You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

We will be continuing the trail of a group read reporting thread this month.

So discuss your group read in the relevant thread, whether that's one of the two chosen books or an "other book in the theme", then pop on over to this thread and report what book you read along with a sentence or two to sum up what you thought of it.

I'm the first to report! (not the first to finish though)

I read Room. I gave it 3 stars because it was an okay book. A whole book told by a 5 year old was a bit too much, and I felt the story and the writing was much of the same.

I read Room. I think the book has lots of potential, but there were too many inconsistencies. Jack's character development was flawed because his use of English was inconsistent. I also thought the transition into regular life was too fast in the book. The book just rang hollow for me.

I also read At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien. The author is Irish, and the book is about an Irish college student living with his uncle in Dublin. The young student is often drunk and is very lazy, but he is a reader and a writer; however, the characters that he creates rebel against him. It is a delightfully funny novel. I have bought another book by this author The Third Policeman because this one was so wonderful.

I read Room. I really like the concept of this novel. As mentionned above, there is some weakness in the storytelling but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

I am nunber three to report that I also read Room. I was initially not prepared to discover the story line, but as the course of events unfolded, I was astonished to discover so many things I would never have thought about before I read the story. The juvinile storytelling, from the 5 year old's POV was at times uncomfortable but emotionally very powerful. The mother was more of an enigma to me than the little boy. I was on emotional overload by the end of the story, and relieved when it was over.

Connie describes my thoughts exactly :)

I read Room by Emma Donoghue and discussed it with the group in its thread.
I loved the book, it was emotional and made me think about lots of things in life.

I read The Secret Scripture, and discussed it in the Theme thread. This book had a very strong feel of the area and people in 1930's Ireland. It deals with oppression of people based on poverty, religion, alliances and gender.

I'm still in the middle of reading Room, and I recognize everything what was said above. I've read more books written by or about women who were locked up (like 3096 Days by Natascha Kampusch in Vienna). And it shocks me to realize there must be so many people like her, locked up and 'forgotten' about the rest of the world! Awful!
But I haven't finished this book, yet.

What I did finish was: It Started With Paris by Cathy Kelly. I gave it 4 stars. What strikes me about this book, is that none of the main characters have a 'normal' relationship (like they are happily married for loads of years). Everyone is either divorced, unhappily married, single mom, has a relationship with a married man, or is a widow (except the two whose marriage preparations are being made)... That was a bit too much for me. But it was a really good book, I enjoyed it very much!

I read Room, I really liked the story being told from the viewpoint of a five-year-old. I felt the inconsistencies and language, were probably due to the lack of interaction with anyone, but his mother. I can't even begin to imagine raising a child completely on my own, I mean with nobody else at all!

I read The Irish Upstart for this month's theme. It's a good book. A solid 3 stars.

I finished At Swim-Two-Birds today. Meh.

I read Dark Witch and liked it more than expected. I gave it 4 stars for its readability and likeable characters, even though it is a bit predictable.

I read P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I had seen the movie years ago when it came out and as we all know books and movies are never exactly alike. While I enjoyed the movie as the "chick flick" it was, I really enjoyed the book. The basic premise/story was the same, but the reader really gets the chance to see inside the main character and her emotional journey through the grieving process. So 4 stars and a box of tissues.

I finished Room. It's a 3 stars from me although I do think the author did a great job. This was a new plot for me. The story picked up for me a little later and I was almost waiting for it to finish long before it really did.

I read Country Girl, Edna O'Brien's autobiography. The book spans her life, from 1930 birth in County Clare to just past her 80th year, living in London and writing still.

I took this at a leisurely pace so I could soak up unfamiliar Irish expressions and history, which occurred more in the book's first half.

I might quibble some about the book's organization, but I enjoyed hearing what she chose to share. She's a good writer and has had an interesting life. I gave this 4 stars.

I'm on page 4 of In the Woods and I'm already so excited about it that I had to share. Rarely does a book capture me so quickly. This is my first time reading anything by Tana French and I'm having that love-at-first-sight feeling, the thrill of beginning.

I read Lake of Sorrows

@Sharon. Glad you're enjoying your book. Head on over to the In the Woods thread to discuss it. We are having quite the discussion. This thread is purely for reporting your read once you've finished in order to obtain a badge.

I ended up reading 2 books set in Ireland, one on purpose and one accidentally.

A Week in Winter and TransAtlantic

I enjoyed both and now really, really want to visit Ireland!!

I just realized I never reported back after I finished There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern. It was a solid 4.5-5 star read for me.

Sandy, the MC, has an obsession, starting at a very young age, with finding lost things. The narrative goes back and forth in time detailing Sandy's life growing up in a small Irish town, to adult hood and her missing persons agency, to when she herself goes missing. There is also an additional story line of one of Sandy's clients and his missing brother. The book takes place in several locations in Ireland and "Here," wherever that is. "Here" is where things/people go when they are lost... not misplaced or hidden, truly lost... and was probably my favorite part of the book. I would love to know more about "Here" and its inhabitants and how they got there and even their mundane day-to-day lives.

KimeyDiann wrote: "I just realized I never reported back after I finished There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern. It was a solid 4.5-5 star read for me.

Sandy, the MC, has an obsessi..."

KimeyDiann -- My ebook version of P.S. I Love You had a teaser for There's No Place Like Here and it looked interesting. With your recommendation I think I might add it to my TBR list.

I had better report my read too. I read one of the chosen group reads - In the Woods which had been on my TBR for ages. I discussed it in the relevant thread. Thoroughly enjoyed it - love the writing style. Couldn't put it down. I gave it 5 stars

In the Woods

Definitely a slow burner at the beginning but thoroughly enjoyable; atmospheric, disturbing, gripping, full of tension, with intriguing, realistic characters.

Read Breakfast on Pluto and posted about it in the Irish theme section. I highly recommend it (and the movie), it was a quick fun read, yet very moving at the same time.

I read Kilmoon for the Irish theme. Overall, it was a good mystery, although a little dark. I just wish it would have had more about the Irish culture. I gave it 3 stars.

I finished Pomegranate Soup - I really enjoyed it and gave it 5 stars. It's about three Iranian sisters who open a cafe in the fictitious village of Ballinacroagh in County Mayo in Ireland. While most welcome them, others are wary of the newcomers and their "strange foreign ways and foods." Loved the food theme and how its woven seamlessly into the story that also takes us back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979. My review: read. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read . It was my first book by Maeve Binchy and I liked her style. but I felt this book was like a collection of short stories. There was no definite conclusion to the book which was a little disappointing. But I'll be reading her other books

Finished In the Woods. Will go to the thread to discuss as soon as I finish packing for spring break!

Please can people only report their read in this thread when they have a) read their chosen book and b) discussed said book in the relevant thread otherwise I'll still have to go check the other threads to make sure it's been discussed which kind of defeats the object of having a reporting thread.

I read Dark Witch and have discussed it a bit in the Irish Theme thread.

Hi, I read In The Woods, and chatted in the thread. I didn't really enjoy this one but it is always interesting to read books with a group even if it isn't the best book :)

I finished In the Woods and discussed it in the book's discussion thread. I'm glad many people enjoyed it (as I suggested it), although for me it was only a 3-star read.

I finished In the Woods. Here is a recap of my thoughts, from message 41 of the In the Woods thread: I finished the book this morning. I think it was very well-written, but I have mixed feelings as to whether I liked it or not. I have trouble liking books where the main character is unlikeable. Rob started out being likeable enough, but he was so flawed as a person, as his flaws became more and more glaringly obvious as the story went on. This is another respect in which this book reminds me of Donna Tartt's writing. She's another author who forces you to identify with characters who aren't completely likeable. You see enough of their thought process that you can sort of see why they do things, even though some of the choices they make are appalling.

I continued to be reminded of "Fern Hill" every time Rob started reminiscing about that last summer with Jaimie and Peter. The author seems to have thought of that time in Dylan Thomas flavored prose. Here is a link to "Fern Hill." http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/fern-h...

I read Fighting Destiny and commented it in the Irish Theme thread

I finished Room. I'll edit this tomorrow with a link to my review and wall, just wanted to post while it's still March in my time zone :)

Thanks to those who have already reported their reads. It will do badges at the weekend so those who haven't reported in still have time.

I read In the Woods 5 stars for me. Comments are on the book thread.

I read In the Woods, I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next in the series.

I read In the Woods which I really enjoyed. It had some unlikeable characters, but a fantastic setting, engaging writing and twisty, misdirectional mystery.

Then I read Room which I also really liked. I bit my nails down to the quick reading the middle of it, and then was so incredibly invested in the characters so I wanted to read to the end asap to make sure they were okay.

Good month's reading!

Almeta wrote: "I finished At Swim-Two-Birds today. Meh."

Your Meh comment appears like a hyperlink but it doesn't link to anything. Was it supposed to?

Sarah, it doesn't appear as a hyperlink to me, but I have noticed before that if someone misses to type a space after a period the app will show the two words with the period in between as a hyperlink. Could be that what you are seeing?

dropping in to report that i have finished , which i loved...

i have not written my review yet and i am not sure where i should go to drop into the ongoing discussion about it...if someone could point the way, i would be grateful...

Here you go https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Any more for any more? I'm just about to do badges.

Guilty slacker reporting for duty :~) I read An Irish Country Doctor commented in the discussion thread.