What was I thinking?
A book about kidnapping that involves a seven foot iguana?
Seriously, I had to know that it was going to get ugly. 
Would I recommend this? It did get ugly, in the way that happens when crazy people who own giant iguanas kidnap people but, like I said, I probably should have been prepared for that. I think this was a good book, I just don’t think it was the right book for me.
Anyone else have an opinion on this one?
Some times it’s good to have a book that will be just exactly what you are looking for. No big surprises, just comfort in reliability and happy endings. This book fit that perfectly when I needed it to.
Would I recommend it? It’s not high class literature, but if you are, say, sick in bed and can barely focus and just need to get your mind on something else, it’s just about perfect.
For almost three years an amazing thing has been happening – I’ve been blogging.
And I love my blog, I really do.
I write, you read, it’s amazing.
Amazing and but for fifty years I could have been one of the women in the book:
Struggling to find time to hand write stories to bring to their friends to read and critique while surrounded by their collective children.
Typing copies up to be mailed in to magazines and editors just to get someone other than their best friends to read what they have to say.
And here I lay in my bed, no doubt killing my neck with my horrible posture, clicking away at my keyboard and then with the push of a button and the magic of the internet – there it is for anyone to read.
Amazing.
Would I recommend it? Yes. This book is, of course, about so much more than a group of writing women. And while there are many, books about a group of friends going through life together the voice of the main character really struck a cord with me this time.
I am curious to know if you’ve read it if you felt the same. Was it really a good read or did it just speak to me?
While I would cheerfully force Harry Potter into anyone’s hands who hasn’t read it yet, I was not as taken with this book.
Once I was hooked I couldn’t put it down and read far later into the night than I should have but it took a long time to get to that point.
Would I recommend it? Eh… Realistic people are impressive to read about, the depth of characters, their realistic quirks, it’s excellent writing. But does all that work make for likable characters? Not necessarily.
I’m not sure if it’s the elaborate feasts and celebrations, the crazy dresses, the scandalous going-ons, the hands off approach of raising children or the treasonous intrigue but whatever it is I love a good historical fiction full of kings and queens.
Would I recommend it? Even with it’s alternating view points between the two sisters I don’t think it’s quite as good as say something by Phillipa Gregory. But, if you have run out of Gregory’s works this one fits the bill!
This is a story set within Shakespeare’s Macbeth and while you don’t have to be all dorky like me and re-read the play before you read the book, (it’ll stand alone) I’m glad I did.
Would I recommend it? I’d rate this book as intriguing but perhaps not for general consumption. It was good, but it was also hard to like the main character. I love the idea and how the plot is woven through Macbeth, but I’m not sure it would hold the same appeal if I hadn’t re-read the play and enjoyed Shakespeare to begin with. Yeah, I have no idea….
So how about you? Have you read Macbeth, does the book catch your eye like it did mine because of that? How do you feel about Shakespeare?
As for me I own The Yale Shakespeare, it’s so large that when I read anything out of it I end up laying on the floor- I love it!
Sometimes when I read a book I wish the author wasn’t quite so good at what they do. I wish that their characters will seem less believable so that when the story is a bit gruesome I can think to myself – naah, nobody would ever do that for real… But Atwood is like Steven King, characters so well rounded and believable that it sometimes makes the books a bit too realistic – but in a good way- mostly.
This was the prequel to Oryx and Crake which, in my way, I remember about three non-relevant details from along with the sense that it was good/fascinating/icky which is just about exactly how this one was. Now I’ve got to go back and read Oryx and Crake again, quick before I forget!
Would I recommend it? She is a very good author but I’m not sure her post apocalyptic world is for everyone. I just have to much of a slimy feel to me after reading this to give it a broad recommendation – but for what it’s worth I am reserving Oryx and Crake from the library tonight to re-read.
It’s Philippa Gregory – Good
It’s historical fiction – Great
It’s got a main character that’s likable – Awesome
Would I recommend it? For certain
Start with Outlander and then keep going.
I’ve been re-reading them in between other books since Jane has been born and I’m on my 6th book of hers in a month.
I haven’t yet had the words “dinna fash” or “you’ll ken” come out of my mouth yet but it’s a good thing I’ve only got one book left or I’d be yelling “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ” next time I burn dinner.
Would I recommend them? Having just stared blankly at the computer screen for a many minitues I have no tidy way to sum up the books nor why exactly I’d recommend them.
I think I’m in a Jamie and Claire induced stuper… and now I have to go read what happens next – even though I’ve read this one twice before.
One of the many benefits of having a period of rest with a nursing baby is that there is a lot of time for reading. Some of it may be reading at two in the morning – but that’s never been something that has bothered me. In fact, this is about the only time I can be reading at two in the morning without mentally chastising myself and feeling guilty about being tired the next day. So without further adieu, here is my reading companion and book model showing off the last Phillipa Gregory book I read:
She looks fairly unimpressed but it’s Phillippa Gregory so the book was of course well written and pretty darn good (she is one of my favorite authors after all).
The book was set just post WWI and I liked that if only for the novelty of it. WWII books seem to be everywhere you look but I’ve read very few of this era, does anyone have suggestions for others?
Would I recommend it? I would except that early on I realized that the characters were all headed toward a gigantic train wreck of a catastrophe. The impeding doom of the wreck you know is coming but takes an entire book to get to could really get to a person. Fortunately for me, I had plenty of time in the middle of the night to read the book quickly and so I enjoyed it. Not a happy book, but a good book.
