*drops in for the first time in a month*

How has Persuasion been going for you? It's my favourite of Austen's work.

I finished it at the end of January and I really enjoyed it! I really liked the characters, and I thought the ending was great. It's definitely one of my favorites by Austen.

Plodding through Ivanhoe at present. I have NO idea why anyone would like the character of Ivanhoe. He's only concerned with battles and glory.

I think "plodding" is pretty much the best word to describe my experience with that book as well. I felt like I was wading through a bunch of useless filler storylines and trying to find the plot underneath it all. Not a favorite.

Lesee, here's an update on my reading since my last post...

-I read Mansfield Park for the first time, and found it pretty decent. I liked Fanny and Edmund well enough, but I kept getting frustrated with how long it took for them to end up together. Mr. Crawford was a jerk, as was his sister, and I really didn't like Mrs. Norris.
-I re-read The Virginian and fell in love with it all over again. My reaction at the end was almost exactly the same as it was the first time I read it: a pause to revel in the sheer awesomeness of the end of

, combined with a huge and happy sigh of relief. Undoubtedly one of my favorite books ever.
-I've read 8 more Agatha Christie Poirot mysteries. Cat Among the Pigeons was my favorite. I'm currently reading Elephants Can Remember and I'm liking the main character quite a lot; she's a bit eccentric, which makes her fun to read about.
-I re-read all four Attolia books back-to-back. Despite the swearing that still gets on my nerves, I really enjoy this series. Each book is different, but that's part of it's appeal, I think.

-My opinion of The Thief has improved since my first reading of it; I'm not sure why that is, but perhaps it's because I know the characters now, and so Gen's conduct doesn't annoy me like it did originally. I remember reading it and wondering why on earth anyone would like him, and why so many people thought he was amazing. I can see it now. My opinion of first person narration has improved since then as well; I previously hated it because I didn't see how it was possible to worry about the narrator, or how anything they did could be a secret from the reader. I've since read several books that thoroughly contradicted that misconception.
-I still have a love/hate relationship with QoA. I simply hate the beginning, but it gets better as it goes on and then, by the time it gets to the end, it's flat out awesome! Gen becomes even more amazing than he was before it happened.
-KoA is still my favorite of the series. It was getting close to midnight when I was reading it, but I was almost to the
Spoiler
assassination attempt scene
and I couldn't stop. By the time I finally stopped, I was over 100 pages further into the book, and it was after 1 o'clock. And you just can't beat that ending!
-I really enjoyed getting to learn more about Sophos again in CoK. He's a different character from Gen, but that's okay because he's not Gen; he's Sophos. I do wish that there was more awesome Gen in the story; there's hardly any sword fighting, and about as much sneaking. Plus no Costis. [/list69nr74a1]

All of that brings my book total to 31 so far.

And it is official; I need a bigger bookcase. I've filled up the one in my room, and now I'm resorting to sticking my lesser favorite books on the shelves in my closet ("Shelves in the closet? Happy thought indeed."). I went thrift store shopping with my brother and Dee last weekend and bought around 14 books. I've also picked up a couple of others here and there. I've discovered that I love paperbacks.

--- flambeau

President of the Manalive Conspiracy
Founder of Team Hoodie
Icon by me

Ah! Here come the War and Peace lovers to kill me!!

*weepeth* ( ) But what about Andrei? And Maria? And Nikolai? And perhaps even Pierre and Natasha? (Those two, generally speaking, I like less, although they have their good points too.) I'm re-reading the book myself, and absolutely loving it. My brother and I are also in the middle of watching Sergei Bondarchuk's 8 hour film version, made in 1968, in Russian with the English subtitles. It's magnificent, and epic. But that is probably a discussion for the past movies thread.

I love Andrey - since I watched the movie first, I loved him then. It was so disappointing him being rather nasty for the most part, in the book. Except when he meets Natasha of course. I don't like Marya very much, she's too silly, though sometimes sweet. And Nikolay is SO annoying! Insincere, and thoughtless and awful!!! lol, sorry.
You can't help but love Pierre and Natasha some of the time. I would like them a lot if it wasn't for that stupid ending . . . .
Sounds cool! You should watch the Audrey Hepburn one!! It's excellent!

So you can read War and Peace in 4 days? (If I read your post correctly?) How many pages a day is that, and how many hours does it take per day? (Because I am very curious. ) I like War and Peace better than Les Miserables, but since I have a copy of the book now, it's due for a re-read. At some point. I think I like The Count of Monte Cristo as much as W&P, though, it was pretty good.

Actually, I hardly read at all the other day, so it's taken a few more days that I thought. I might finish tonight. I'm not sure how many hours and pages that is, it varies each day.

You hate War and Peace? I read the book in '09 and, I admit, I haven't got the intelligence for the philosophical chapters but I enjoyed the story ones. I was very interested in how everybody was tied to everybody else. My mind was blown by the extreme number of characters. Tolstoy really impressed me and I enjoyed reading it.

I think it's a well written, rather fascinating, cool book - but unsatisfying, so it makes me kind of hate it. Oh well.

Ah! Here come the War and Peace lovers to kill me!!

Nah. Tease you, maybe, but anything else is below us. Seriously, I know War and Peace is a book that will have those who love it, those who like it, those who like parts of it and don't like others, and those who don't like it at all, so it's alright however one feels.

I love Andrey - since I watched the movie first, I loved him then. It was so disappointing him being rather nasty for the most part, in the book. Except when he meets Natasha of course. I don't like Marya very much, she's too silly, though sometimes sweet. And Nikolay is SO annoying! Insincere, and thoughtless and awful!!! lol, sorry.

I must digress and say I don't think Andrei is nasty at all, I like his personality and characteristics very much. Nikolai can be thoughtless at times, although I think over the course of the whole book his character does progress. Perhaps some of the thoughtlessness can be due to his youth- and as he grows up (age and maturity wise), he changes.

You can't help but love Pierre and Natasha some of the time. I would like them a lot if it wasn't for that stupid ending . . . .

Yes, the first time I read the book I didn't like them at all really, but now I'm beginning to appreciate them moreso. Although Pierre does embrace some ideals with which I certainly disagree, underlying it all, he has a good heart.

Actually, I hardly read at all the other day, so it's taken a few more days that I thought. I might finish tonight. I'm not sure how many hours and pages that is, it varies each day.

Okay, cool! All the best with finishing it!

Sounds cool! You should watch the Audrey Hepburn one!! It's excellent!

I'm glad to hear it's so. I'd like to see it eventually, I like Audrey Hepburn somewhat, and even if the story is shortened because of the length of the film, I'd still like to see it.

I kind of feel like I ought to read books like Anna Kareina (spl?), and War and Peace, just because, but maybe I'll see the movie versions first. The books sound so heavy.

Anyone read the "Kiki Strike" books? They're about a band of teen girls in NYC who discover an underground "shadow city" and help catch criminals. Sounds cheesy but they're actually quite well written and character driven. I just finished the second one for the second time and I have to say again how much I enjoy them! And guys, they're not just for girls, my brothers read both of them and he pronounced them excellent.

@ Val: I can't say about Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, but I don't think War and Peace is too heavy of reading. Long, yes, with many characters who interact with each other a lot, but it's not really all that hard to get through.

I finished it at the end of January and I really enjoyed it! I really liked the characters, and I thought the ending was great. It's definitely one of my favorites by Austen.

Hurrah! It's one of my favourites too, so I'm glad you enjoyed it. The characters were great.

I think you'd probably enjoy Anna Karenina, Val. I'm not sure about War and Peace, because the only characters I really liked reading about were Andrei and his sister. The rest of the time I was utterly confused as to what people saw in Pierre and Natasha.

I think Tolstoy is easier to read than Dickens, but that might be just me.

I've been reading a lot this month. I read one of Georgette Heyer's mystery stories and Friday's Child. I've also been reading Joan Aiken's The Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. They're hilarious.

Betsie recommended a book called Driftwood Valley, which, since it is a story about a naturalist couple spending time in the wilderness sounded right up my alley. I just started it, but so far, I'm enjoying it quite a lot.

Has anyone read Dr Zhivago, and if so, what's it like? I've seen two movie versions and enjoyed them but have never checked out the book so I don't know what the writing style is like, etc.

Are there any Noel Streetfield fans here? Mel's mention of a book called "Friday's Child" reminded me of Noel's book "Thursday's Child", which is my favorite of her books. Another of my favorites is "The Children on the Top Floor" which I would just LOVE to find a copy of but I guess it's out of print or something.

I love what I've read of Noel Streitfield! I first read The Family at Caldicott Place (which I picked up at a library book sale and I'm so happy I did), and then later Ballet Shoes. I've read a couple others, but I don't remember exactly what they are.

I unearthed my old copy of CS Lewis Space Trilogy a couple of weeks ago while unpacking some long sealed boxes. So I read Out of the Silent Planet for the first time in well over a decade. I liked it the first time I read it and like it just as much this time around. I have Perelandra in hand and will begin reading it sometime this week...I don't remember why I stopped reading the series last time but I remember only getting about 20 pages into Perelandra and I'd really like to get through the whole series this time.

Nah. Tease you, maybe, but anything else is below us. Seriously, I know War and Peace is a book that will have those who love it, those who like it, those who like parts of it and don't like others, and those who don't like it at all, so it's alright however one feels.

Haha - good to know. Yes, I quite agree. I have some friends who do love it, and like I said, I think it's a great book that I'll read and re-read, no matter how much it annoys me.

I must digress and say I don't think Andrei is nasty at all, I like his personality and characteristics very much. Nikolai can be thoughtless at times, although I think over the course of the whole book his character does progress. Perhaps some of the thoughtlessness can be due to his youth- and as he grows up (age and maturity wise), he changes.

But in the beginning, when he's nasty to Lisa! I mean, she was a bit silly, but still, it always hurts me how he acts to her.
Nikolai has to be my least favorite character, so we shouldn't start discussing him.

HIDE SPOILER

It's not what happened in the ending, it's how it was. I hate Natasha, and her life with Pierre in the prologue. I hate everything about it . . it makes me so sick. Sorry for my ranting.
Again to Val and you, FF, I advise the watching of that movie (before reading the book in your case, Val). But just my opinion.

Val, I have to agree with Mel. I think that you would probably like Anna Karenina. It is not that heavy or hard to get though. I read it the week I had chicken pox which definitely says something about how little brain power is needed to read it, I had none and managed to understand, follow, and enjoy the story very well. Well, not really enjoy. It is not exactly the most joyful book ever. The story was very thought-provoking and touching.

Anyone read Adrienne Krass? I just found her books thanks to the great and wonderful Goodreads.com. Anyone know if they are any good? The quotes I read sounded great. They are on my to-read, I think.

I am still working on Les Miserables. I really wonder what it would be like to read that book without knowing a thing about it before it starting.

*peeks in* Hello all! I can't believe I haven't been to this particular thread yet... I love reading!

I just picked up our copy of Sense and Sensibility the other day. And it's official. I'm not a Jane Austen fan. I've read several of her books when I was younger, and always assumed I didn't like them because I didn't understand them. Nope. While I think that they are well written, they're just not the sort of book I like.

I finished the Hunger Games trilogy a few weeks ago and have to say that I was a bit disappointed in Mockingjay. I just think that there were too many needless deaths.

I also finished the Circle trilogy by Ted Dekker last month. Because of everything he did, Justin is my favorite character. Followed closely by Thomas, of course.

I'm rereading (for the millionth time) Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I'm reading the Unfinished Tales for the first time, but I keep getting annoyed with it because, of course, they're all unfinished.

I got Eragon out from the library last week. I'm going to read the other two, but I don't think they'll ever get high on my list of favorites. It's just too similar to Lord of the Rings.

Anyone read Adrienne Krass? I just found her books thanks to the great and wonderful Goodreads.com. Anyone know if they are any good? The quotes I read sounded great. They are on my to-read, I think.

I am just going to assume you meant Adrienne Kress and say that her books are awesome Everything about them are charming. I found Alex and the Ironic Gentleman vastly better than Timothy and the Dragon's Gate but they're both quite good. As Publisher's Weekly says on the back of my copy of Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, there's "winks to the reader on every page" which just makes the reading of it so much more fabulous. They're funny and witty and adventurous and have just the right amount of randomness to make things fun. The characters are hilarious, and the writing style is splendid, and Adrienne Kress sneaks some interesting tidbits in, such as the correct way of using "I" and "me", which I found helpful, and tips on swordfighting Aaand... it's occurred to me that I think I have you as a friend on Goodreads so you probably already know my opinion so I'll stop now. And.... if there is indeed an Adrienne Krass then please ignore all of this

I am still working on Les Miserables. I really wonder what it would be like to read that book without knowing a thing about it before it starting.

Um. I did that. Started reading Les Mis without knowing a thing about it except the names of a few characters and a few other little details. The fact that it started with a bishop in the first chapter was quite mind boggling since I had the idea that the entire story took place on the streets.

I finally got book 2 of the "IQ" series by Roland Smith! it's called "The White House" and it's so so so epic!

I am re-reading A Tale of Two Cities. Love that book!