Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A Review

Now that this fun blogging book club has made it through our first book together, I wanted to throw out some questions for y'all to answer just so we can get a little bit of feedback before we start the next book.

Don't forget to vote on your choice for the next book. You can vote in the poll in the right sidebar. NOTE: If we end up reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, we'll probably need to read the whole series together. How does everyone feel about that? I'm okay with it, but I wanted to check because it's kind of a big commitment.

1. What did you think about the process of the blogging book club? Do you feel like you got to interact well with the other bloggers through the Linky system? Did you enjoy reading other posts?

2. What did you think about the reading schedule? Should we keep it about the same? Speed it up? Space it out more? I know with CeeCee Wilkes, a lot of you read ahead and I ended up reading to the end about two weeks ago because I couldn't force myself to stop!

3. Let us know how you think we can make this a better experience for you.

Remember, you're not required to participate with every book. If you need to take a break at any point, you're welcome to and you can jump back in with the next book. We just have this here for you and to provide a discussion place.

Also, if you don't have a blog but want to answer the questions, feel free to do so in the comments section on this blog under the discussion question posts.

Thanks for playing along with us! This has been so much fun for me and I know it has been lots of fun for Rachel, too.

25 comments:

  1. One thing I am going to do different this time is not read ahead, it kind of took the fun out of answering the questions because it wasn’t as fresh in my mind. So that’s one thing I learned and it also kept me from participating in the questions and I’m going to be better about it this time around!

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  2. Personally, I got busy and couldn't keep up with the chapter so I didn't participate. (I didn't want to read any spoilers.)

    I'm not sure if I'm up for a whole series without having read the first book yet, but I'll try it out...

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  3. Thanks for asking for feedback!

    1. I really felt like the linky was a great way to see who was participating and who had answered the questions. I really enjoyed reading what other readers had to say and I was so excited to read them when they popped up in my Google Reader!

    2. I would say speed it up because I wanted to read through the whole book immediately, but I think that the reading schedule was probably about what I could handle. I don't want to get burned out--I want to keep reading/reviewing for a long time to come! I think the schedule really worked because it allowed for accurate time to reflect!

    3. I don't know if I'd change anything, I just loved the whole experience! I did appreciate the questions being up ahead of time so I could think them through during the weekend. That was an excellent change!

    I didn't vote for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo because I've already read the series, so I can't comment on that part of the question. I would love to read either one of the other books though! :)

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  4. i didn't vote for the girl with the dragon tattoo because i've already read it and am halfway through the second book, but it's an amazing series, so if others are for it, i'd say go for it!

    the linky was great and i've loved this, but i would vote for maybe speeding up the questions? i finished the book within a week and since i checked mine out from the library and needed to return it, it was tough to answer some of the questions at the end since it had been awhile since i finished the book and i didn't have it to go back and reference.

    overall, this is SO MUCH FUN! keep up the great work :)

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  5. I loved the linky feature, I enjoyed reading everybody's responses and meeting new people!! This has really be a very fun experience.

    I thought the pace was a little slow. I read the entire book in a weekend and fell out of the discussion the last two weeks since it had been so long since I read.

    I did not vote for the Dragon Tattoo books. I have already read the series and would probably not read again (loved the books, but long and complicated). It would be sad to miss out on the discussions of these were the next three books!!!

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  6. 1. I really liked the linky thing, but it seemed like the further along we got in the book the less people participated. I try to leave a little comment on everyone's post that I read, but by the last week I didn't have any comments on mine. I don't know if people just weren't commenting anymore, or they were not reading at all. So I guess I would just say, more interaction on eachother's blogs so that it feels like we are really "talking" with eachother.
    2. I thought the reading schedule was good. There were sometimes I wanted to read on, but I made myself stop. I think it helped with the suspense.
    3. I don't think I would change anything, except what I answered in #1. I liked how you posted the questions the night before. That really helped a lot.

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  7. I enjoyed it so much! I read ahead so by the end of the questions I was lossing my drive to answer because it was long out of my mind. But I am normally a slow reader so the schedule is probably a good amount of time.

    The only frustrating part that I found about the linky is that some people have private blogs. I don't understand why someone would post if no one can read it.

    I am okay with the seris, assuming that it is good and I like it.

    Thanks for organizing this and posting the questions it has been great!!

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  8. I couldn't help but read ahead, so by the time the questions were posted it had been weeks since I finished. But I'm like that with books. Once I pick them up I can't stop until I'm done. I'm not the best book club member. :)
    I did enjoy reading others thoughts though.

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  9. I enjoyed it! I do think that a faster pace would be better. I think the reason a lot of people stopped answering the questions was because they'd read it a few weeks before.

    I'm gad you guys set this up!

    I was hoping that commencement would win out, but if everyone else wants to read the series, I'm fine with that! I may just read commencement on my own. :)

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  10. Is it too late to join? I would like to be a part of the next go around.

    Please let me know if there is anything I need to do.

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  11. I enjoyed reading all of the questions and answers but finished the book in a matter of days so I didn't participate because of the pace. I read a lot and fast so that would be my only comment... but totally my fault for not stopping!

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  12. I started late because my book didn't come in from the library (my own scheduling mistake). But as soon as I got it, I couldn't put it down. I finished it in one day and did the first linky with the questions. Because I knew the outcome, I didn't participate in any of the other questions because I felt like there wasn't really a way that I could answer them without somehow giving away what happened and I didn't want to link up and ruin it for those who WERE following the schedule. I loved all the thought you put into the questions, though!

    I loved reading people's posts, but can't really say anything about the interaction since I only did the first post. I only had my own readers comment on it, nobody from the linky.

    I'm fine with doing the whole series! My real vote is for Sarah's Key because it is an absolutely breathtaking book! But since I've already read it, own it and adore it, I thought I'd vote for something I haven't read yet :)

    {ps- I have a blog, obvs, but am on a posting break so that's why I answered here! :) }

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  13. I sat out the last book, so I can't wait for the next one to start! This seems like a really cool system.

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  14. I have really enjoyed it so far! I finished the book weeks ago, but the pace is ok with me because it allows me to read other books at the same time.

    I've already read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series so I voted for a different book.

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  15. This article popped up in my Google Reader today from Booklist (a journal from the American Library Association) recommending 10 books for group reading:
    http://bookgroupbuzz.booklistonline.com/2010/09/15/national-reading-group-month-3/
    and here's a link w/ a brief synopsis of the 10 books on the list:
    http://www.nationalreadinggroupmonth.org/ggr_selections.html

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  16. Speed it up! And I'm with Lauren. I won't read ahead this time. It ruined the suspense and participation level.

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  17. I would like to see a little faster pace. Like some of the comments above, I read ahead (which was my own fault) and didn't feel like I could answer the questions that well since it had been so long since I had read that section thus, ended up skipping a couple of posts toward the end.

    I'm not sure about a series. Participation wise I'm just afraid that people wouldn't be as likely to stick with it.

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  18. I loved it! I did read ahead though, and that's why I didn't answer all the weeks of questions--my own fault. I couldn't stop reading and read it in about a day.

    I'm not sure about reading the whole series, but only because we haven't read the first yet. I've heard it's wonderful, but it wouldn't be as good to commit to the whole thing if you didn't like the first, maybe?

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  19. I loved this! I got people reading my blog that hadn't before, and it was great for me to read posts on new blogs that I hadn't read before! I am personally not psyched about Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (mostly because two of my best friends have read it and said it dragged....was very long, took a while to pick up, etc.). Like Bayleigh, I was hoping for Commencement. However, I want to keep up with the group as it's so much fun!

    Maybe for next time-I'd love to send you or Rachel questions I had throughout the book. If you like them, maybe you can post one? Did people send you questions to post throughout?

    Thanks for creating this! With a full-time job, this is a great way for me to be in a book club!

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  20. I like the linky feature. I enjoyed getting to read other people's blogs and hopefully got a few readers over to my blog as well. I feel like the pace could be a little faster next time, but I don't know because it really depends on the book. I read this book really quickly and found myself actually only participating in the first two weeks. I found it hard to respond to the questions after that because the story wasn't that fresh on my mind. I voted for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo because it's been on my "to read" list anyway. I plan to read the entire series at some point so I'm totally fine with that selection for next time.

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  21. I am new but so excited to start the next book :) I would love to read the whole series, but maybe read a different book between each book in the series. Than we can read the whole series, but people who have already read it wont totally fall out of the "club" if there are books between.

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  22. I am also new :) I'm not very picky about the book since I love to read anything and everything! I look forward to being apart of this group!!

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  23. I discovered this awesome blog after yall had already started but i'm super excited for the next one!

    I had actually already purchased The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and started chapter one, and stopped when I saw that might be the next book, so yes, i want to read the whole series :)

    Thanks again guys for setting this up, i've been looking for a book club for a while.. and the format is awesome.

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  24. I think this has been a blast and am looking forward to the next book!

    I liked the pace. This last book was a really easy read, so I can see how some people may have read it quickly. Some other books may not be as easy of a read. I have heard The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is hard to get into (but then it gets good), so it might not be as fast paced (BTW: just going by reviews on this). This pace also allowed me to read other things and if my life got busy, it wasn't too overwhelming for me.

    I am ok with reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I also want to read Commencement as well. I would be ok with the series if the book ended up being good. I agree we should mix things up though and maybe read other books between the series since there seems to be a lot who have already read it.

    I also really like it when you post the question a day or two in advance. It's hard for me to blog on Monday because of work, so I like to prepare my answers on Sunday, and then I can schedule my post for Monday morning. I would keep that if you can for next time.

    Thanks for starting this book club. I have always wanted to join one, but my crazy work schedule never allowed me to be consistant with attending. This allows me much more flexibility!

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  25. My thoughts aren't much different than everyone elses: I loved the linky feature, and I love getting the questions up on Sunday.

    I read ahead too far and I think for next time I will have to be better about pacing my self with the schedule.

    and although I did vote for Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I don't know if I think the whole group should have to commit to the series. I think if we enjoy the first book we could always read the rest on our own.

    Thanks again for putting this together and working on it! I have enjoyed it a lot!

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