Barbara’s Comments (group member since Aug 17, 2009)

Barbara’s comments from the SA Book & Challenge Lovers group.

Tasks
1. Reread a book that you've been meaning to reread for years but keep putting off
2. Read a book with an easily identifiable architectural icon of a city on the cover (e.g. Big Ben, the pyramids, Eiffel Tower)
3. Read a book with a name and a surname in the title
4. Read a book with food mentioned in the title
5. Read a book set in South Africa
6. Read a book that was published in the decade you were born
7. Read a horror book set before 1900
8. Read a book recommended by a friend (on Goodreads or off)
9. Read a book with a one word title
10. Read a book that has a title that is 4 words long or longer than 4 words
11. Read a book set in South America
12. Read a book with an alliteration in the title
13. Read the first book published by one of your favourite authors
14. Judge a book by it's cover: Read a book you chose based on a beautiful or interesting cover
15. Read a book in which the main character has to spend some time in jail. (They don't have to be in jail for the whole book, but it must have significance to the story. Or, if the book is about children being grounded or being in detention, that works too)
16. Read a book that was given to you as a gift in 2016
17. Read a book with a colon (:) in the title
18. Read a book that's title starts with a vowel
19. Read a book with pirates
20. Read a book with someone wearing something purple on the cover
21. Read a book with soldiers
22. Read a book that features a flower on the cover
23. Read a book that was first published in June (of any year)
24 Read a book by an author who was born in Africa, excluding South Africa
25. Read a book that has two or more authors

Hope your day was everything you hoped for. Happy birthday.

I've always liked: Calum, Adrian, Elijah, Gabriel, ...
Will add more when I think of some.

Sure. How about: read a book in which the main character has to spend some time in jail. Doesn't mean that they have to be in jail the whole book, but it must have significance to the story. If the book is about children being grounded or being in detention works too.

15. Finish a book that you started before 1 January 2015 but never finished.
16. Read a book that was given to you as a gift in 2016.

No I didn't. I really haven't been on here for quite some time. Only to update a book. Love that I can now scan the barcode with my phone. So much easier. But I will check that out. The mishmash is quite similar to this one and might be a good one to start with again. Thanks!

I have finished this book 2 days ago and I am stll not sure what to think.
Let me start by saying that I think it is a good book with a good story that is well told. Even though at times the poetry starting getting om my nerves, mostly because most of the poems I just didn't like. But there are things that I think could have been told better.
I read this book without reading the blurb beacuse I read Code Name Verity and liked that one very much. I somehow expected to read more about what it was like to be an ATA girl however it was another concentration camp story. Which was a bit disappointing. Might seem harsh to say, but for those who don't know me I am Dutch and have lived my whole life in the Netherlands and so WWII is very present and not a week goes by without hearing things on the news relating to WWII from bombs being found, to documents being found shedding some light on certain aspects of the war, to claims being made about property that was stolen by the Germans, to old camp guards being found and put on trial, to even an occasional sighting of Hitler. And since May is the month the war ended we have been overwhelmed by movies and documentaries about the war since April and I might be a bit war tired. And though concentration camp stories are very prevalent there are parts of the war we haven't heard much about like the ATA girls which I do find very interesting and hence my disappointment.
Having said that I do think that the story gives a realistic view of the camps and life there even though the horror of every day life doesn't always comes through because she doesn't always mention individual events but just mentions that those kind of things were going on. Like for example with the shearing of the hair. She mentions it when Rose first enters the camp and is being sorted but then later on it happens again but is only mentioned in hindsight. The sheer humiliation and degredation and helplessness and disbelief and horror that people experienced at that kind of treatment just doesn't reach the page and at times the story feels a bit clinical. I understand it is the way Rose puts it in her diary and that it is probably a survival mechanism, but I find the story failing in that aspect.
I did love the parts where Rose is in the Ritz and trying to cope with life and getting readjusted although even there I have questions like why didn't her aunt came to see her. I understand post war Europe wasn't really a place to go travelling but her uncle was rich and supposedly important so why didn't they go see her and bring her back to at least England if not all the way to the US. How and when did she first see her parents and brothers and how did they react to what happened to her? I know she lied initially to her mother, but at some point it had to have come out. Did she ever meet Nick again and how did that go?
I would have loved to have read more about the trials and how she experienced those and how her testifying went.
So I liked the story but I also didn't like it. So I haven't added it to my books yet because I have just no idea how to rate it.

I have been thinking about restarting this one. I have been absent for a while because I just haven't read anything and was occupied with other things. But I think this is a good challenge to get back into things though. Not sure yet though. I will think about it some more. :)

The news that Chrizette has lost her battle fills me with the greatest sadness. She was my friend and our sister in our love for books.
It says a lot about this wonderfull woman that people who have never met her in person are saddened by her death.
Our group will never be the same.
I wish her family and friends strength in this difficult time.
You will be missed, Chrizette!

Oh honey, you do not need to thank me. I'm just glad I could be there for you in your time of need and all I did was send you a message. I wish I could do more but I'm just too far away. But if you ever want to "exactly speak your mind" just send me a message and I'll be there to listen. I love it when people say exactly what is on their minds, because I do the same.
Please keep us informed of your treatment and progress. You do not burden us with it. You are our friend and we want to know how you are doing!
Does your family just knit or do they also know how to crochet? I'll see if I can find something.
I wish you all the best and all the strength you need to beat this. I know you can do this.
If there is anything I can help you with just let me know. Lots of love and hugs!

Just heard from Chrizette and she was released tonight. Her treatment is going to be 12 continuous days of radiation and then scans to see if it worked and then if it worked six months of chemotherapy.
She is planning on posting on Goodreads tomorrow to keep everyone informed.

I will!

I know how you feel. I was stunned to silence at first too. The only words that come to mind are ones I can't type in polite company.

I have already let her know that we are thinking of her and keeping her in our prayers and that we will still be here ready and waiting once she feels well enough again to come online, but I will do so again. It does her good to know we are here and thinking about her.

It just really sucks, it just does. If and when I have more information I will let you all know.

Just wanted everyone to know that I have talked with Chrizette and she is in hospital again and unfortunately the cancer has spread to her brain. She isn't able to get online much and she asked me to tell you all the following:

They have started giving me medicine to reduce the swelling on the brain so today I was able to eat a meal in about a month - heaven! I will get the news of what treatment will entail tomorrow but I know it will start with 12 weeks of radiation.

I have read a little over a third of the book and I am enjoying it but the PP was so good that both the FS and the CP are less good.
The CP has the same humor but it misses the great interaction between Alexia and Conall. We do get to see a lot of our favorite characters all grown up which is nice, because I am often left wondering what happens with the children in a book and now I know.
It gives us a lot of the same in how events unfold and how characters respond to them. Which is nice because it is what we liked about the first series but it is also getting a bit old and has me searching for what makes Prudence different as an individual and not just an extension of characters we know.
There are some hints to future events that have me going: "no no no" but which are no surprise as they were alluded to in the PP.
But as I said I 'm only a third in and most of it has been introducing both old and new characters and setting the scene. Who knows where the book takes us.

I have to many favorite books to list and most of you know which they are.
I am not sure if I am going to read since for some time now I somehow haven't got the patience to read but if I am reading than I will continue reading

Happy World Book Day everyone. What is you're favorite book and what are you going to read today?

I did have a lovely birthday and you're not at all late since I still have to have a birthday party with friends and so I am still partying!!!!!

That's ok Lu, I haven't been here every day and you have a busy life. So no worries!

Can I have another dice roll please?

Hey Lu, did you move my character? I asked in message 511 to be moved, but I haven't seen any movement yet.