Sandy’s Comments (group member since Mar 17, 2013)

Sandy’s comments from the Pick-a-Shelf group.

I read "Eleanor & Park, which really was such a charming read. It took me back to when where you sat on the bus and who you sat by on the bus seemed like such big problems, but that was because your world was so small. What happens when you encounter a real problem?

The Dinner-- nicely crops up on the "Europe" shelf

I finished Eleanor & Park at the tail end of February. I thought it was so well written.. Capturing those small fears that seem so big because your world is so small...& how your perception of your world & your place in it can be so drastically changed just because of one person or incident...5 stars

Perhaps this summer. I am thinking about going on my own...

I know some of us must be cashing in gift cards & $$ from the holidays...
I bought:

Dance with Dragons by George R R Martin
Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
The Warrior's Heart by Eric Greitens
Rick Steve's Pocket Paris
Knopf Map Guides Paris

85% of the time, I read e-books downloaded from the public library on my IPad. It saves me lots of money in late dues, & in buying books. 10% is actual books I can hold in my hand, & 5% of the time I purchase a book from IBooks. I almost always buy books when I visit the bookstore, but I do not enjoy my visits to Barnes & Noble as much as I used to. They no longer have the cushy seats all over the store, and have a game section.

I prefer Elliot Bay Bookstore in Seattle. For Mother's Day, my husband took me & the my kids there, with no time limit, and paid the bill at the end. (We have been known to spend 8 hours here). Sometimes I will buy the books that my book club is reading if I think it is one I would want to read again & again.

I am leading a charmed reading life lately. Just realized my holiday distraction "Game of Thrones" is on the road trip shelf..so actually, I read it when I was supposed to. I loved this book & I thought it would be a struggle to read, but oh, no my friends. Triple R George has a twisted mind and has a ruthlessness in terms of telling his story that can leave you absolutely open-mouthed. And if you are absolutely sure things are going one way, think again....

If you hate people "messing with your plan" this might not be the book for you.

I accidentally saw an HBO preview for some season on You Tube & became intrigued. Because I am one of those people that likes to read the book before I see the movie or series, I started reading...& then bullied my husband into buying me Season 1& 2 for Christmas...it is graphic...in all ways... Not for the kiddies! But again, I'd recommend it! So far, this is my favorite in the series, but if I like a series the first tends to be my favorite.

In addition to The Life of Pi, I've added Song of Bernadette, Me Before You and the Perks of Being a Wallflower from my want to read list.....

The Contemporary shelf seems to be a mash-up of books that have been recently published, or recently made into movies...or deal with current social problems in the collective consciousness...think bullying, etc.

Ok, I'll confess. Life of Pi was for my Animal shelf pick. I'm just lucky my distraction/ procrastination worked in my favor here...

I am just starting Life of Pi. I picked it up because it was early on the list (667 shelved it as "contemporary" & my teenager read it for school & liked it. I should have finished it, but I got distracted by the "Game of Thrones" series...

Oops didn't mean to post yet: here's the whole review for "The Replacement":

Dark & gruesome,a good Halloween read but the ending did not live up to the rest of the book-- 3 & 1/2 stars, almost four because the beginning was so good but... No.

I just finished "The Replacement"

Reading The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff to start my Dark April selections....

Hi, I'm Sandy and I live in Washington state. I work as a substitute teacher and have two kids that I really enjoy. They have inherited my bookworm/nerdy gene, which means they will happily accompany me to Elliot Bay bookstore and not whine to go home after one hour or even four. I'm looking forward to finding new books to read!