tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post6915137463205844541..comments2024-02-22T17:59:50.213-05:00Comments on in so many words...: Restless Reading: Two DisappointmentsYvettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-62985146518351385622013-06-19T11:01:53.248-04:002013-06-19T11:01:53.248-04:00I very rarely take specific books for review. TOO ...I very rarely take specific books for review. TOO MUCH PRESSURE. Sometimes I get talked into it, but it's something I'm not comfortable doing.<br /><br />Recently I tried to watch a movie that everyone said was GREAT and it did get nominated for everything so I was expecting Big Things. It was ZERO DARK THIRTY and I could barely get through the first half hour. I finally gave up. I hate to say this but I was bored silly.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-14564378722360244912013-06-19T00:18:37.203-04:002013-06-19T00:18:37.203-04:00I never heard of the first book,and never had a de...I never heard of the first book,and never had a desire to read the second. I do hate when a book I was looking forward to, just doesn't do it for me. I'm the same way with movies too.<br /><br />Right now I'm trying to get through a book now, one I agreed to review, and I'm just afraid I'm not going to be able to do it. The writing is good, it's just boring me.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-18188650684200826702013-06-16T13:23:32.548-04:002013-06-16T13:23:32.548-04:00Les, for me the term 'new cozy' always fil...Les, for me the term 'new cozy' always fills me with jitters. I have read so FEW modern cozies that I can actually recommend. Particularly when the author is obviously trying to toe the line - as it were.<br /><br />It takes real talent to write a good cozy. Something a lot of 'writers' obviously do not know.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-24878688012514465202013-06-16T13:21:49.840-04:002013-06-16T13:21:49.840-04:00Kathy, yes. Sometimes I don't get past the fir...Kathy, yes. Sometimes I don't get past the first paragraph. But let's not mention those books. Too disheartening.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-58171608531895388062013-06-16T13:20:54.598-04:002013-06-16T13:20:54.598-04:00Oh I hate when that happens, Neer. If the ending i...Oh I hate when that happens, Neer. If the ending is badly handled - ugh. But if I just disagree with the ending, then that's a different story. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-5953782937071811652013-06-16T13:19:58.129-04:002013-06-16T13:19:58.129-04:00I'm with you John - 'move on' is the c...I'm with you John - 'move on' is the catch phrase. Life's too short. :)<br /><br />I generally do forget the books I've attempted to read then set aside. Although occasionally some rankle more than others. <br /><br />I'm more disappointed when I know that the author is a good writer.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-20046551769439209742013-06-15T11:35:41.924-04:002013-06-15T11:35:41.924-04:00I echo your sentiments, Yvette, both about not fin...I echo your sentiments, Yvette, both about not finishing disappointing books and about not writing about them because I don't want to dissuade people who might enjoy a book that I didn't like. There are so many good ones out there that I feel perfectly justified in writing about the ones I think are the best - and simply ignoring the other ones.<br /><br />That's particularly true, for me, in newer mysteries. I don't want to give bad reviews to newer authors, especially the ones who are trying to write a more traditional mystery (and many cozy authors fit in that group!), but I also can't recommend a new author whose characters may grate or whose plots are weaker than I like.<br /><br />It's not easy striking that balance - something I think you do all the time! Keep it up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-26748998832962241382013-06-15T01:36:42.943-04:002013-06-15T01:36:42.943-04:00I try for the 50-page goal but sometimes a book is...I try for the 50-page goal but sometimes a book is just too banal. If I feel like it's barely past a Dick and Jane reader-level or an author is basically saying Ms. X went to the store and bought milk and bread and then went home and made lunch, etc. And it continues like that I won't read it.<br /><br />The author has to have something to say that I want to know about. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-31281041281587623542013-06-14T21:14:39.138-04:002013-06-14T21:14:39.138-04:00Totally agree. It's heart-breaking when the bo...Totally agree. It's heart-breaking when the books turn out to be disappointments. There are certain books that were going great and then the ending came and spoiled it all.neerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01986509319841061021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-17104437653104256042013-06-14T18:43:10.721-04:002013-06-14T18:43:10.721-04:00I'm glad to see I'm not alone in the Slump...I'm glad to see I'm not alone in the Slump of Unfinished Books. So disheartening when it happens so many times in a row, isn't it? Last year I made a list of all the books I read and those I never finished. This year in the month of April I made a notation in my reading log that I attempted to read then abandoned five books in succession! But I didn't write down the titles and now I don't remember them at all. I think it's better that way. I'm willing to write reviews of books that fall into the "mixed bag" category, but I won't waste any time or effort of completley dissing a bad book.<br /><br />I like your 50 page rule. My rule is something like the first three chapters regardless of page length. If I'm not interested then it's shut and I move on.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-37095650233565708152013-06-14T18:18:37.670-04:002013-06-14T18:18:37.670-04:00Thanks, Peggy Ann. Maybe it's just the 'bl...Thanks, Peggy Ann. Maybe it's just the 'blah' season for books. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-84926880512767026562013-06-14T18:18:17.416-04:002013-06-14T18:18:17.416-04:00I agree, Prashant, that you have to be careful. Bu...I agree, Prashant, that you have to be careful. But as I like to say: Life's too short to read a bad book. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-11361177077806398362013-06-14T18:17:37.195-04:002013-06-14T18:17:37.195-04:00I hope to get back to reading Donna Leon soon, Kat...I hope to get back to reading Donna Leon soon, Kathy. I got off track what with one thing and another and so much other stuff to read, but I hope to return to Venice soon. :)<br /><br />Re-reading is taking time away from the newer books (or older ones) I haven't read, but I try not to be too much on deadline about things. This is not supposed to be work. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-89350160903032033292013-06-14T18:15:16.839-04:002013-06-14T18:15:16.839-04:00But Bev, that's exactly my point for not posti...But Bev, that's exactly my point for not posting negative reviews. I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading something that they just might like. I mean, who am I to say what's good and what's bad.<br /><br />It just makes me uneasy is all.<br /><br />If the book is listed as read on sideboard, then you know I recommend it.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-81616503664751359982013-06-14T18:13:19.302-04:002013-06-14T18:13:19.302-04:00Thank you so much, Joanne. I'm so glad you enj...Thank you so much, Joanne. I'm so glad you enjoyed the peek inside my head. Lots going on in there. Not all of it fit for public consumption. :)<br /><br />I hope you're going to be joining in my Georgette Heyer Blogathon coming up!!Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-2645040840742326732013-06-14T06:27:38.093-04:002013-06-14T06:27:38.093-04:00Yvette, same thing happening to me lately! Enjoya...Yvette, same thing happening to me lately! Enjoyable post!Peggy Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426356514707257708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-31276766487316592642013-06-14T04:00:26.072-04:002013-06-14T04:00:26.072-04:00Yvette, as I have mentioned elsewhere, I hate putt...Yvette, as I have mentioned elsewhere, I hate putting down a book I have started reading and I'll go all the way even if I know, at the outset, that it is not a good read. However, there is always a redeeming feature in every book. These days I'm careful with the books I'm reading.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-28065773864407089672013-06-14T00:11:08.234-04:002013-06-14T00:11:08.234-04:00I totally sympathize. I hate it when I get a book...I totally sympathize. I hate it when I get a book others have liked and I just don't. <br /><br />I try to get bookss the 50-page test, but if they're truly banal and boring, I can't get past five pages. (I'm not naming names but it happens with authors loved by other readers.)<br /><br />I am tempted to read books I liked years ago but then I won't have time to read new books -- and there are so many out there which I want to try.<br /><br />A mystery reading friend who had read all of Donna Leon's books bought all of them at thrift shops or used book stores -- and reread them all. And the same with Inspector Maigret's books.<br /><br />But I want to try so many -- and I have TBR piles all over the place so I must try.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-51743491931239323702013-06-13T20:30:39.797-04:002013-06-13T20:30:39.797-04:00Yvette: I actually like to see when fellow blogger...Yvette: I actually like to see when fellow bloggers don't like a book (rather than swallowing their disappointment silently)--especially bloggers whose reading taste I trust. It's good to know when you or John or Les or Ryan or...name any of the bloggers I follow regularly...have been less than thrilled. Especially if it's a book I'm on the fence with.<br /><br />From my side--I try to write a review about every book finished or not, spectacular or not so that if my aging brain forgets that I read something (and this happened more often than it should have before I started writing up my thoughts on what I read) I'll have a record and won't get sucked in by a lovely book blurb and start rereading one I abandoned or didn't care for five years ago. There's too many books out there to reread "blah" books. :-)Bev Hankinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127476456755776574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-7916825063024504022013-06-13T18:27:38.663-04:002013-06-13T18:27:38.663-04:00You're still the only person I know who can la...You're still the only person I know who can lament about the books being disappointing and still keep me glued to your response. Love getting a peek inside your head -- you're so smart and articulate!Joannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07716758796036142540noreply@blogger.com