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Rupertbear2
Member
07-15-2015
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 5:05 am 
Rick...did you call me Mary? Wow, that is so wonderful! You will not believe this but about an hour ago I was thinking about mentioning my name here and you already had. 
Ya know...I mentioned this since coming back to TVCH but the fantastic people here was the reason this prodigal daughter returned after a very long absence. Even after so many years, I'd never forgotten the warmth and caring of this place and many of the posters are still here.
Mame-I'll have to check at my branch for Cathy Kelly, sounds good and I know I can get Rosamund Pilcher, Sea.
I go back and forth between fiction and non-fiction. I'm vastly interested in the Tudor and Elizabethan eras and have read many books on the topics. And years ago I used to devour self-help books but fortunately that stage is long past.
Rick, you are a very talented writer yourself. I read your reviews with such enjoyment, as you have a great command of the language and your writing style is a pleasure to read.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 8:38 am
Rupertbear, he was talking to me but you know I love sharing a name 
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 8:50 am
There are nice Mary's at TVCH!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 9:06 am
I just finished Dear Thing by Julie Cohen and you know when there is a character that you just can't stand and want to shake? Well, that was the male lead in the story. It was about a couple who cannot have children and a friend offers to be a surrogate. The friend, though, has always been in love with him so that complicates things. He was just so mamby pamby and in his own world, all he wanted was a child of "his" own. He was driving me insane!
Well, off to blog the review and then choose what to read next. Hopefully, it will have a character I don't want to throttle.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 10:04 am
Mary! Mary! Mary! I'm so sorry for causing confusion. Thank you Mamie for clarifying.
And thank you RB2 for letting us know you're a Mary, too. I'm really glad you're back in the fold - you're one of the most cheerful people here, which is always a day brightener. You compliment me much too highly, but thank you for your kind words. I have a predilection for hyperbole (and that can be quite annoying, I'll be the first to admit), but I can't help myself. I got my college degree in journalism and TVCH is the only place I get to use it. 
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 10:15 am
Mamie, that character sounds awful. I hate when that happens. I recall the main character in one of Robertson Davies's books (can't remember the title) being so exasperating that I couldn't finish it. That was a great disappointment because I loved all his other books. Oh well, these things happen. I hope the next one on your list makes up for Dear Thing!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 10:31 am
I get very frustrated with characters like that, too.. and actually with memoirs sometimes you just want to go after that person for things they did or seem kind of proud of having done.
Mary (RB) I agree with Ric.. I enjoy your positive contributions and posts here (not just in this thread).
Ric, I hope your writing talents at least make for more interesting memos or whatever.
My degree in psych didn't do much specifically in terms of my career in programming and systems design, but I guess just the fact of being interested in human behavior has been positive for all the various volunteer jobs I've done over the years. (and of course cat behavior for being at the shelter lately).
The cats can react so differently.. yesterday two black cats had been added to our group room to see how they do. One of them was not to be seen and was hiding underneath a big enclosure but the other, Peanut, was strutting around, playing with stuff and loving every minute!
I heard that they had been together in a smaller area and had to be separated, so it could be that the guy who was hiding was only hiding beause Peanut was in there.
I am not getting into this book I started, but haven't had much time to read, so hopefully.. so far it jumps around and I really don't like the character who has had the most time so far but her husband is being kind of an ass as well.
I had been drawn to it partly because there is a bookstore owner in the plot somewhere but so far this isn't helping.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 11:24 am
Enjoying everyone's reviews as my to-be-read list just gets longer and longer.
I finished Goodnight June this week as it was our library book club selection. In a roundabout way it was the fictionalized story of how the book Goodnight Moon came to be. I enjoyed parts of it because it centers around a bookstore and the lady who owned it, but many parts were just too sappy. I've discovered I've little tolerance for preachy or sappy books.
I'm listening (again) to Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban and am starting a re-read of both Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber in prep for Outlander S2 which starts April 9. I'm four school days away from Spring Break and READING TIME!! I'm also reading American Gods by Gaiman, but that's been a stop and start kind of book as I've been too busy. I'm hoping to make it my #1 priority next weekend when I get some downtime.
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Rupertbear2
Member
07-15-2015
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 12:00 pm
Mame-you've met quite a few celebs...book signings or your job?
Mamie-Mary...lol, I remember we had a thread years ago for all the Mary's at the sight. I should have remembered you were right in there, sweetie. (My Dad's nickname for me growing up was Mame or Mamie.)
Well Rick, it costs the exact same, whether one is cheerful or not. 'Struth though, that I think you're very talented.
Sea, always a ray of sunshine, when you post and your degree has not gone to waste, my dear. It gives you an inside edge as to why people act the way they do.
p.s. I should have realized you weren't psychic Rick...ha ha ha. ;)
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 12:42 pm
Mostly my job as a freelance entertainment writer. And RPB your posts are always wonderful, kind, caring and uplifting.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 2:10 pm
Ricky, I decided to go with the Linwood Barclay book, Broken Promise. I also have the second book in the trilogy, Far From True, so if all goes well, I will dive right into that one. This is my first try at his books and I am going on your glowing recommendations.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, March 26, 2016 - 9:39 pm
How exciting! I'll cross my fingers that you like him - I honestly have not come across anyone who dislikes his stuff. But I'm reminded of the time I raved and raved about A Prayer for Owen Meany to one of my oldest and dearest friends. I actually GUARANTEED that he would love it. I had zero doubt he would share my enthusiasm. And, of course, he loathed every single page of it. That was nearly 20 years ago that that happened and I'm STILL trying to get over the shock.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 12:08 am
Different strokes..
But I know if you love a book it is hard to comprehend when others aren't as enthused. And when you love a book, you REALLY love it!
(that is a good thing)
So, I did get into the book, Into the Night Sky and read some last night and then when I got home today around 5, I've read off and on and just finished. Didn't turn on the tv at all.
And it made me want to know what happened and I still want to know what happened to several characters later.
Caroline Finnerty is kind of an contemporary Irish merging of Catherine Ryan Hyde and Jodi Picoult and I'd be open to trying other books she has written, especially if they go on sale, as this one did.
What is next.. I think it will be The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.. I kept thinking I had read it but my copy on Kindle doesn't seem to have been read, so I still have anticipated pleasure..
I am guessing you have read this, Mamie?
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 8:07 am
I have, Sea and you will love it.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 4:54 pm
Hmm.. not loving it so much at 61%.. 😬
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 6:13 pm
I just finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It's being made into a movie with a June release date. It has the potential to be a really engrossing, comedic, heartwarming, tear-jerker movie.
Next up is the sequel, After You by Jojo Moyes.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 6:38 pm
Nice when you enjoy a book and can dive right into the sequel!
I am appreciating The Art of Racing in the Rain but am wanting to smack certain people around.. at 89% now..
I had read another Garth Stein book in the past and as I recall it was a bit of a downer in many parts as well and had smackable characters.. (Raven Stole the Moon).
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 7:07 pm
I loved the ending of course.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Monday, March 28, 2016 - 10:01 am
Mak, the trailer of the movie makes me cry!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, March 28, 2016 - 11:08 am
I read Hidden Bodies over the weekend. I needed something light and fluffy after the emotional workout that A Little Life gave me.
Even though I liked it, Hidden Bodies wasn't quite as good as You, which put Caroline Kepnes on the map. The serial killer protagonist, Joe Goldberg, is back to wreak havoc everywhere he goes, but this one wasn't quite as charming.
Kepnes also did a tremendous amount of celebrity name-dropping, which did not anything relevant to the story and was terribly distracting. She did provide one line that made me howl: Joe expresses annoyance with people on Instagram and mocks them by saying "Oh, look at me - I'm putting jam on my toast!" That line was worth the entire effort of reading the book! 
There will be a third (and a fourth) Joe Goldberg title, apparently, so Kepnes has more mayhem in store for us.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Monday, March 28, 2016 - 2:03 pm
I agree. I enjoyed it but didn't really love it like the first.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, March 28, 2016 - 4:39 pm
Ric, I totally get why, compared to A Little Life, you'd then describe a book involved with a serial killer as "light and fluffy".. but there IS some irony there, no?
I am reading a biography of Elon Musk, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance. Interesting guy..
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, March 28, 2016 - 4:56 pm
Definitely, Sea, definitely! I felt compelled to use that phrase because, on top of the fact that the main character is semi-cartoonish thanks to the ease with which he gets away with his crimes, the Kepnes book is 439 pages and took me two days to read, while the Yanagihara is 720 pages and took me 12 days to finish.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Tuesday, March 29, 2016 - 1:21 pm
Mamie, I made the mistake of watching the trailer while waiting to get the book. It showed me more than I wanted to know. I still really loved the book, though. I can see why it makes you cry!
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Tresbien
Member
08-26-2002
| Tuesday, March 29, 2016 - 2:56 pm
Uncle_ricky, thank you for mentioning A Prayer for Owen Meany, which I am about 1/3 of the way into and enjoying greatly.
It took awhile for me to get into My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry. I'm so glad I hung in there not knowing where the story was going as it was worth the time.
Two other books I've enjoyed recently are Unbroken, which I thought was brilliant, and The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. It's a very well researched fiction about Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson. I've already given copies to friends as gifts, and they are happy readers of it, too.
Funny to see mention of Maeve Binchy and Rosamund Pilcher as I was just discussing them with a friend at lunch today. Although I haven't read either of them in many years, a couple of weeks ago my library had Binchy's A Week In Winter, which was engaging from the beginning. My friend said she had stayed up all night reading it.
Due to family history, The Nightingale was challenging reading for me. I had started it before Christmas, and it just wasn't the right time for that subject matter. That said, after I thought I'd put it down until after the New Year, I stayed up reading it to the end. Very compelling story and I highly recommend it, too.
Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides is my favorite novel so it was sad to read of his illness and death.
On my shelf to follow Owen Meany is Sisters In Law, which is about the friendship between Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It was given to me and highly recommended by my history teacher friend.
All of your suggestions are noted and very much appreciated!
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