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As soon as we vote on this month's choice I'll add the title to the topic.

Finding Zach

i voted for Savior just because finding Zach sounds sad

I voted for Finding Zach because it looks like it has more "story"

I have already read two sad stories this month so uh yeah I voted for te happy short and sweet. Finding Zach is a really good story I hear but just not what I am in the mood for

Well, Finding Zach got 12 votes. Savior got 11 votes. The Desire for Dearborne got 4 votes. That's the official tally. If I'd had time to vote, Zach would have had 13. Guess we're going with that?

Anna wrote: "Well, Finding Zach got 12 votes. Savior got 11 votes. The Desire for Dearborne got 4 votes. That's the official tally. If I'd had time to vote, Zach would have had 13. Guess we're going with that?"

Yep. That looks like it. Finding Zach it is. And anyone not interested in Finding Zach, no problem. Maybe next month's story will be more generally appealing?

I started adding my unread ebook library in, but then I realized the bulk of it is on my desktop upstairs still unavailable because of the ongoing and never apparently to be resolved internet problems.

I bought Finding Zach for my Kindle, so I'll start reading tonight. :)

Ok, I'm done with Zach XD

So...shall the discussion be the last week of the month? Does that give everyone plenty of time to read?

I already read it so I'm ready for the discussion right away!

That aside, last week of the month sounds good.

Happy (it won't be, because it's a tragic story) reading everyone!

Alyosha wrote: "I already read it so I'm ready for the discussion right away!

That aside, last week of the month sounds good.

Happy (it won't be, because it's a tragic story) reading everyone!"

Oh crap! It is???

Josh wrote: "Happy (it won't be, because it's a tragic story) reading everyone!"

Oh crap! It is??? "

It's a story about a young man who was kidnapped, held prisoner, well, worst than a prisoner, had despicable things done to him for five years. The story is about his return to his former life and the young man who didn't give up hope in finding him, the young man who loved him.

I haven't finished it yet, and it's probably going to take me the whole month to read it. I'm not a big fan of unmitigated angst. I am hoping that this story will end happily.

It's probably a little like you'd imagine the story of real life survivors of kidnapping, like Jaycee Dugard and Shawn Hornbeck would be. It's a tough topic for a romance book, but she does provide some distance (in terms of time) & some emotional distance from the topic. I guess we'll discuss in the final week of March to see how everyone felt about it.

Merith wrote: I'm not a big fan of unmitigated angst.

Same here. It's an extreme hurt/comfort story. And yet, I'm still reading! Maybe because, as Yvonne says, there's some time and emotional distance from the hurt part.

Josh wrote: "So...shall the discussion be the last week of the month? Does that give everyone plenty of time to read?"

That sounds good to me. Life is hell right now and since it's a not too happy story (from what I gather in comments) I can't start it right now.

I started reading it this morning. I burst into tears three times (so far) while reading and once while I was in the shower. I am loving the story, though.

Josh wrote: "Alyosha wrote: "I already read it so I'm ready for the discussion right away!

That aside, last week of the month sounds good.

Happy (it won't be, because it's a tragic story) reading everyon..."

Okay yes and no, the start is tragic with very explicit, violent scenes of torture and rape. Then fast forward two years, and nothing tragic there.

OK - finding Zach isn't for me - I am looking forward to next months read - running off to the April chatline to choose. Ciao

Yeah, I don't think it's for me either. I can't read books like that. I'll be looking forward to what we decide next month.

I'm almost halfway through it, and I have to agree with @Alyosha. The first chapter is scary, but after that, it's not tragic. Well... I'll not say anymore and I'll wait to talk about it. The last week in March works for me... provided I can force myself to get through the rest of the book. I never thought I'd have a hard time getting through this. I LOVE angst and torturing characters... but this... it's not the same. And that's all I'm gonna say.

Anna wrote: "I'm almost halfway through it, and I have to agree with @Alyosha. The first chapter is scary, but after that, it's not tragic. Well... I'll not say anymore and I'll wait to talk about it. The last ..."

It's really not the same at all, is it? The discussion about that one will certainly be interesting. Some love it and some well... don't.

@Alyosha It's definitely not the same. Like night and day. That conversation certainly will be interesting, that's for sure.
I'm taking notes on things I notice or feel as I write it so I don't forget anything I want to talk about. lol, this way I can backup what I'm thinking.

Interesting. Okay. It will make for good discussion, anyway. And next month -- for the love of God -- let's go for something lighter. :-D

Josh wrote: "Interesting. Okay. It will make for good discussion, anyway. And next month -- for the love of God -- let's go for something lighter. :-D"

I agree. I started reading this month's story and I couldn't deal - maybe next week. I might have to read Cooking With Ergot again just for something lighter.

Andy wrote: "Josh wrote: "Interesting. Okay. It will make for good discussion, anyway. And next month -- for the love of God -- let's go for something lighter. :-D"

I agree. I started reading this month's story and I couldn't deal - maybe next week. I might have to read Cooking With Ergot again just for something lighter. "

I haven't started yet, I have a feeling this will not be a good bedtime read ... guess I'll have to find some day reading time next week

Andy wrote: "Josh wrote: "Interesting. Okay. It will make for good discussion, anyway. And next month -- for the love of God -- let's go for something lighter. :-D"

I agree. I started reading this month's stor..."

Have not read Cooking with Ergot, but I'm with you. I started the story...just having a hard time picking it back up. I keep feeling if I can just get over the first hump, it'll get better, right?

Merith wrote: "Have not read Cooking with Ergot, but I'm with you. I started the story...just having a hard time picking it back up. I keep feeling if I can just get over the first hump, it'll get better, right?"

I have so much going on right now that I need a story like this like I need a hole in the head.

Cooking With Ergot is a story I have read several times. If you do read it, you have to read the recipes! You might be itching to skip them but they have to be read as well. And I think there are only 3 in the story.

Merith wrote: I started the story...just having a hard time picking it back up. I keep feeling if I can just get over the first hump, it'll get better, right?

I'm 83% through, so I'll give you a fair warning. There are a couple of rough spots later in the story. I read them with my eyes half-closed. So, yeah. Even though most of the book gives us some distance from what Zach suffered, it's still an extreme hurt-comfort story.

Jorrie wrote: "As an author, I've been dinged for hurt/comfort, correctly, I think. So I feel like a bit of a hypocrite, but I simply don't think I can face this story."

When we get to the discussion period I think these kinds of observations will be fascinating. Especially for those of us who do write angsty stuff -- and yet quail at the thought of reading it. ;-)

I just love Finding Zach, one of my favourites, even with the hurt/comfort.

I love writing angsty and hurt/comfort stories just as much as I love reading them... but this... this was something different. Now that I've finished the book, I can say that it does "get better" once you get past the middle, but I'm still not sure what to make of it. Thankfully, I've got a few days and a mini two day vacation to help me determine that. Perhaps while I'm getting fillings at the dentist it will make sense to me. lol.

Oh, and Anita, I mostly read it right before falling asleep and again in the morning over breakfast. I had no problem with it, but then again, that's me. I always read angst before bed. It's my comfort read.

Anna wrote: "Oh, and Anita, I mostly read it right before falling asleep and again in the morning over breakfast. I had no problem with it, but then again, that's me. I always read angst before bed. It's my comfort read. "

we all react differently to angst.
angst to me means tissues and tissues means not being relaxed enough to fall asleep afterwards ...
annoying, but I know my limits :)

Anita wrote: "Anna wrote: "Oh, and Anita, I mostly read it right before falling asleep and again in the morning over breakfast. I had no problem with it, but then again, that's me. I always read angst before bed..."

Knowing your limits is good! Then you just have to make sure a book doesn't grab your attention right before bed when something angsty is happening. lol.

I know my mom always wonders how I read Dean Koontz books right before bed too. Because those can be creepy with people sneaking around and computers taking over someone's house to control them, or Frankenstein's Monster running around trying to kill Frankenstein. But, oddly enough, those don't do anything to unsettle me before bed. Only once, I think I actually screamed out loud, lol.

I'm known as the Queen of Angst in my fanfic genre, and the stories I've written in the past few years have quickly become my comfort read right before bed. Even the ones where I've tortured my characters to near death. For some reason, I love those best. Color me weird, but that's the way it is.

I just found Finding Zach to be not quite the angst hurt/comfort I'm used to, I think, which gave it a different feel entirely. But that's just my thoughts, for which I'll expand on later during discussion.

Is tomorrow the day we start talking about this? If so, I'll have to remember to set some time aside from editing on my long train ride, and maybe do the same on the return trip Tuesday.

Now that I'm nearly finished with Finding Zach, I have reevaluated my initial reluctance to read it. I'm glad I pushed past the horror and angst of what Zach had gone through. That part didn't even take long either.

So now I'm looking forward to discussions about it. It's not a story about unmitigated angst (which is what I feared), but a story about hope and reclaiming life. I'll leave it at that and wait a few more days. ;)

Anna wrote: "Is tomorrow the day we start talking about this? If so, I'll have to remember to set some time aside from editing on my long train ride, and maybe do the same on the return trip Tuesday."

I guess we could start talking about it this weekend, right? I'm forgetting now what we said -- last week of the month, right? Which I guess technically overlaps into the first week of next month too, but I'm guessing the discussion won't go on much beyond a few days? They generally don't.

Josh wrote: "I guess we could start talking about it this weekend, right?"

First thing Monday AM? I'm thinking waiting until Monday would give everyone a chance to finish the story over the weekend if they haven't already.

I guess we could just ask. Is anyone still reading or has everyone finished? Do you want to start discussing this weekend or should we wait for Monday?

Josh wrote: "I guess we could just ask. Is anyone still reading or has everyone finished? Do you want to start discussing this weekend or should we wait for Monday?"

I vote for the weekend, as I have to go back to work Monday morning.

This weekend sounds good to me!

I'm done and would love to join in this weekend!

I'm done, and I'll try and join this weekend (which is a bit packed).

looking forward to the discussion :)

I vote for this weekend also. Monday means back to work.:)

I vote for weekend. Monday = work.

Weekend, please.

Okay, then we'll start the discussion on Saturday -- and it goes for however long it goes (easily into next week, I'm sure). I won't close any threads, so anyone who wants to join in even later down the line can do so.

Josh wrote: "Okay, then we'll start the discussion on Saturday -- and it goes for however long it goes (easily into next week, I'm sure). I won't close any threads, so anyone who wants to join in even later dow..."

Oh good. I'll try to join in on Sunday. Tomorrow will be a wicked long day with a trip to the Rainbow Book Fair in NYC. I can't wait to go, but I also can't wait to talk about the book.

I loved Finding Zach.
Aside from my rather vocal complaints about Kleenex usage, I found it to be a story about finding hope and overcoming the horrors of the past to become happy in the now.

Okay, so that is my rather lame start to the reading discussion.

I read this book a little while ago and these are more or less the thoughts I wrote down at the time.

I liked this book. The beginning was very hard to read but I think the fact that Zach in a way freed himself from his torturer was like a sign of divine justice and it put my mind at ease, so to speak.

Zach's captivity has left a black hole in the development of his personality, because he was held hostage from 15 to 20 years of age. He has missed school, he has missed the time when a boy is learning to build relationship, to explore his sexuality. As a consequence he has built emotional walls to protect himself, controlling every aspect of his life. This is another thing that made the story less angsty for me, because I saw Zach living on his own terms, even if it wasn't probably the sanest way.

Zach and David's relationship was a bit annoying sometimes. Too much thinking? They misread each other a lot of time, they are so aware of the other that they end up double-guessing themselves constantly. It's like their fears of losing each other paralyzes them, making them always go around in circles. Zach is not able to express his fears clearly and David treats him like a fragile being. Throughout the whole book they are both doing something wrong, reaching the worst conclusion with the best intentions. It was very interesting that the person who really brought them together, that made them open their eyes and be "real" was the apparently bad guy in the book.

The journey to the re-discovery of Zach and the re-building of his life thanks to David's love was compelling. I have some doubts about the psychological aspects of Zach's distress, especially regarding the first meeting with David, in my opinion it was resolved too easily.