Simona’s Comments (group member since Nov 26, 2014)

Simona’s comments from the RMFAO (Reading My Frigging A** Off) group.

8. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
9. Vathek by William Beckford
10. The Monk by M.G. Lewis

I also listened to Die Walpurgisnacht by Heinrich Zschokke on LibriVox.

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "7. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells."

This book was a disappointment to me when I read it. I don't think it was the book itself though. But I had watched and enjoyed an ..."

Yeah, I guess the megalomaniacal attitude and unlawful and immoral behaviour of Griffin are realistic consequences of invisibility. t's plausible to feel almost godlike and entitled to do whatever you want when you virtually can't be caught or punished for any misgivings... Who knows what we'd do were we to be invisible!

7. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells.

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "6. Emma by Jane Austen - 2 stars. I was bored and annoyed most of the time: Emma, the main character was just infuriating and childish in her matchmaking pursuit."

I don..."

I'll tell you, among all the classics I've read, Jane Austen's work is the one that's letting me down the most. I get that she's an icon and I won't deny I liked at least Pride and Prejudice very much, but the other ones I've read so far are not particularly up my alley. They are too flourished and dispersive for my tastes. feel like 3/4 of a book she has written could've been cut off and thinned out, and it would've benefitted considerably...

I'm looking forward to Northanger Abbey, though, since I love gothic novels.

6. Emma by Jane Austen - 2 stars. I was bored and annoyed most of the time: Emma, the main character was just infuriating and childish in her matchmaking pursuit.

5. A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe
I have a thing for gothic novels - just love them - and I am partial to anything Sicily related.

4. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

2. Pride and Prejudice (re-read, 5-stars) by Jane Austen
3. Lady Susan by Jane Austen

I'm currently reading Mansfield Park and I listened to Polidori's The Vampyre: A Tale on Librivox, but I won't consider it for the challange since it's a novella.

I'm winging it this month. I won't plan on anything, just picking stuff up as it comes.
So far I've read:
1. The Memory of Light YA - 4 stars
2. Crossed YA - 4 stars

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "Oh, wow! Good going Dagny. That's amazing."

Thanks, Simona. It's not too difficult since I'm in the
19thCenturyLit
and we're reading several shortish ones now - girding our loin..."

Well, that's the point of reading, isn't it, just plain enjoying it?

Dagny wrote: "With eight done, I am running slightly ahead of where I was last year. At the end of March last year, I had read eight Classics. This year I have eight completed, three in progress plus one more no..."

Oh, wow! Good going Dagny. That's amazing.

I've just completed my second classic, Pride and Prejudice (5 stars, I loved it), and I started with Lady Susan which is rather short.

I finally go around reading this year's first Classic!

1. Sense and Sensibility

I have seen a couple of different screen adaptations and I superficially studied it in school, so I knew what it was all about. The interesting thing, though, is that there is a historical fiction, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, which I've read last year, that takes on Sense and Sensibility and makes it out as something Jane Austen wrote because of her own experience.

Dagny wrote: "I liked Living Dead in Dallas the least of all the Sookie..."

I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

6. Dead Until Dark 3 stars
7. Living Dead in Dallas 3 stars
8. Club Dead 3 stars

5. Marrow 2 stars.
I think I missed the point of it.

4. The Ex, 3-stars
This one wasn't on my TBR for this month. I'm no good with sticking to book-lists and I tend to grab whatever strikes my fancy.

Dagny wrote: "Simona wrote: "3. The Golem and the Jinni, 4-stars"

This one looks interesting, Simona. I've heard of it - maybe from when Steve read it."

Yeah, I think I read his review... I enjoyed this book very much. I'd recommend it.

3. The Golem and the Jinni, 4-stars

1. Mystery: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust; 3-stars
2. Speculative Fiction: Library of Souls; 4-stars

Level 5! :)

Speculative Fiction:
- Library of Souls
- More Than This
- The Golem and the Jinni

Mystery/Thrillers
- As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust
- Stealing Shadows
- Dead Until Dark and probably more from this series