Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

What is a Buddy Read?

This is an "Informal Buddy Read"
An “Informal Buddy Read” doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.

Book synopsis
It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa — a large, silent house now bereft of brothers, husband, and even servants — life is about to be transformed as impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers.

With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the “clerk class,” the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Little do the Wrays know just how profoundly their new tenants will alter the course of Frances’s life — or, as passions mount and frustration gathers, how far-reaching, and how devastating, the disturbances will be

reserved

I'm glad this BR won't be starting until January! I'm hoping I will make my way through the library waiting list by then. Looking forward to it!

Yesss, me too. If it doesn't, though, I have an option of Audio book. That will wholly depend on how good the audio reader is, of course! :)

Maybe!

I'm 4th in line for the electronic version at my library, which they estimate is 1/30/15.

I'd prefer the e-book, but I can get the hardcover in early December. I may have to opt for that.

ETA: When I submitted my hold request, it popped up and said I'm 19/19 on the list. Wow. That's a lot for 6 copies. I may end up getting the electronic one first.

I just got this one from the library on audio. I am looking forward to chatting with you all about it.

Goodness! You got in early, this one isn't til January :D

My e-book hold request came up in December, so I had to check it out or go to the bottom of the list. It's due 1/17, so I'll have to read a little before the start date.

I ended up turning in my audio to wait for the ebook (bad decision!) so I'm 6th on the wait list. I may check if the audio is available again.

Yes, some of these books are so hot that the wait is insane. I was 39th for a book last year, with only 3 copies. I think a lot of people let it pass, because I got the book in only 6 months. I'm 13th in line for a book that won't be released for another month! Crazy!!!

Got my copy in from Overdrive - the audio. I have to say I didn't much like - but I am gonna try Sarah Waters again, I mean we both are named Sarah after all:-)

I am first in line for a CD audiobook so I reckon I'll be listening to this before actually picking it up and reading. Hopefully only a couple of days more!

I'm on the waiting list to borrow the audiobook also. I'm currently #5 waiting on 2 copies. I hope my turn comes up soon!!

Sarah wrote: "Got my copy in from Overdrive - the audio. I have to say I didn't much like - but I am gonna try Sarah Waters again, I mean we both are named Sarah after all:-)"

I gave up on The Little Stranger. It was one of the most boring books I've ever tried to read. This book is nothing like it, and it makes me wonder if I gave up on The Little Stranger too soon. (Thought about it, and decided that I actually gave it too much time).

Through Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ Len is horrible. I want Frances to push him down the stairs. And then club him with something. I don't think Lilian cares for him one bit. I think he took advantage of her in some way, either sexually or perhaps lied about his finances, and as a result she married him. Either way, he's awful.

I'm so sad for Frances' loneliness and hopelessness. (hide spoiler)]

I'm number 27 in line at the library for the audiobook.

Well, I had only planned to read half of it and read the rest closer to the 15th since I have to return it 1/17. But I can't stop reading it. I can see why there's such a wait for the book. It's very good.

Glad to hear it, Cynthia! I haven't even so much as looked at what hte premise is, afraid to spoil ;)

Sarah wrote: "Got my copy in from Overdrive - the audio. I have to say I didn't much like - but I am gonna try Sarah Waters again, I mean we both are named Sarah after all:-)"

I found it pretty disappointing too, but I did really enjoy Fingersmith. I've also heard good things about Tipping the Velvet.

If this book is more representative of Sarah Waters than The Little Strangers, then I'm sure I'll read more of her work.

I read last night until I couldn't hold my eyes open a moment longer. I only have 60 pages left. Of course, (view spoiler)[ I've come to believe that Lilian is using Frances terribly, and I'm afraid Frances' heart will be broken again. She gives her love away too easily, but it's not like she can present herself at Queer Court and dance with all the girls. She has to take what she can get, when she can get it. (hide spoiler)]

If I like this I will try some of her others - this book was nominated for a few awards last year.

I have finished chapter 5 (I need to return the book to the library on the 15th, there's a waiting list, so I had to start early). I have really liked it so far, the careful building of the tension and the description of London (maybe because I just visited London, LOL!). Now I'm sort of hoping that the pace would pick up a bit.

I turned my copy in already, since the book is so popular. I'm not sure where Chapter 5 is event-wise. It definitely picks up the pace, though. Even reading my own spoiler doesn't help much!

I did say that (view spoiler)[ Len is awful, and I stand by that. His flirting with Frances was so blech. (hide spoiler)]

Well I am Starting this a little early, I am ready for my next audio and this is it. I have no time to waste.
Chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ Well I am definitely able to relate and experience all the discomforts of tenants in your personal space. Waters is capturing this experience quite well.
Now is it just me or was it so weird when Mr. Barber asked Frances if she thought about cucumbers? What was that about? Very bizarre thing to say. (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "Well I am Starting this a little early, I am ready for my next audio and this is it. I have no time to waste.
Chapter 1 ..."

(view spoiler)[ I would be offended if someone I just met said that to me, and I'm not easily offended. It's crass, even for our times. I can't imagine how someone in that period would react. (hide spoiler)]

Through Cpapter 4 - (view spoiler)[ Well I was thinking Mr. Barber might try and have an affair with Frances after the star gazing scene, but I didn't think Frances would go for it. Then she became closer to Mrs. Barber and I was thinking maybe something would actually happen between the two women. And what do you know - Frances divulged her love affair with another woman. I was suspecting something of the sort. Wonder what will happen now, it seems the news had made the friendship awkwardly. (hide spoiler)]

I have definitely been reading quicker now that the story has picked up some momentum. Finished chapter 12 yesterday.

(view spoiler)[Can't say I have been much surprised about anything that has happened so far. I think it was clear from the beginning that Frances and Lilian would end up having an affair (it's a Sarah Waters book after all). I also thought that either Len would be killed by the women or that Len would kill Lilian and Frances would want to revenge it in some way. The baby was not much of a surprise, although I hadn't thought Lilian would terminate the pregnancy, and in quite a gory way - but I guess in the 1920's there were no less gory ways available, at least for a woman like her.
I'm intrigued to see what happens: will the police catch the real killler or not? And what is the role of Charlie, why is he lying about the time when he last saw Len? (hide spoiler)]

I have just under 2 hours of Stephen Fry to listen to and then I'll be switching over to the Paying Guests. My god, it's a 20 hour read!!

The only time I miss commuting is when I want to listen to an audiobook. I can't justify spending 20 hours on a single book otherwise. I think it took me around 5 hours to read. Audiobooks are so slow!!!!

Camilla wrote: "I have definitely been reading quicker now that the story has picked up some momentum. Finished chapter 12 yesterday.

Can't say I have been much surprised about anything that has happened so far. ..."

Glad the momentum picks up. Chapter six now and waiting for something to happen.

Well I never get much hanky panky in my books so maybe this is a treat - but not what I was expecting.

I would be more shocked to see straight hanky panky from Waters. I don't know if she writes that. Maybe if I had kept reading The Little Strangers I could say.

Sarah wrote: "Well I never get much hanky panky in my books so maybe this is a treat - but not what I was expecting."

LOL, haven't you read Sarah Waters before? This is sort of her trademark.

I have a copy of Tipping the Velvet somewhere around the house. It was a gift years ago. I read the first 2 chapters I think, and liked it well enough. It's probably under a pile of nursing journals somewhere.

I really enjoyed The Paying Guests, and I feel torn between finishing Tipping (if I can find it) or The Little Stranger, or starting something new like Fingersmith. I really want to read Fingersmith.

There isn't hanky panky of any sort in The Little Stranger. I think that's the exception from her books ;)

Camilla wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Well I never get much hanky panky in my books so maybe this is a treat - but not what I was expecting."

LOL, haven't you read Sarah Waters before? This is sort of her trademark."

I have read 1 of Water's books - The Little Stranger - no hanky panky. Well not so much. I didn't realize this was a trade mark. And I didn't like The Little Stranger all that much... boring. I like this one much better so far. Especially now it is getting intense - Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ I hope Lillian will be o.k. I keep thinking what if she goes to bed and doesn't wake up? Did she lose too much blood? Doesn't she need a doctor? I just have a really bad feeling, but I am rooting for these two women to be together. What a crazy chapter - her going through the induced miscarriage. It is so scary. (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "I have read 1 of Water's books - The Little Stranger - no hanky panky. Well not so much. I didn't realize this was a trade mark. And I didn't like The Little Stranger all that much... boring. I like this one much better so far. Especially now it is getting intense - Chapter 10"

Well, that's true that The Little Stranger was different in that way. Yes, you're now at the point where the book's momentum starts to roll quicker and quicker.

I just finished. I really liked the book and ended up giving it 4 stars. I don't mind the slow start, enjoyed the dscriptive text of London in the 1920s.

(view spoiler)[I'm relieved that the jury found Spencer to be not guilty (but what an unpleasant character he was). That Len was cheating on this wife was a surprise to me, I hadn't anticipated that.

I am wondering though what Frances and Lilian would have done if he had been found guilty... Somehow I'm not sure that they would have stood up and announced their guilt. And I also feel that the guilt will remain between them like a grain of sand, always causing a small uncomfortable pain. I wonder whether they will stay together for long, despite the ending.

(hide spoiler)]

I'm a couple of chapters in so far, and god I am glad for you lovely ladies preparing me for a slow start with this book. Means that I can do other things while listening to this in the background and know that it gets better ;)

Chapter 10 - the tension is simply unbearable. I feel like I could have a panic attack. (view spoiler)[This is where they get rid of the body (hide spoiler)]

I'm excited to start this! It'll be my next book and should be able to start a little today.

I'm still in the early beginning but I'm just thinking about (view spoiler)[ how strange it would be to have strangers live in your house. Regardless of class differences even. I don't know how I would handle having people living in my house that used to be full of my family. (hide spoiler)]

Finished this book. (view spoiler)[ I was happy the jury found Spencer not guilty. I did want Lil and Frances to get away with murder, I do believe they truelly fell in love, and was rooting for them. But then life happens and one event can just make everything so convoluted. (hide spoiler)] I definitely want to check out Fingersmith at some point.

Just came up to chapter 6 and the infamous hanky panky. Looking forward to some of the consequences now.

OOH i'm so curious now! I need to get back to this tomorrow.

Haha good idea Rebecca!

Man this book is slooooow. I can't even remember what chapter I'm on, but about 20% through and I'm just waiting for something more interesting.

So slow. You're right. I just have confidence in Sarah Waters. That's the reason I'm still reading at this point.

It gets more interesting - for sure.

Okay I finally finished Part 1. (view spoiler)[ Now the simple, slow life has been turned up side down. I'm curious how it will effect everyone around. Hopefully this means the novel will pick up! (hide spoiler)]

Oh! Now you are ahead of me!