December Read: A Bad Day For Sorry

I'm just starting the thread for our December Read: A Bad Day For Sorry by Sophie Littlefield. How about starting the discussion on December 1?

Talk to you then!

Will do. I just ordered a Kindle copy and will probably read it during Thanksgiving weekend.

Also, I was going to add it to the TIOLI challenge (5 or more words in the title) but it was already there.

Hello to all

Sorry that I've been AWOL for awhile. I'll see if I can obtain A Bad Day For Sorry and join the discussion in December!

Welcome back, Linda!

I started A Bad Day for Sorry yesterday so I should be good to start talking about it by Wed.

My book is in transit to my library so I should be able to start it on Wednesday. Hope it's a fast read!

#6 It is a fast read, Donna. I read a bit on Sat night and then finished the rest in one sitting on Sun night.

I did the same, Linda--started it on Saturday night and finished it on Sunday! A very quick read.

I'm going to have to sit this one out - my fellowship application is due on the 6th and I don't get to read for fun until it is submitted. But I'll be back for the next one!

>9 jfetting:: Ah, I suppose work comes first, Jennifer. ;-) We'll miss you. Hopefully Keith will pull something wonderful out of the hat for us to read in February. Good luck with the fellowship!

Okay, I'll start us off since I finished the book about five minutes ago. Yes, it was a fast read, one that I raced through to see what Stella was going to do next. I used to watch the TV series "24", and I think Stella got beat up about as much as Jack Bauer did! She is one tough cookie!

One of my favorite lines was toward the beginning: "Stella wasn't anybody's poster child for the Serentiy Prayer on her best day." When I read that, I knew I was in for an interesting reading detour out of my usual type of books. This may be the first book I've tagged with "crime fiction!"

Although it probably won't win any literary prizes, the pacing was good...did I mention I practically gulped the book down? And Stella is certainly an unforgettable character. Some of the situations were way beyond credibility, but it made for a fun read!

I thought the same thing, Donna. A fast read. I think I might read the next one.

Stella reminds me a bit of Stephanie Plum.

As for the Missouri connection, I know it mentioned rural Missouri, but to me, it seems like this could've taken place in any rural location.

I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would from the description. I got the feeling as I read that we were seeing some of the better folk from the Daniel Woodrell areas. I thought it was going to be "fluffier" than it was. I read it quickly--I was going to pace myself over 3 nights, but only made it 2!

And I agree with Linda. I think they mentioned Missouri once toward the beginning, but it could have taken place anywhere else!

I thought the place setting was consistent throughout. Maybe it's because I'm familiar with the location, but all the places named, except the town she lives in (which I placed at real-life Clinton), are real places and in the same relation to one another as she placed them. Also, the descriptions of the hilly narrow roads near the lake (which I read as Ozarks, but it could be Truman) and the dark remoteness of the area are accurate. Or maybe I'm just projecting my own impression of the area onto her bare-bones hints!

But I agree that the characters are the important element of this book and it could easily have been set just about anyplace.

You're probably more familiar with the locations, Sandy. If it's not along Highway 70, between St. Louis and Columbia, I don't remember it.

Although driving down Highway 44 between 10 pm & 2 am last week gave me a whole 'nother view of MO!

>13 tloeffler:: ...better folk from the Daniel Woodrell areas. LOL, Terri. But well said. These were just regular-style thugs and wife-beaters, not meth lab hill people! I read it in two sittings also. Sometimes it just feels good to read and not have to think so much. Can you tell I just finished reading 200 pages of Middlemarch with only a short break? My head hurts.

>14 sjmccreary:: Clinton! Of course! She mentioned short trips to both KC, Harrisonville, and Bolivar...and it had to be large enough to have a Wal-Mart. I wonder why she kept so many of the place names yet substituted Prosper for Clinton?

I'm also in agreement with the group (small one this time!) that the story could take place anywhere. I wonder what Keith will pull out of the hat next?