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[Life] Book Club

Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
baire said:
hello, v new to these forums but I hope I can still join! pretty neat how many other canadians there are here
Name/Nickname: baire
Favourite Book: The Big Sleep or The Long Goodbye (both by Chandler)
Favourite Author: Raymond Chandler, Douglas Adams, Ludwig Wittgenstein

Chandler's Philip Marlowe novels make up my favourite series and I'm not sure that any other has come close. I'll have a bit more time to read novels over the next week so I'm excited for that at least
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Welcome! So glad to have you! It's never too late to join. :)

Anyways, I've heard a lot of positive things about Raymond Chandler and his work. While I, myself have never read one of his novels, I've always yearned to. Perhaps I need to pay another visit to my local book store! Any recommendations?
 
baire

baire

many such cases
54
Posts
5
Years
Thanks for having me! I think The Big Sleep would be worth going through at some point, it's the first and most well known in the series and takes a really dark and complex direction. I've never gotten a chance to read Agatha Christie but I know she's written a lot of detective/mystery type of stuff, since you've mentioned that you really like her works I don't feel Chandler would too far off.

I myself still haven't decided what I want to be reading over the next week, I've been meaning to read the Foundation series by Asimov or maybe even Solaris by Lem for a while now so I might start on that sooner or later. I've also been meaning to read Gravity's Rainbow by Pynchon since one of my friends named it his favourite book, but it just looks so long and I don't know how I'd find the time to ever get around finishing it.
 
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Desert Stream~

Desert Stream~

Holy Kipper!
3,269
Posts
8
Years
  • Age 34
  • Seen Aug 20, 2023
Name/Nickname: Catnip~ or Desert Stream~ is fine I guess
Favourite Book: Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy
Favourite Author: whoever wrote that ^ (I'm bad with names, sorry :p)

Honestly I don't read a ton anymore, but I kinda want to get back into it, because when I like a book it's a really nice feeling lol. I've only really felt that way with a few books though.

I mostly like Sci-fi or Fantasy, and I especially like things that can make me laugh so if anyone has any suggestions you can post them and I'll try to read them I guess?
 
Aslan

Aslan

3,105
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 22
  • Seen May 23, 2023
Sign me up, I love reading <3 Haven't had as much time due to school being really busy this year, but I hope to get through my to read list soon.

Name/Nickname: Aslan (feel free to call me Sophie though)
Favourite Book: Not sure about now but my childhood favourite was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!
Favourite Author: Haruki Murakami or Kazuo Ishiguro
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
Desert Stream~ said:
Name/Nickname: Catnip~ or Desert Stream~ is fine I guess
Favourite Book: Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy
Favourite Author: whoever wrote that ^ (I'm bad with names, sorry :p)

Honestly I don't read a ton anymore, but I kinda want to get back into it, because when I like a book it's a really nice feeling lol. I've only really felt that way with a few books though.

I mostly like Sci-fi or Fantasy, and I especially like things that can make me laugh so if anyone has any suggestions you can post them and I'll try to read them I guess?
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Welcome! It's lovely to have you. I'll admit that I'm not particularly interested in novels of the Sci-Fi or Fantasy genre. However, there still are a lot of superb novels out there that would indeed suit your taste.

The Heart of Dread series by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston are excellent novels if I do say so myself. The first book is my personal favourite as it's one of those books that I simply could not put down. The characters in the series are marvelous and diverse and the series is full of action, adventure, and even a touch of romance! I highly recommend this series and I think you'd really enjoy it.

Michael Vey is another series that I'd recommend. Admittedly, I've only read the first book. However, I have indeed heard marvelous things about the sequential novels. If you like Sci-Fi, the series is perfect for you! Again, you meet a plethora of contrasting characters that contribute to the story's upbeat nature. The first novel is full of suspense and action but it is quite the cliffhanger I must say.


Aslan said:
Sign me up, I love reading <3 Haven't had as much time due to school being really busy this year, but I hope to get through my to read list soon.

Name/Nickname: Aslan (feel free to call me Sophie though)
Favourite Book: Not sure about now but my childhood favourite was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!
Favourite Author: Haruki Murakami or Kazuo Ishiguro
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Hi, Sophie! Welcome, it's wonderful to have you.

I have actually never laid my hands on a Harry Potter novel in my lifetime, the series has never captivated me if I'm honest. Am I missing out?

Also, I've never heard of those authors! What are some of their novels that you've enjoyed and that you'd recommend?
 
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Desert Stream~

Desert Stream~

Holy Kipper!
3,269
Posts
8
Years
  • Age 34
  • Seen Aug 20, 2023
I guess I should also mention I'm way more inclined to read something if it's a series then I am if it's a singular book. I like things that will last me a long time :p
 
Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
Yes. I am the same way. Finishing a good book is truly bittersweet. You've reached the conclusion, yet you yearn for more. That's why series are the best because there's always a second, third, fourth book and so on.
 
baire

baire

many such cases
54
Posts
5
Years
congrats on getting the club featured! hooray for books

Aslan said:
Kazuo Ishiguro
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oh hey the book club at my school is discussing "The Buried Giant" by him this month. I haven't gotten a chance to read it because schoolwork has been killing me and I have hardly any spare time but I've heard good things about it and it's on my (very long and clogged) to-read list. I'll be sure to get around to going through it... eventually...
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
baire said:
congrats on getting the club featured! hooray for books
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Thank you so much! Although I couldn't have done it alone. From the bottom of my heart, I want to sincerely thank everyone who has joined this club and has taken time out of their day to participate in discussion. I appreciate every contribution so much! I look forward to the future conversations and novel recommendations in this club. :)
 
VisionofMilotic

VisionofMilotic

9,618
Posts
7
Years
I'd like to join this award-winning club. I'm currently reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman, as always Gaiman's lyrical prose are a delight.

Name/Nickname: Sam

Favourite Book: Game of Thrones (Asoiaf)

Favourite Author: Suza Scalora. She is a photographer first, but she uses magnificent illustrations to bring her children's books to life. I also love Jane Yolen's wonderful lore.
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
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Our Club was awarded this ribbon to signify our achievement as Club of the Month! Very lovely indeed.

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VisionofMilotic said:
I'd like to join this award-winning club. I'm currently reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman, as always Gaiman's lyrical prose are a delight.

Name/Nickname: Sam

Favourite Book: Game of Thrones (Asoiaf)

Favourite Author: Suza Scalora. She is a photographer first, but she uses magnificent illustrations to bring her children's books to life. I also love Jane Yolen's wonderful lore.
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Welcome, Sam! So glad to have an individual as brilliant and creative as yourself join my club. It's an honour.

Game of Thrones is immensely popular and admittedly, I never realized that it is a book series as well as a television one. I've always been intrigued by the medieval feel of the show, despite the fact that I've never actually watched it. What in particular about the novels do you find the most compelling?

Also, Suza Scalora sounds like an oddly familiar name. I do think it's unique that she started off with a career in photography!
 
VisionofMilotic

VisionofMilotic

9,618
Posts
7
Years
MysticalNinetales said:
Welcome, Sam! So glad to have an individual as brilliant and creative as yourself join my club. It's an honour.

Game of Thrones is immensely popular and admittedly, I never realized that it is a book series as well as a television one. I've always been intrigued by the medieval feel of the show, despite the fact that I've never actually watched it. What in particular about the novels do you find the most compelling?

Also, Suza Scalora sounds like an oddly familiar name. I do think it's unique that she started off with a career in photography!
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I'm happy to be here! Thank you for the warm greeting *hugs*

I am drawn to historical fantasy as a genre, particuarly the medieval era. The legend of King Arthur for instance is something I always love to see revisited, or the Lord of the Rings. The series A Song of Ice and Fire was always right up my alley, but like many people I was first introduced to the books by the television show.

I got addicted to the show for about 4 seasons. I haven't watched lately, finishing and rereading the books is what I am content with for the time being. I think the show had a good run for awhile though. It had a colorful cast of powerhouse actors and great chemistry between them. But even though I am a fan of the show, there's nothing quite like reading books.

Martin is quite the world-builder. He really takes his time with maps, and developing regions, social systems, and different cultures, noble houses, ancient history and its a really rich world, and the show I think does a good job of capturing that. Something else I admire about Martin is his prose however. Reading his books weaves a spell on me. His writing is very subtle. He writes very close third person povs, and really nails his characters. Every line of dialogue is so accurate. They are very consistent characters that develop interestingly.

Yet in spite of being very low key as an omniscient narrator, and filtering everything through the thoughts and feelings of the characters, there's something about reading him that's almost sensual. He really describes the world around him. While the tv series is known for capturing the grit, and that is indeed present in the novels, the more lyrical atmosphere from Martin's books I think is more elusive to capture. He can just indulge you for pages in descriptions of the banquet hall, and every strand of music comes to life, the smells of the herbs on the meat, the fabric of a woman's dress blowing in the breeze as she sits beside you at the mahogany table. Martin is straightforward and I think easy to follow, but its all so textured and rich. Its such a sensory experience. I think people foremost think of Martin's characters and plot twists, but in my opinion he's also got some beautiful writing.
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
VisionofMilotic said:
I'm happy to be here! Thank you for the warm greeting *hugs*

I am drawn to historical fantasy as a genre, particuarly the medieval era. The legend of King Arthur for instance is something I always love to see revisited, or the Lord of the Rings. The series A Song of Ice and Fire was always right up my alley, but like many people I was first introduced to the books by the television show.

I got addicted to the show for about 4 seasons. I haven't watched lately, finishing and rereading the books is what I am content with for the time being. I think the show had a good run for awhile though. It had a colorful cast of powerhouse actors and great chemistry between them. But even though I am a fan of the show, there's nothing quite like reading books.

Martin is quite the world-builder. He really takes his time with maps, and developing regions, social systems, and different cultures, noble houses, ancient history and its a really rich world, and the show I think does a good job of capturing that. Something else I admire about Martin is his prose however. Reading his books weaves a spell on me. His writing is very subtle. He writes very close third person povs, and really nails his characters. Every line of dialogue is so accurate. They are very consistent characters that develop interestingly.

Yet in spite of being very low key as an omniscient narrator, and filtering everything through the thoughts and feelings of the characters, there's something about reading him that's almost sensual. He really describes the world around him. While the tv series is known for capturing the grit, and that is indeed present in the novels, the more lyrical atmosphere from Martin's books I think is more elusive to capture. He can just indulge you for pages in descriptions of the banquet hall, and every strand of music comes to life, the smells of the herbs on the meat, the fabric of a woman's dress blowing in the breeze as she sits beside you at the mahogany table. Martin is straightforward and I think easy to follow, but its all so textured and rich. Its such a sensory experience. I think people foremost think of Martin's characters and plot twists, but in my opinion he's also got some beautiful writing.
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I am a lover of Historical Fiction and I agree with you, the medieval era is so immensely fascinating! My dad was obsessed with The Lord of the Rings growing up, although as a child the series frightened me. I tend to like reading books detailing fictional stories occurring in the medevial period, the Renaissance period, the Victorian era, the early-mid 20th century, etc. I suppose you could say that I'm a history lover.

Honestly, I need to pick up a novel of George Martin's! His writing style seems splendidly descriptive and detailed, which is one thing I love. As you've described his style, I have gotten goosebumps! That's the power of writing right there. Might I add that you are a fabulous writer yourself and you have such a way with words, I think you'd make a marvelous novelist.
 
Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
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6
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Such perfect timing for the forum to be back up!

For the last month or so, I've been slowly reading a wonderful novel called The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. To say that this novel is incredible is an understatement. This book is life-changing, heart wrenching, and so immensely powerful. I actually finished the novel an hour ago and burst into tears while reading the last two chapters. I honestly haven't felt such a strong connection to a novel in a very long time. After booking down the book, I continued to weep with feelings of joy and sadness.

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The Nightingale highlights the struggles of women in France during the second world war. In this moving novel, Kristin Hannah tells us the story of two contrasting sisters, divided by years, circumstance, and ideals, with each encountering immense danger and struggle on the path towards survival, love, freedom, and hope. The Nightingale shares the untold, unrecognized stories of the women in war and showcases the everlasting resilience and bravery of these women.

One of the things that I appreciate about this novel is how real it is. The Nightingale is extremely educational and I learned some of the horrid acts that Jews and non-Jews alike encountered during the German occupation of France. We truly must never repeat history and let such a hate-driven tragedy such as the holocaust ever happen again. Furthermore, we must never forget those who died, those who lost, and those who fought hard to survive during this horrendous period of time.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, romance, and even thriller books. This is such an excellent read and I'd even dare to declare that it has become my new favourite novel of all-time!
 
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Fairy

Fairy

17,133
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12
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  • Age 33
  • Seen Jan 12, 2024
Late due to PC's downtime but congrats on CoTM guys! <333

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baire

baire

many such cases
54
Posts
5
Years
RIP all the posts that have vanished into thin air (edit: they are back NICE). also this site came back up, like, an hour and a half after I finished writing my last exam so wow

historical fiction novels are something I haven't gotten a chance to read too much of so I can't add too much to that discussion :< my favourites from the genre are The Wars by Timothy Findley, and The Pianist by Szpilman (though The Pianist is a non-fiction memoir). Especially The Wars, it has left such a strong impression on me with how haunting, terrifying and dark it was. Along with the unusual, interesting shifts in second and third-person points of view it's probably one of my all time favourite books, definitely among the most emotionally impactful for me.

I'll have to read The Nightingale at some point! it sounds like an incredible experience I could get behind since I seem to like war novels. I think in general I'd like to read more novels, so many of the books I read are almost essay-like or just expository in nature; I'm about to start reading Complications: a surgeon's notes on an imperfect science by Gawande because it was recommended to me. I've read one of the chapters before and loved it, it feels like an insightful perspective on a field I don't know very much about.

Another book I've been really wanting to read recently is Justice as Fairness: A restatement by John Rawls. Rawls' thinking on political philosophy has captivated me since high school and I really want to explore more of what he has to say
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
baire said:
RIP all the posts that have vanished into thin air (edit: they are back NICE). also this site came back up, like, an hour and a half after I finished writing my last exam so wow
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Yes! I'm thankful that the posts are back. We can only thank the moderators and those who worked so hard on resolving this issue. I am grateful!

baire said:
historical fiction novels are something I haven't gotten a chance to read too much of so I can't add too much to that discussion :< my favourites from the genre are The Wars by Timothy Findley, and The Pianist by Szpilman (though The Pianist is a non-fiction memoir). Especially The Wars, it has left such a strong impression on me with how haunting, terrifying and dark it was. Along with the unusual, interesting shifts in second and third-person points of view it's probably one of my all time favourite books, definitely among the most emotionally impactful for me.
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I've been exclusively reading historical fiction novels as of late. I'm just captivated and enthralled by the genre, perhaps that's due to my love of history itself. Anyways, I do believe that I've heard of The Pianist before. While I typically am not one to indulge in a non-fiction novel, I have heard tremendous things about it and perhaps I'll have to add it to my lengthy reading list!

baire said:
I'll have to read The Nightingale at some point! it sounds like an incredible experience I could get behind since I seem to like war novels. I think in general I'd like to read more novels, so many of the books I read are almost essay-like or just expository in nature; I'm about to start reading Complications: a surgeon's notes on an imperfect science by Gawande because it was recommended to me. I've read one of the chapters before and loved it, it feels like an insightful perspective on a field I don't know very much about.
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I cannot reiterate how splendid The Nightingale is. I am currently reading The Paris Seamstress, a very similar tale involving a Parisian woman who flees France during the second world war and comes to America in an attempt to make it as a fashion designer. Incredible read so far!

Complications: a surgeon's notes on an imperfect science sounds interesting! Once you have finished it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
I declare that 2019 shall be the year of reading!


Over Christmas break I finished a book, The Paris Seamstress, the tale of a young woman, Estella Bissette, who flees Paris as the Nazis enter into France, and heads to New York. While in the Big Apple, Estella follows her dream and attempts to establish herself as a fashion designer while she uncovers secrets about her past. In the present day, Estella's granddaughter, Fabienne, dives deep into her ill grandmother's past, while struggling with her own romantic life and suffering with immense feelings of anxiety at the mere thought at being the successor to her grandmother's fashion empire. This story is full of engrossing twists and turns, romance, loss, and struggle. It is a fantastic read for anyone who has an interest in the fashion industry or anyone who appreciates historical fiction! I cried at the ending, as I typically do. Fabulous story.


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Today, a mere few minutes ago, I finished yet ANOTHER world war 2 fictional novel, one that'd received as a Christmas present, The Lilac Girls . This novel is based on the true story of Caroline Ferriday, who advocated for 74 young Polish women known as the Rabbits or the Króliki in Polish. These 74 women were experimented on at Ravensbrück, a German concentration camp exclusively for women of all nationalities. These women had their limbs grotesquely disfigured, some infected with diseases that lasted well after their freedom. This story is written in the perspective of three contrasting women, Caroline, a New York socialite in her late thirties, Kasia, a Polish teenager, and Herta, a German physician. This book will move you in ways that I cannot describe. Such a beautiful novel!


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I hope 2019 has been wonderful for everyone! Feel free to post on what you have read, or what you're planning to read in the new year. New members are always welcome! :)
 
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Ninetales

Ninetales

1,743
Posts
6
Years
After a year of slumber, it's time that this book club awakens from its rest and reaches its full potential!

Yes, that's right! I declare that this is time for our humble club's long-awaited revival!

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I welcome all readers, bookworms, literature-lovers, and novel-enthusiasts to this club!

To all former members, or newcomers, I present you with a question question:

What is your favourite genre of books and why?

Also, feel free to name and discuss your favourite novel of said genre!

Happy reading, everyone!
 
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VisionofMilotic

VisionofMilotic

9,618
Posts
7
Years
This one of my favorite clubs! Feels good to walk through the doors of the MysticalNinetales archives again.

I usually have to have a little of the fantasy genre in whatever I read. Right now I am reading the classic Sci-Fi novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" I am enjoying the world-building a lot.
 
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