Historical Fiction Buddy Reads discussion

A few of us are going to do a buddy read for The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George starting around on November 1. Feel free to join :)

Update: The time frame for the read will be Nov 1 - Dec 31 as it's such a crazy time of year :)

Jennifer wrote: "A few of us are going to do a buddy read for The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George starting around Oct 15. Feel free to join :)"

Hi Jennifer.
Thank you for the group invite.
I have it waiting to go on my shelf.
How long will you give to read this one ?
I want to join you guys but wont be able to start
until November. Is that ok ?

I am actually wondering if we should just make it November 1 instead. We'll wait and see what Tisha and Colleen say but I'm a little swamped right now.

Should we give it a month or two?

That sounds good. I swamped too. I think a two months would be good as its over 1100 pgs.
See what the others think :)

I have this one waiting on my shelf too. If I am finished with "A Suitable Boy", I will join you.

If you start November 1st, I am sure I will be able to join in.

Sydney

Hey Jennifer. Here I am, and ready to go. I will either get a copy, or borrow one, but Nov 1 should be good for me.

My copy is on the way.

Hi there! This is a great idea. I am just starting Innocent Traitor, but think it will be a quick read. I think November 1 would be great for me, if you are all ok with that.

November 1st it is then :)
I'm just finishing up Innocent Traitor and it's fantastic.

I have my copy waiting on the shelf, I am ready whenever. My husband and I just finished up a Rome marathon (short lived HBO series that ran for two seasons) so I am eager to read about Cleopatra.

November 1 is fine with me and it will be between GR in the TL group.

Colleen - Rome was such a great series. I wish it would have gone for more than two seasons.

And - Brain fart moment - it to me forever to translate "GR in the TL group" LOL. Got the TR group part pretty quickly, but kept trying to make GR be Goodreads, so it took me a while to get the Group Reads thing. Guess that's why I only read Historical Fiction and not Real History. I think I need some caffeine.

Haha Lyn! Even after all the confusion you had you wrote that you got the TR group part pretty quickly and that got me confused until I realized it was probably a typo and should have said TL! LOL

Thanks for the invite Jennifer. It looks like a great book and our library carries it so I'm game!

Jennifer wrote: "A few of us are going to do a buddy read for The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George starting around October 15 November 1. Feel free to join :)"

Thanks for the invite Jennifer. The book has been on my shelves for years. This is the push I need. Two months would be great to have to read it.

Jennifer wrote: "November 1st it is then :)
I'm just finishing up Innocent Traitor and it's fantastic. "

I'm only just beginning (on page 105) but I'm really enjoying it too!

This sounds great, I'd love to read this but my November books are all lined up already. I always read books to do with war or war torn countries (WWI, WWII and present action like Afghanistan) during the month of November so I can't really make any changes. Perhaps I'll be in on the next one.

Thanks for the invite. I have this book already and have been needing to read it so Yay now I get to read it with all of you, which should be interesting.

how odd, I read this a few years back but just picked it up from the library yesterday to re read.

Thalia wrote: "This sounds great, I'd love to read this but my November books are all lined up already. I always read books to do with war or war torn countries (WWI, WWII and present action like Afghanistan) du..."

That's too bad you can't join us but I think we'll have it as a two month read due to it's size so if you're able to start in December feel free to jump in the conversation :)

Jennifer wrote: "Haha Lyn! Even after all the confusion you had you wrote that you got the TR group part pretty quickly and that got me confused until I realized it was probably a typo and should have said TL! LOL"

OK so I can't type either. Your right, it was supposed to be TL.

Sorry to bother, I am new to the group...what's a buddy read? And thanks for the invite!

Hi Jessica! You're welcome :)

A buddy read is technically when two or more people read the same book during the same time period and we'll have this post to comment on things we've learned, liked, disliked, whatever. I've found it especially useful for historical fiction and trying to find out what "really" happened from people more knowledgeable than me.

Hope you'll join us in this one!

What books are you all wrapping up in the meantime before Memoirs of Cleopatra.

I'm finishing Innocent Traitor, and hoping to sneak in Animal Farm and perhaps another short book depending on how time goes.

Tisha wrote: "What books are you all wrapping up in the meantime before Memoirs of Cleopatra.

I'm finishing Innocent Traitor, and hoping to sneak in Animal Farm and perhaps another short book depending on ho..."

Animal Farm is AMAZING! That would be a great Halloween read just because it's so friggin creepy!

I'm reading The Pillars of the Earth and want to have that one finished for sure.

Also trying to get through the 5th Outlander book but not counting on it.

Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading The Pillars of the Earth and want to have that one finished for sure.

Also trying to get through the 5th Outlander book but not counting on it. "

I loved the PIllars of the Earth! When you're done reading it I would love to discuss it with you! There were so many twists and turns (some of them frstrated me and in some cases made me violentely angry) that I would love to talk to you about! Happy reading!

I still have Pillars on my shelf to read... eventually. So many books, so little time.

So - I am finishing Honolulu by Alan Brennert, reading the second Outlander book, and trying to re-read Pillars of the Earth with another group. Anyone else think I'm crazy?

And - I am pissed because I ordered a copy of Memoirs,which was supposedly mailed on October 9, and it still isn't here yet. I hope it gets here by Nov 1!

I'm loving Pillars too Jess and would gladly discuss it with you!

Tisha, it's really good. I'm about 100 pages in and will fly through it if I can get off of GR!

Yes Lyn, you're crazy but we all are so it's okay ;)
Fingers crossed for your copy of memoirs!

Thanks Jennifer for the invite!
I read Innocent Traitor a few weeks ago and loved it. I'm in the middle of Echo In The Bone at the present.

I also have Pillars on my shelf...so many books so little time! but I will go and get Memoirs and start Nov.1.

Hi Everyone! I'm so glad you're all joining in!

Heather, I know those books are huge. I'm loving Pillars too! And I still have to read The Fiery Cross...

Nona, are you going to start now or wait until November? Either way, hope you'll join the discussion!

I will read it with the group, it's a 2 or 3 time read for me so I can wait a little while.

Great!

I read this about three years ago, but don't mind if I lurk and see what everyone else thinks :)

Misfit, thanks for recommending this group :)

Did you like the book when you read it?

I did enjoy the book a lot. Not as good as the auto-bio of Henry but very entertaining. I'll keep my trap shut until you guys get further along.

Just got my copy. HUGE book. So now I am ready for Nov 1.

That's great Lyn. I know you were worried about when it would arrive but it got there in plenty of time.

Misfit, I hope you'll take part in the discussion :)

This will be my first Margaret George book even though I own them all. I love big books but always need a push to read them.

Happy that you're joining in Susan!

The Autobiography of Henry VIII was one of my favorite Tudor reads (although I admit that the end seemed to drag a bit). Nonetheless, I am very excited to read this book and with such a great group of people!

Who is this guy Ahmed and how do we get rid of him. He's trying sell something throughout the different threads, I keep marking him as spam, but he appears again!

Susan C wrote: "Who is this guy Ahmed and how do we get rid of him. He's trying sell something throughout the different threads, I keep marking him as spam, but he appears again!"

I've reported him too but he doesn't give up. I'd recommend notifying the individual group's moderator and ask them to ban him. He'll get it quick if he spams one of my groups....

He's been hitting all my royalty groups and threads, that's all I belong to. I don't understand why my email keeps letting him email me when I've marked his previous ones as spam.

I can't believe he hasn't hit one of you groups yet. I secretly hope he does so I can see what you say to him!

Is he e-mailing you, or posting in the threads?

Posting in the threads. I've stopped opening them, afraid I might get a virus. Nona deleted him off one of the threads she moderates. When he's kicked off of one he moves to another.

Could he be emailing just me using Goodreads? Misfit also got an email through goodreads from him. (message 43).

No, I didn't get an email. I've just seen the threads where he's spamming and reported them to GR.

If he's posting in threads, the mods can block him from the group, as Misfit knows. So just tell the Mod of the group.

Lyn wrote: "If he's posting in threads, the mods can block him from the group, as Misfit knows. So just tell the Mod of the group."

I agree. Notifying GR will just get the comment deleted. Ban him and he'll have to go elsewhere and pester another group.

Thanks both of you!!!!!

I posted this on both groups. I am starting this book today, but since we have two months, I am going to be reading it amongst other books. My goal is to read at least 30 pages a day. Hope that works and is not too slow for me to participate.