Anna Begins Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Wow- I hope to read a lot on my vacation too! Where did you go (or do you wish not to say, ie, beach, forest, etc).? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 We went to North Devon and stayed in a cottage (converted barn) on a farm in the middle of the countryside, but only about 20 minutes away from beaches and the coast, so I spent time at the beach, in town and on the farm, so I had the best of all worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 (edited) The Gallery of Vanished Husbands by Natasha Solomons But, overall, I did enjoy it, although not as much as I enjoyed her previous books. It left me rather underwhelmed too. It wasn't a patch on her other two. Edit: I'm glad you had a great holiday. Edited May 10, 2015 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Wow, so much reading! I'm glad you had a good holiday, it sounds lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Wow, you've done a lot of reading during your holiday! I'm glad you had a lot of fun . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Postponing West Yorkshire … decision pending. I've reread a couple of authors/books of late which I first read as a teenager/student, and which I hated with a passion at the time. I've actually enjoyed them all. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed Wuthering Heights, I first read it in my thirties. I can see why it could be disliked in the way that you did - indeed I don't think I would have enjoyed it one bit at that age. You may still find it that way, but you will have changed a lot as a reader since then (obvious, I know, but worth highlighting). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Glad you had a great holiday Claire I am nervous about a couple of books on the ECC list and Wuthering Heights is one. Will be interested to hear your thoughts if you do decide to pick it up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 It left me rather underwhelmed too. It wasn't a patch on her other two. I think it lacked a bit of drama … there was nothing that really compelled you to turn the page or read just one more chapter, which I felt both her first two books had. I've reread a couple of authors/books of late which I first read as a teenager/student, and which I hated with a passion at the time. I've actually enjoyed them all. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed Wuthering Heights, I first read it in my thirties. I can see why it could be disliked in the way that you did - indeed I don't think I would have enjoyed it one bit at that age. You may still find it that way, but you will have changed a lot as a reader since then (obvious, I know, but worth highlighting). If it was almost any other book (possibly only Captain Corelli's Mandolin surpasses it), I'd be less resistant to re-reading it, but, the memory of the feeling I had while reading it is still so strong, it's clouding my decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Finished House-Bound which is one of my Persephone books, so that means at the moment, I'm now 10% complete on that book list.Next book is a pick from the Jar of Destiny, and it's given me … Going to Sea in a Sieve by Danny Baker. Really pleased about this as they're filming a television adaptation for it, and I want to read it before it's broadcast, and I've been listening to a lot of his podcasts recently, so great timing all round. That means I've now read 15 picks from the book jar, have 43 left in there, plus this one I've picked, so I'm 25% of the way through my book jar books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 We went to North Devon and stayed in a cottage (converted barn) on a farm in the middle of the countryside, but only about 20 minutes away from beaches and the coast, so I spent time at the beach, in town and on the farm, so I had the best of all worlds. That sounds like a dream! That means I've now read 15 picks from the book jar, have 43 left in there, plus this one I've picked, so I'm 25% of the way through my book jar books. Awesome! I can't believe all the books you've read this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Awesome! I can't believe all the books you've read this year! What can I say … it's an addiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Next book is a pick from the Jar of Destiny, and it's given me … Going to Sea in a Sieve by Danny Baker. Really pleased about this as they're filming a television adaptation for it, and I want to read it before it's broadcast, and I've been listening to a lot of his podcasts recently, so great timing all round. That means I've now read 15 picks from the book jar, have 43 left in there, plus this one I've picked, so I'm 25% of the way through my book jar books. Hope you enjoy it Claire ... really good to hear they're adapting it .. should be great! The music will be fab!! Well done for getting 25% of the way through your TBR pile great achievement! I've not made a dent in mine (or only the smallest of ones) and that's because I've let it get so out of hand No discipline at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 What can I say … it's an addiction. Ah yes, but a healthy one! Do you find your reading group comes up with selections you would never pick on your own? Like, would you pick up The Reluctant Fundamentalist or MaddAddam? Do you find some books a drag or like them mostly? I've never been part of a reading group! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 What can I say … it's an addiction. I agree ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Hope you enjoy it Claire ... really good to hear they're adapting it .. should be great! The music will be fab!! Thanks - I started it today and giggled my way through my lunch break Peter Kay is playing his Dad Well done for getting 25% of the way through your TBR pile great achievement! I've not made a dent in mine (or only the smallest of ones) and that's because I've let it get so out of hand No discipline at all I've read loads of books not from the jar as well, and I didn't have too many in there to start with, so it's not that much of an achievement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ah yes, but a healthy one! Do you find your reading group comes up with selections you would never pick on your own? Like, would you pick up The Reluctant Fundamentalist or MaddAddam? Do you find some books a drag or like them mostly? I've never been part of a reading group! It definitely throws up some books I'd never pick, but I have to be honest and say I don't always read the choices if it's something I know I won't like (I didn't read the book last month as it was a Tudor royal historical fiction based on real people which I *knew* would not be my cup of tea and it was over 400 pages of teeny tiny print ). I might have picked up The Reluctant Fundamentalist but probably not MaddAddam (not that I read that either in the end ). I had a look back at the 102(!) books I've read with the group up to now, and these are how my ratings worked out: 1/5 = 13 2/5 = 22 3/5 = 40 4/5 = 22 5/5 = 5 (Admittedly, three of these were books I'd suggested ) For me, a 3/5 book is an enjoyable book, so almost two thirds of the books we've been given, I've enjoyed reading, and I've *loved* arguing about why the thirteen 1/5 books were bad at the meetings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 That means I've now read 15 picks from the book jar, have 43 left in there, plus this one I've picked, so I'm 25% of the way through my book jar books. Holy son of a snitch! Well, shouldn't come as such a big surprise, knowing you mean business when you pick up a book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Thanks - I started it today and giggled my way through my lunch break Peter Kay is playing his Dad Liking the sound of it already I've read loads of books not from the jar as well, and I didn't have too many in there to start with, so it's not that much of an achievement. It is .. and the fact that you don't let your TBR pile build up to monstrous proportions is an achievement in itself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 It definitely throws up some books I'd never pick, but I have to be honest and say I don't always read the choices if it's something I know I won't like (I didn't read the book last month as it was a Tudor royal historical fiction based on real people which I *knew* would not be my cup of tea and it was over 400 pages of teeny tiny print ). I might have picked up The Reluctant Fundamentalist but probably not MaddAddam (not that I read that either in the end ). I had a look back at the 102(!) books I've read with the group up to now, and these are how my ratings worked out: 1/5 = 13 2/5 = 22 3/5 = 40 4/5 = 22 5/5 = 5 (Admittedly, three of these were books I'd suggested ) For me, a 3/5 book is an enjoyable book, so almost two thirds of the books we've been given, I've enjoyed reading, and I've *loved* arguing about why the thirteen 1/5 books were bad at the meetings! Forgive me for not answering sooner! Wow- 102 is a lot- how long have you been with them? I wish I had a group. I'll bet you loved arguing lol its the best part Have you read any Margaret Atwood before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Forgive me for not answering sooner! Wow- 102 is a lot- how long have you been with them? I wish I had a group. I'll bet you loved arguing lol its the best part Have you read any Margaret Atwood before? My first meeting was in January 2006, so it's quite a while! We were talking about it at the last meeting, and apart from the lady who runs the group, I'm the longest standing member now. The group was actually started in 2000, but most people who still regularly meet up have been around for between two and six years, I guess. We do have a couple of newer members, but they've only been to a few meetings and not consistently yet, so we'll wait and see if they stick around. We usually have about 12 people each meeting but it varies between 8 and 15 people, lower in the summer as people are on holiday, and a few more around Christmas. I do enjoy it, and it's nice to chat books with people, but it's a shame that most of them are older women, most retired. I wish we had a few men and some younger people in the group to give a bit of balance. I'd like to join another group with younger people if possible, but I don't know of any in my area. I'm hoping the new book shop might think about starting one when they become more established. We did read Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood back in 2010, but that's the only one I've read with the group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 My book club started in January 2006 too, Claire. I have a spreadsheet of all the books we've read - your stats are interesting - I might do the same when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 My book club started in January 2006 too, Claire. I have a spreadsheet of all the books we've read - your stats are interesting - I might do the same when I get home. It was interesting to look back at our reading. We started off with two books per month, which was pretty good as if you didn't like one you might like the other, and it gave us plenty to talk about. Since the library has started charging for us to rent it in the evening, we've had to increase our subs and reduce our books to one per month, so if it's a book that doesn't provide much discussion, we're a bit stuck after half an hour. I wish we could go back to two books, as it was more interesting then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Decided that I wanted to pick another book from the jar this morning …I'm so pleased this one came up. I love listening to Ramblings - it's one of my favourite radio programmes - and I really enjoyed Clare's first book. I like her and her writing style, and add Ramblings into the equation … I can't go wrong. Started it at lunchtime and I'm already about a quarter of the way through. Can't see this one lasting long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I don't know anything about the book or the author but I love that there's a dog on the cover . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 I'm getting ever further behind with reviews … tried to write some earlier, but I was uninspired. Might just write a few lines about a few of the books to catch up.This weekend I've finished both Walking Home by Clare Balding and Resistance is Futile by Jenny T. Colgan, and I've just picked The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson from the book jar for my next book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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