Box of Wine Book Club: Recent Comments

Comment on Recommended Reading: April 2009

2009-04-10T16:13:46Z

SARAH'S KEY by Tatiana DeRosnay...great read...hard to put down. Fiction, but based on real life event of Vel' d'Hiv' in Paris in 1942.

Comment on Book 32: March 2009

2009-04-06T02:39:02Z

** Not my favorite. Reading the first half of the book felt like torture, but I enjoyed the characters and the story much more in the second half. I still thought the author tended to drag things out. Ending...more strangeness. Maybe I just didn't get it!!!

Comment on Book 32: March 2009

2009-04-01T13:21:05Z

I started reading this book and couldn't shake the feeling that I'd read it before. Then looking farther up on my bookshelf...realized that indeed, I had. Now I have 2 copies. I found it enjoyable (proof: I finished it once before) and quickly remembered that I found parts of it quite funny. Great character development and substance. Good recommendation.

Comment on Recommended Reading: March 2009

2009-04-01T02:12:44Z

I have recently read Watchmen, which is a graphic novel. It's really good, and graphic novels aren't my favorite thing. I find it hard to get into a groove with them; I think it's the combination of pictures and words that makes it hard for my to find a good rhythm.

I also read When You are Engulfed in Flames, the new one by David Sedaris. Not my favorite of his, but good. I laughed out loud several times, but the stories in this one seemed more disjointed than in his other pieces. Like he was trying too hard to weave together a story with a touching (or disturbing) theme. I guess my review is, "Well, I didn't hate it." Which is a bummer, because I'm a huge fan of his.

Comment on Book 32: March 2009

2009-03-27T00:27:59Z

****
I really enjoyed this book and loved following the characters through their stories, especially as they overlapped and circled back. I thought the end felt a bit rushed and ended abruptly - that although the stories came together, the ending was not as indepth as I would have liked.

I'd definitely recommend this one.

Comment on Recommended Reading: March 2009

2009-03-25T05:23:29Z

I just finished Toni Morrison's latest - A Mercy. It is pretty short, so not too overwhelming of a task. I quite enjoyed it. I find Morrison very hit and miss with me. It was a bit difficult to get into, because (as is common with her writing) she does not introduce characters, but jumps right into the action. She then back tracks and lets the character develop along with the story. Overall, I would say it was an enjoyable read. I needed something a little deeper than the light fluff I have been reading as of late. Anyhow, if you like any of Morrison's books, you will probably enjoy this one. Did I mention it is only 170 pages?

Comment on Book 31: Final Review

2009-03-08T18:20:31Z

I guess for now I'm going to give this book a zero heading toward a two. I started it, but can't quite get the momentum to finish it. Some parts are interesting, but for the most part I'd rather just read something else. I'll probably come back to it at some point and see if I feel differently at a different time.

Comment on Book 31: Final Review

2009-03-03T14:32:52Z

OK, even though I picked it, I'm only going to give it 1 & 1/2 stars. It was way too much of a downer of a read. To redeem myself, I'll suggest reading "The People of Paper" which I moved on to as soon as I finished "The Echo Maker" and am enjoying very much more.

Comment on Recommended Reading: January 2009

2009-02-10T17:01:58Z

After finishing the Twilight series I too am on a vampire kick. So glad I am not the only one. I will have to try Sunshine. I started the first True Blood book (I LOVE the show, but sadly left it on an airplane and couldn't bring myself to buy it again. It seemed exactly the same as the show anyhow.

I read the book Hunger Strike recommended by Stephenie Myer on her website and really liked it. It is written for young adults, but the story is quite good.
I read the first book in the NightWorld series, but it was pretty weak, so I not sure if I will continue with that.

I seem to be on a kick of reading teen trash, then something heavy, then back to trash.

I read a few other books including the Killer's Wife and just started Shining City.

Comment on Book 31: January and February 2009

2009-02-10T15:25:11Z

Sorry about this pick! I think I have to go with nitetrain's assessment here. I am trudging to the end of this book and the only thing it is doing for me is depressing me. I suppose there are some nice little observations here about brain function and the formation of self, but I think I could have gotten all that in a CNN.com health article from Dr. Sanjay Gupta and skipped the 451 pages of the lives of unhappy people.

. . . and Hi Jenine! I still read your blog from time to time. I'll try not to be such a lurker next time and leave a comment.