frankie's rating system for 2019:
1/5: I didn't like it
2/5: It was okay
3/5: I liked it
4/5: I really liked it
5/5: It was amazing
I myself have shamelessly stolen that rating system from Goodreads years and years ago I'm late to some of the reading logs as I haven't been that much on the forum so far this year, so do forgive me for my late wishes: I hope you have an amazing reading year in 2019, muggle not!
On 4.1.2019 at 6:07 PM, muggle not said:I am currently reading Fear (book on Donald (cadet bone spurs) Trump) by Bob Woodward I am looking forward to some much better reading soon as there are books I have on hold at the library that I believe will be very good. I requested the library to buy 4 ebooks and I recently received a notice that the ebooks have been purchased.
For a moment I thought you were reading the same book I read in the late 2018, but yours was Fear, and mine was Fire and Fury
It was interesting reading but I did need some great fictional reading after that!
And by the way, am I wrong or just having my head in the sand, or has Trump been off the news lately? Has he been behaving okay'isly lately? I mean, is there no new drama. Odd!
-
Welcome to the forum!
Looking forward to seeing what kinds of books you will be reading this year! -
On 8.3.2019 at 6:05 PM, Freda P said:
I often wonder if they know who's done before they begin to write to,I have read a couple of Lynda La Plante books which I enjoyed and also Ian Rankin,but none of the others unfortunately ,Peter James ,Faye Kellerman Karin Slaughter are also favorites of mine,when I first started to read crime books I must have read all Martina Coles,and Roberta Kray as always liked books about the East End gangs,I'm The same with TV gangster films are the ones for me I guess i maybe a bit blood thirsty, haha.
First of all, welcome to the forum!
I haven't read any Val McDermids as far as I remember, but she's been on my 'radar' for some years, as she's been mentioned on here I've read a few Lynda la Plante's, but only after watching those Trial & Retribution's series which were amazing! They were gory and terrifying and very compelling watching! Have you seen those?
Karin Slaughter is amazing! Have you read any books by Jeffery Deaver? I think you might like his Lincoln Rhyme -series As for another book series that's gory and compelling, have you read the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay?
-
I don't read short stories as such, but I've read 'essay collections' by one of my favorite authors, Augusten Burroughs. They are not really essays, I don't think, they are more like writings on specific things.
But I know Augusten Burroughs is not for everyone. He might curse, he might talk about taboos, etc.
-
On 1.3.2019 at 6:37 PM, Madeleine said:
I've found Forster a bit heavy going as well, haven't read Passage to India but found Howard's End a bit of a slog, despite loving the film.
On 1.3.2019 at 8:57 PM, Onion Budgie said: I'm finished with it now -- THANK GOODNESS. Sheesh.
I read Howards End, too, and didn't like it all that much, and I really did not enjoy A Room with a View!
I'm glad you could pummel through APtI, Onion Budgie
You have now earned a great next read!!
I'm currently reading A Noise Upstairs by Linwood Barclay. Liking it so far!
As for Eleanor Is Completely Fine, I really liked it! I think there's two ways to go about it: not take it that seriously, and/or taking it in the way that the tone is set sort of by how others see Eleanor, while not understanding the reasons why she acts the way she does. I wish I could explain it better. I know a few people who could make the points I'm trying to make! On the other hand, that's just my view and I totally get that the book is not for everyone.
-
I've read this post of yours a few times (when it first came up and now that you've re-commented) but sadly I have to say I don't know any such novels. Which is actually pretty sad when you think about it. A few novels come to mind where there is a 'non-masculine man' as someone who comes into the mix, so to speak, but I don't think I know any novels where such a man is the protagonist. I'll have to keep an eye out!
Sorry for replying and not having anything for you to read -
Hello everyone, how are you doing?
I've been busy reading! My mojo's been surprisingly accommodating this year and I've been happy reading, reading, reading! Just to compare the start of the year to the start of 2018, here's my reading from the first 3 months in 2018:
January
1. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
February
2. Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
3. Lukot by Pauliina Susi
March
-
That's 3 books in total. I didn't read any books in March. That's really sad. This year, I've read the following, so far:
January
1. We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee - 2/5
2. Pese hampaat ennen kuin pussaat by Satu Kivinen - 3/5
3. The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty - 4/5
4. Ääniä rappukäytävässä by Jukka-Pekka Palviainen - 5/5
5. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus - 5/5
6. Harkinta-aika by Jukka-Pekka Palviainen - 3/5
February
7. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler - 4/5
8. Star Gazing by Linda Gillard - 2/5
9. Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak - 4/5
10. Väkivaltatoimisto Sofiankatu 4A - väkivaltatutkijan muistelmia by Ilpo Keiski - 4/5
11. Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty - 4/5
12. Andy Rock 'n' Roll Star by Lamppu Laamanen - 4/5
March
13. Siirtolainen by Ella Laurikkala - 4/5
14. People Like Us by Dana Mele - 2/5
14 books, as opposed to 3 books last year!
I haven't read any 1/5 books so far, which is great! And overall I think I've read pretty great books so far. -
On 5.1.2019 at 2:59 AM, muggle not said:
I was going to recommend a book to you but thought better of it as I reconsidered your current list and realized that you have enough reading on your lists to last many, many years.
Where The Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens (it was my favorite book last year)
I will google that title, thanks muggle not!
I might not get to it, what with the ever growing TBR and the challenge I'm doing this year, but I'm definitely going to check the book out and thank you for thinking a book for me! On 5.1.2019 at 11:31 AM, Athena said:Happy reading in 2019, Frankie
. I hope your mojo will be better this year than in 2018 . Good luck with your new challenge you're doing, it sounds interesting !
Happy reading to you, too, Athena!
My mojo has been most excellent this year, far better than last year! So much so that I've not been on the forum much, I've spent more time reading for once I've been enjoying the challenge very much On 5.1.2019 at 5:21 PM, bobblybear said:Have a great reading year in 2019, Frankie!
I hope you have an amazing reading year too, bobbly!
On 5.1.2019 at 11:17 PM, Hayley said:Hope you have a great reading year! You have lots of books on your tbr list that I want to read too so can't wait to see what you think!
Your new challenge sounds good too, it will be interesting to see what books you pick for each category!
I hope you have a great reading year in 2019, too, Hayley!
Unfortunately I haven't been reading too many of them TBR books this year, because I've been reserving a bunch of books from the library I also haven't written any reviews this year, because for once I'm actually reading books and not just talking books on the forum! I should rectify that.
-
Happy reading in 2019, Madeleine!
The Vera Stanhope series has been on TV over here, too, but on a channel I don't normally watch, so I've missed it. :/ -
Helsinki is very snowy, which I'm loving!
It's -12 degrees outside at the moment.
-
Die Hard
It was entertaining! So much so that I think I have to watch the sequel, especially since I learned it was directed by a Finnish movie director! I had no idea.
-
I'm currently reading One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus and I'm completely hooked! I can't remember the last time I was so eager to pick up a book to read more. I've been reading it on my way to work, at lunch, on my way home, and even before bedtime, which is unusual for me!
Karen.d's Reading List 2019
in Past Book Logs
Posted
Oh no, you didn't offend me in the slightest! No worries
I was just pointing out that that one thing you picked was something I hadn't done myself, either. It was just a rather useless comment of me to that one particular thing 
I do get that it's just that one thing and you were generalizing, and I know what you were trying to get at.
That's interesting! I don't think I'm the same as you. I mean sometimes over hyping can turn me off of a book and not want to read it, but then when the hype's died down and I do read the book, I tend to like the hyped book more often than not.