Kylie Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Specials by Scott Westerfeld (#3 in Uglies series)(YA) Persuasion by Jane Austen The Color Purple by Alice Walker Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins Good haul. I'd love to read The Color Purple one day. I'll be very interested in your thoughts on Left Behind. I thought it was pretty atrocious; an interesting idea very poorly executed, I felt. I managed to make it through the first 5 or 6 books in the series before I just couldn't stand it any more. I hope I haven't put you off, though, and that you enjoy it much more than I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 #22 No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy No Country For Old Men is a fast paced good guys vs bad guys thriller set near the Mexico border. This is only my second McCarthy read, the first was The Road, which I prefer to this. I'm used to McCarthy's no grammar style by now, yet it didn't help me from being confused at times, especially the ending. I rarely say this, but I actually prefer the film to the book. I did love the dialect though. I have to be fair and say that my less than enthusiasm for this novel could be the fact that I've been busy and have only got to read in broken bits and pieces. Slight disappointment, but will still continue to read other McCarthy novels. (3/5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 #23 Girls In Pants by Ann Brashares Girls In Pants is the third book of The Traveling Pants series. I really adore these books. This one seemed less about the pants (plays a much smaller row than the previous books) and more about the friends growing up. Looking forward to reading Forever In Blue, and the newest, due to be released this month, Sisterhood Everlasting. (4/5) Up Next: A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 #24 A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan synopsis from goodreads.com "Bennie is an aging former punk rocker and record executive. Sasha is the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Here Jennifer Egan brilliantly reveals their pasts, along with the inner lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs. With music pulsing on every page, A Visit from the Goon Squad is a startling, exhilarating novel of self-destruction and redemption." I stumbled upon A Visit From the Goon Squad thanks to Goodreads, but had no idea that it had won the Pulitzer this year till after I began my reading. The novel jumps in each chapter to a different characters POV and varies in tense. I found it a bit difficult to remember how characters intertwined, and constantly asked myself, How does she/he know him/her again? No doubt that Egan is very talented and creative, I.e., the powerpoint chapter. I loved some of the characters, like Scotty, but I found much of it dark and depressing. That may have been the author's intention. Just not suited to my tastes. (3/5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted June 26, 2011 Author Share Posted June 26, 2011 (edited) Finished yesterday: #25 Abandon by Meg Cabot (YA) (via library) ".New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld. Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid. Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most. But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld." I had a great time reading Abandon, a fun, hard-to-put-down YA novel that is the first of a new series by Meg Cabot about a girl, Pierce, who can't get away from death... I can't wait to see what the rest of the series brings. (4/5) Now reading: Thirteeen Reasons Why by Jay Asher Edited July 1, 2011 by nursenblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 (edited) Finished June, 29th # 26 Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (YA)(via library) Clay Jensen is surprised to find a package addressed to him on his doorstep, but he is devasted by what he finds inside- casette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, a girl that had just killed herself. Clay learns that each side of the tapes reveals a different person who utimately played a part Hannah's decision to kill herself and that they have been passed to each person on Hannah's list. Clay can't imagine what he did to get on the 'list', but that night he goes through an agonizing mental and literal journey to find out. I have mixed feelings about Thirteen Reasons Why. First, I found it engaging and creative, so it was an easy, quick read. However, the switching back and forth from Hannah's voice to Clay's ever couple of sentences was annoying. Second, I'm not sure if it was the author's intention, but the 'reasons' for Hannah's suicide were just...lame. It made it very unbelivable, and I couldn't sympathize with Hannah at all. I did, however, sympathize with Clay. This novel had the potential to be truly haunting and unforgettable, but it fell a bit short. (3/5) Edited July 1, 2011 by nursenblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 #27 Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris synopsis from barnesandnoble.com "Who knew love could be so amazing—and stupefying? Not Christian. He was clueless when he started spying on the royal family through his telescope. He lives in a cave with a troll for a dad, after all. If his dad had only warned him about all that mind-boggling love stuff, maybe things wouldn't be such a mess. But then, maybe, Princess Marigold would be dead. But Christianwasn'twarned. And now that he's fallen for the princess, it's up to him to untwist an odd love triangle—er,rectangle—and foil a scheming queen who wants to take over the kingdom, even if it means bumping off her own daughter. With echoes of William Goldman's modern classicThe Princess Bride,Jean Ferris's hilarious parody of "Once upon a time . . ." overflows with oddball characters and sage observations—and ends with a slapstick happily-ever-after that's full of surprises." Once Upon a Marigold is a fun and funny fairy tale filled with romance, betrayal, and all the other things that make a fairy tale. Easy read that makes you fall in love with the characters. (4/5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Not my usual sort of read at all, but I'd buy it for the gorgeous cover alone! I might look out for this one and try the first few pages to see what I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 Not my usual sort of read at all, but I'd buy it for the gorgeous cover alone! I might look out for this one and try the first few pages to see what I think! I believe they have the "look inside" feature for this one on amazon.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 Finished on July 20th #28 Forever In Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares The four friends, Carmen, Tibby, Lena and Bridget, have been spent the last few summers apart, but since college/university they've spent more of the year apart as well. Can the pants reunite them? Forever In Blue is a wonderful, but bittersweet conclusion to the Traveling Pants series. (4/5) Currently reading: Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 #21 A Certain Slant Of Light by Laura Whitcomb synopsis from barnesandnoble.com "In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: for the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen—terrified, but intrigued—is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess." Ever so often, a modern novel comes along that takes my breath away, and that is what A Certain Slant Of Light did. Even in the first few chapters I knew I had began something unique and wonderful. The story is supernatural, yet real and heartbreaking. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but it far exceeded my expectations. Absolutely beautiful! (5/5) This one sounds very unusual. Put this on my wishlist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 #29 Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson One day, Christine wakes up, starled to find a strange man in bed with her, frightened to see herself twenty years older than she expects. Christine's husband, Ben, reminds her that she has amnesia and fills her in on the daily routine. But while her husband is at work, her doctor that she has been treating her in secret, calls to remind her of their meeting and gives her a journal she has been keeping for weeks. Christine, desperate to remember, begins to read and to discover the secrets of her past. Before I Go to Sleep is a wonderfully suspensful debut. I found it hard to put down. (5/5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Wow NB, you have read some fantastic looking books, I'm going to have to come back later and add a few to my wishlist. So many of them got 4 or 5/5 in your reviews. Can I ask, are you very easy to please, or just very aware of what books you will like? Do you start other books and not finish them and therefore not write reviews for them? Where do you find your books? Because many of them look modern but I haven't heard of them. Sorry, so many questions!!! I have Uglies on my TBR pile, I'll get to that sometime this year, Before I Go to Sleep I have as an audiobook on my Mac but doubt I'll get to that before the kids go back to school in September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) Wow NB, you have read some fantastic looking books, I'm going to have to come back later and add a few to my wishlist. So many of them got 4 or 5/5 in your reviews. Can I ask, are you very easy to please, or just very aware of what books you will like? Do you start other books and not finish them and therefore not write reviews for them? Where do you find your books? Because many of them look modern but I haven't heard of them. Sorry, so many questions!!! Chaliepud, those are very good questions for Nursenblack to answer. Books are always subjective. It might be that she is just very attracted to great books that also happen to appeal to you and I . I look forward to her answers. I already wishlisted a couple of hers and now Before I Go To Sleep seems awesome. Edited July 25, 2011 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Wow NB, you have read some fantastic looking books, I'm going to have to come back later and add a few to my wishlist. So many of them got 4 or 5/5 in your reviews. Can I ask, are you very easy to please, or just very aware of what books you will like? Do you start other books and not finish them and therefore not write reviews for them? Where do you find your books? Because many of them look modern but I haven't heard of them. Sorry, so many questions!!! I have Uglies on my TBR pile, I'll get to that sometime this year, Before I Go to Sleep I have as an audiobook on my Mac but doubt I'll get to that before the kids go back to school in September. I'm happy to answer your questions, chaliepud. I have a variety of tastes that only a variety of books can satisfy, from classics to young adult fantasy. I occasionally start books and don't finish them, but very rarely. I wish I was lucky enough to love everything I get, but am sometimes disappointed. I look at the other BCF member's book lists for things that sound good and I also belong to a few sites like Goodreads and LibraryThing, and also look on amazon for recommendations. E-newsletters from various sites are also really helpful in keeping me abreast of new fiction. I have gotten a lot of books from the Goodreads bookswap lately, but I use the library and buy some too. A few of the books I've read recently are fairly new releases, like Before I Go to Sleep. I hope this answered your questions. Ask me anytime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Thanks NB, it's always great to find new books for my wish list though it is scarily long now. I sometimes envy prisoners for all the time they have to read! (not enough to be naughty.......... Honest!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Finished yesterday: #30 Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares The four friends from The Traveling Pants series, Lena, Bridget, Carmen and Tibby, are adults now, each stuck in some rut, whether they release it or not. The friends rarely get together, but when an invitation comes from Tibby for them to meet on the Greek island of Santorini, they all are excited to reunite. But when something devestating happens, their friendship is threatened and their lives are changed. It was wonderful to see what happened to these characters. Sisterhood Everlasting answers the questions we always want to know after a series ends. Are they married? Do they have children? Do they have careers? And definitely, What happened to Kostos? Do not expect a light hearted and fun read because it is not. I had no idea that this novel would break my heart and make me teary eyed, but it did. Such a wonderful follow-up novel. (4/5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Thanks NB, it's always great to find new books for my wish list though it is scarily long now. I sometimes envy prisoners for all the time they have to read! (not enough to be naughty.......... Honest!!!) I feel exactly the same way! Imagine having nothing to do all day but read... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted August 8, 2011 Author Share Posted August 8, 2011 Finished: Aug. 6th #31 The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L. J. Smith synopsis from barnesandnoble.com "A deadly love triangle Elena: beautiful and popular, the girl who can have any guy she wants. Stefan: brooding and mysterious, desperately trying to resist his desire for Elena . . . for her own good. Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Elena finds herself drawn to both brothers . . . who will she choose?" I was surprised to find the copyright date of The Vampire Series is 1991 and I wondered why I had never came across them before. I'm sure I would have loved them, but not now. The plot was promising and probably the basis to many popular vampire series (*cough* Twilight *cough*), but the characters lacked likeability. I don't think I'll read anymore of this series. (2/5) Now reading Forever by Maggie Stiefvater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I've never picked up the Vampire Diaries books, but I have enjoyed the television series. I think quite a few people on the forum have read them and I don't remember many positive reviews which is why I've never read them, but I don't think you're alone in your opinion, nursenblack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 I've never picked up the Vampire Diaries books, but I have enjoyed the television series. I think quite a few people on the forum have read them and I don't remember many positive reviews which is why I've never read them, but I don't think you're alone in your opinion, nursenblack. I've mostly heard that readers prefer the tv series to the books. Maybe I'll just have to watch them instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 #32 Forever by Maggie Stiefvater Forever is the final book of the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. The roles are reversed as Grace is now a wolf and Sam waits for the days that she becomes human. Grace being a wolf not only separates the lovers, but also puts her life at risk when Isabel's father, Tom Culpeper plans to eradicate the pack from Mercy Falls. It becomes a race against time as the newcomer, Cole St. Clair, former front man for the band Narkotika, tries to find a cure. I loved this final book as much as Shiver. The writing is excellent. It is so easy to fall into Mercy Falls and run with the wolves.(4/5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I bought Forever weeks ago, but I loved Shiver and Linger so much that I'm sort of putting it off as I don't want the series to end! I think I'll save it for a holiday read, when I can just sit down and read it cover to cover in one go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 Yesterday was my birthday and I only bought three books when I went out of town, but I am typing this on my new laptop. I bought: Mr Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo (I stil need the first one) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (already own, but this is a hardback, beautifully illustrated one) Divergent by Veronica Roth Could have been much better, but not too bad. I just couldn't hardly find anything on my wishlist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Happy birthday! Hope the books are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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