I wasn't sure if the kids were realistic for that age (they felt a little bit older to me)
Now that I'm thinking about it more I think my perspective might be affected in a different way, as well, since I grew up in New York and lots of what's in the book is super "NYC", like the overnight trip to actual nature, teens taking the subway on their own, the whole knowing people in the neighborhood without feeling any obligation to actually know them...maybe it's possible the kids felt a bit older for you because childhood is a different kind of experience in California? Just a thought!
Augie ended up feeling almost like a mascot to me, which undercut the previous development
Yeah, I can absolutely see that. :/ While I like the other perspectives, I think giving Auggie more time to speak for himself might have helped somewhat in this regard.
I'd like to read Fifteen Lives at some point, though I found Kate Griffin's writing a bit hard to digest -- not in a bad way, but just... it tends to be dense and loaded, and I'm kind of expecting her writing under the North pen name to be similar. I am also still full of intent to read more Mary Roach, including probably Gulp.
Mary would be so proud that you called a book "hard to digest" and then transitioned to Gulp on that topic. <3 And, yes, I can see what you mean about the person-of-many-name's writing being quite ~full~ but I definitely felt that worked well for a book meant bring various periods in time to life (1920s - 1980s/1990s) in various countries.
I admire your commitment to not using the same book for the same square on different cards. Considering you're being way more restrictive than I am, that is impressive progress!
Thanks! I'll have to check on the rec list for some other stuff soon, but Anders has been raving about books he's recently read (Name of the Wind, Lies of Locke Lamora, and Red Rising) so I may check out one or three of those first. Not sure if they fulfill any requirements, but hmmm...if Red Rising has a red wing on the cover, that could perhaps count as a "red cover", no? Will have to consider. :D
maybe it's possible the kids felt a bit older for you because childhood is a different kind of experience in California? Just a thought!
That is definitely possible! I forget what specifically about the kids felt 'older', but it is definitely a potential explanation that we are sweet summer children here in California :P
And, yes, I also wished we'd gotten more of Augie's POV. I did like the different ones, and think that makes the book work well, but I did feel like Augie's ultimately kind of got swamped by the cumulative POVs of everybody else, and his was the most interesting one for me.
Mary would be so proud that you called a book "hard to digest" and then transitioned to Gulp on that topic. <3
Ahaha, that was totally accidental, but I'm still claiming credit for it! XD
OK, I can't really think what squares those books would fulfill (rec from friend or media, maybe? I mean, Anders counts as a friend! -- and that would give you a bingo on Random) but I heartily endorse the plan of reading NotW and Locke. OK, maybe it would be fairer to say I endorse them with caveats: I liked NotW but liked the sequel (Wise Man's Fear) even more, even though I think it's probably objectively a weaker book. I adore the magic in these books, though, and while I'm not a fan of the framing story, I find the writing quite clever and quotable. And as for Locke, another great and quotable book, lots of fun swashbuckling. My issues with it are all spoilery, so I won't go into it, but I will mention that the sequel to Lies (Red Seas Under Red Skies) has a red cover. Basically, these are both books I'd be very excited to hear your thoughts on and to talk about!
Red Rising sounds intriguing, too -- and I do think you could count it as a red cover.
Thanks for your thoughts! I think my plan right now is to try to get into Red Rising and Name of the Wind during winter break, while saving Locke Lamora for later. I'm reading another nonfiction now and will hopefully be able to look into the third of your witches books before the break starts.
Now that I'm thinking about it more I think my perspective might be affected in a different way, as well, since I grew up in New York and lots of what's in the book is super "NYC", like the overnight trip to actual nature, teens taking the subway on their own, the whole knowing people in the neighborhood without feeling any obligation to actually know them...maybe it's possible the kids felt a bit older for you because childhood is a different kind of experience in California? Just a thought!
Augie ended up feeling almost like a mascot to me, which undercut the previous development
Yeah, I can absolutely see that. :/ While I like the other perspectives, I think giving Auggie more time to speak for himself might have helped somewhat in this regard.
I'd like to read Fifteen Lives at some point, though I found Kate Griffin's writing a bit hard to digest -- not in a bad way, but just... it tends to be dense and loaded, and I'm kind of expecting her writing under the North pen name to be similar. I am also still full of intent to read more Mary Roach, including probably Gulp.
Mary would be so proud that you called a book "hard to digest" and then transitioned to Gulp on that topic. <3
And, yes, I can see what you mean about the person-of-many-name's writing being quite ~full~ but I definitely felt that worked well for a book meant bring various periods in time to life (1920s - 1980s/1990s) in various countries.
I admire your commitment to not using the same book for the same square on different cards. Considering you're being way more restrictive than I am, that is impressive progress!
Thanks! I'll have to check on the rec list for some other stuff soon, but Anders has been raving about books he's recently read (Name of the Wind, Lies of Locke Lamora, and Red Rising) so I may check out one or three of those first. Not sure if they fulfill any requirements, but hmmm...if Red Rising has a red wing on the cover, that could perhaps count as a "red cover", no? Will have to consider. :D
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That is definitely possible! I forget what specifically about the kids felt 'older', but it is definitely a potential explanation that we are sweet summer children here in California :P
And, yes, I also wished we'd gotten more of Augie's POV. I did like the different ones, and think that makes the book work well, but I did feel like Augie's ultimately kind of got swamped by the cumulative POVs of everybody else, and his was the most interesting one for me.
Mary would be so proud that you called a book "hard to digest" and then transitioned to Gulp on that topic. <3
Ahaha, that was totally accidental, but I'm still claiming credit for it! XD
OK, I can't really think what squares those books would fulfill (rec from friend or media, maybe? I mean, Anders counts as a friend! -- and that would give you a bingo on Random) but I heartily endorse the plan of reading NotW and Locke. OK, maybe it would be fairer to say I endorse them with caveats: I liked NotW but liked the sequel (Wise Man's Fear) even more, even though I think it's probably objectively a weaker book. I adore the magic in these books, though, and while I'm not a fan of the framing story, I find the writing quite clever and quotable. And as for Locke, another great and quotable book, lots of fun swashbuckling. My issues with it are all spoilery, so I won't go into it, but I will mention that the sequel to Lies (Red Seas Under Red Skies) has a red cover. Basically, these are both books I'd be very excited to hear your thoughts on and to talk about!
Red Rising sounds intriguing, too -- and I do think you could count it as a red cover.
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