Chicks On Lit discussion

So, I keep reading and hearing about the book Fifty Shades of Grey. Some articles describe it as erotica, some as romance, some as "mommy porn" (see article).
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacke...

Has anyone read it? Is anyone else curious about what all the fuss is about?

Right now, I am at that "I'm curious" stage, but I am also currently too embarrased to actually buy it and admit I am reading it! LOL

But since I keep reading about this in just about every magazine and newspaper I pick up, I was just wondering what everyone else's thoughts were on the book. Please kindly keep your discussion to the book itself or your own feelings about the book, and try to be respectful of all chicks and their opinions, as I imagine some here would never be caught within 100 yards of this book, while others have most likely already read it. :o)

I have not read it yet but can't wait to. I guess it is part of a trilogy and I know someone that has read it and said it is amazing. She was able to get it on her kindle.
I have read Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty series...I can't imagine these books are as erotic as that.

The reviews I read from friends said "intense but not sleazy" I can do intense.

I thought it had S&M/bondage in it, so I don't think I'd be reading it lol.

I'd read it.. sounds interesting.. and hey I'm a mommy ;)

Is this the book you are talking about, Farrah?
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
I have to admit, I had never heard of it.

I have wondered if Fifty Shades is going to be one of the controversial books for this generation, something along the lines of Tropic of Cancer or Story of O, both of which I have heard about but never read.

Carefully tiptoeing out onto a limb here, would anyone be interested in doing a Buddy Read discussion on this? Then I would have an "excuse" for reading it.
"Oh, I'd never read this on my own. I'm only reading it for a Bookclub discussion." LOL!

I think I would be "interested" in this excuse...:)

Sheila I feel the same. When clicked to read about it I was interested and curious but was also a bit embarrassed too. I like the idea of having an excuse to read it maybe then I won't feel so guilty. :)

I've read it. Yes, there is sex, but the story is so much more. If you check out my reviews, I try not to give away many spoilers. I mention certain aspects. In my fifty freed, I give an over view of the whole series and what it is all about. I wasn't sure about the BdSM aspect, but honestly, its what people in the lifestyle would call vanilla. (I'm not in the lifestyle). But it's not about pain at least for this series. It's more about (view spoiler)[ simple control. (hide spoiler)]

I’ve ordered this book online so I’ll be happy to participate in a buddy read.

Actually just looking at a friends review, she said the BDSM is very tame and it might not be as hard core as we think.

@ Terri, I read your review, did you find it tame??

Yep I'm in. I am a little more open about this stuff than most of my friends but I'm like hey, at 43, sex is a healthy, normal part of life.

Sheila wrote: "Is this the book you are talking about, Farrah?
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
I have to admit, I had never heard of it.

I have wondered if Fifty Shades is going to be one of the con..."

Yes that is it...a friend told me about them and then let me borrow them and I was amazed that this was Anne Rice I was reading. Her books do have a thread of the erotic in them...vampires are so sensual in a way...but these were just pure...dirty, raunchy erotica. Very S & M, hetero and homosexuality...she pretty much covers all of it. I am very open-minded and will read just about anything..but there is a lot of senstive topics in these books that I would not recommend them for everyone.

I would def read Shades of Grey with ya'll. When to we start? I have to order it from the library.

Thank you ladies for being brave enough to read and discuss this with me! :o)

Would everyone prefer to start sooner, or later?

I could go for starting the discussion in a couple weeks (say April 15th), or if people would prefer to wait a little we can start discussing around May 15th.
If we start mid-month that will keep it from interfering with the regular group read and classic read here on CoL.

I'm going to get a copy for my kindle, so I can be ready to read at either time.

For some reason I got in my head that this was based on extramarital affairs, a topic I really don't want to read about. Is that true?

I just got on the library list. I am #172 which means I will probably get it in about 3 weeks. I might be able to discuss by April.

You all are a bunch of perverts and I can't associate with you any longer.

haha. Just kidding. You all crack me up. I had never heard of the book so now I'm intrigued...

I would be for May

I would prefer May too!

May works for me as well.

Sounds like May it is then! Let us plan on starting our discussion around May 15th.

Mary: LOL! Maybe you should check it out, you might like to join us.

Jessica: Truthfully, I don't know if there is anything extramaritial about the book. I believe the woman in the story is a sexually inexperienced college student, and she gets exposed to sexual things (which include bondage and S&M, though Terri said it is "vanilla" by the standard of those things)by the man named Grey. I have no idea if Grey is married or not though. Maybe Terri can answer this?

I just read this as I was flicking through the internet. Did anyone else know it was fanfiction inspired by Twilight?

link

another link

@Tera -- I did know that it was a fan fiction inspired by Twilight. When it just came out and started to get some mild press, but before it got super popular, you could still google for the pdf of the fan fiction, which used the names Bella and Edward. But these days, I think it has been taken down for copyright, since it's a published, money making work.

I too am curious and may join you ladies.

Tera, that is TOO FUNNY that this was originally written as fan fiction using the characters of Bella and Edward Cullen. I would imagine that author Stephenie Meyer might have had some fits about that! :o)

So when they changed this, they must have taken out any and all references to sparkly vampires??

I’m still waiting on my book to arrive so May would be better time for me to start :)

Tera wrote: "I just read this as I was flicking through the internet. Did anyone else know it was fanfiction inspired by Twilight?




Wow, that's interesting. Although, sorry to say, I truly hope this if this ever is a movie, they do not case the same actress as Bella in Twilight, I think she's terrible. Like watching a blank sheet of paper.

Have you all seen this? http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/6...

Good Reads has a support group for people who love the book. lol.

Mary wrote: "Have you all seen this? http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/6...

Good Reads has a support group for people who love the book. lol."

I did see that... :)

Can't wait to read it!

This is so crazy. One of my co workers was talking about this book and I just purchased it on my Nook 10 minutes ago. Now its a buddy read here. Great. is it for April or May? Has there been a decision on this?

I hope it isnt similar to Twilight( only based on it) because I am not a fan of Twilight at all

We have decided to discuss this in May, starting around May 15th. We'd love to have you join us. :o)

It will be interesting to see if there are any Twilight influences in the book at all. Everyone can be on the look out for them when we read. :o)

It's the cover of Entertainment Weekly this week.

Twilight? Really? A friend of mine told me a few weeks ago I had to read it and five days later I had read the entire trilogy. Everyone I know who picks it up can't put it down. It is crazy fun reading, but I see no resemblance to twilight.

Tiffany wrote: "Twilight? Really? A friend of mine told me a few weeks ago I had to read it and five days later I had read the entire trilogy. Everyone I know who picks it up can't put it down. It is crazy fun rea..."

Well, it started as a Twilight fan fiction with the main characters named Bella and Edward.

I ran into a friend of mine at Walmart and was invited to my first ever in person book club ( WAY Excited!!) and this is the book they are discussing..

:)

Mish wrote: "Actually just looking at a friends review, she said the BDSM is very tame and it might not be as hard core as we think.

@ Terri, I read your review, did you find it tame??"

It wasn't over the top I didn't think. There were a few moments but I've read darker stories since. I think this is more about control and not about BDSM per se.

Funny, I just downloaded this to my kindle...so I'm in.

I just saw a preview for the 10 o'Clock news on CBS in my area (SE Wisconsin), and they are talking about Shades of Grey with the feature title "Hardcover Sex." This ought to be good.

So happy to see so many Chicks willing to participate in this upcoming discussion! Thank you all for joining in.

So, I finally broke down and spent my $9.99 to get a kindle copy last night. I had been hoping the price would come down once the paperback copy came out, but it didn't appear like it would so I just spent the money. (now the price will probably come down, LOL)

There are 26 chapters in this book. How would everyone like to do this discussion? Would you prefer to read the first half, and discuss that, then finish the book? Or read the whole thing and discuss when we are done? I know there will be some joining in who will have already read the whole book, but for those who have not read it yet, would you prefer to discuss in parts or not?

Whatever we decide, lets plan on starting the actual book discussion here on May 15th. And until then, we can keep discussing everything we are hearing about this book. It is amazing how many magazine and news reports it is being mentioned in.

I downloaded it because of the hype and so far, I'm not disappointed. I just can't stop reading but I'm slowing down it now because I don't want it to finish.I think I'm in love with Grey hahahaaha. He's so gorgeous.

Bea wrote: "I downloaded it because of the hype and so far, I'm not disappointed. I just can't stop reading but I'm slowing down it now because I don't want it to finish.I think I'm in love with Grey hahahaah..."

haha Bea - it's good to know you're enjoying it though. I can't wait to start it :)

Sheila wrote: "So happy to see so many Chicks willing to participate in this upcoming discussion! Thank you all for joining in.

So, I finally broke down and spent my $9.99 to get a kindle copy last night. I h..."

I would prefer to read it and then discuss on the 15th

I think we should read the whole thing and then discuss. It sounds like it's a fast read, so no point in breaking it up into chapters.

I'm dying to discuss it but I'll wait until May 15th

Jessica wrote: "For some reason I got in my head that this was based on extramarital affairs, a topic I really don't want to read about. Is that true?"

I cant see where someone answers this so forgive me. I've read 110 pages last night, Ana is a college student, Very single. Based on what I read so far Grey is not married either.

No, he's not.. they're both single. And pretty young actually... he's 27 years old and she's 22.

Thank you Christine. I think I'm in. I will probably download it to my Nook so I don't have to have it on my shelf and get people's attention. :0

I read it and it totally made me blush! I started reading it with no intention of finishing it and then my mom told me she finished it so then I had to. After I finished it I immediately read the second one. It's very addictive and I'm ready to read the last one.

I'm almost done the first one so I'm in.

Thank you to everyone who is willing to join in on this discussion! It does sound like this book is a pretty quick read, so lets just plan on everyone reading the whole book ahead of the discussion, then we will start the "nitty gritty" discussion on May 15th after everyone is finished.