The FastDay Forum

Just opening this thread today for comments - looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks!

And watch this space ... surprise in store ...

Is no one brave enough to start this off?
Well here goes then, must confess I didn't really enjoy it. I spent the first 90 % of the book(kindle tells you %) trying to find something to empathise with. I found it all pretty unbelievable, felt there were too many problems for one small family and nobody seemed to be very believable and I felt the diet eating thing was just to OTT to be believable, especially the "cure". I then hit the last 10% and and wished I had been able to do my usual trick of reading the end of a book I am not enjoying to see if it was worth finishing-I've not worked out how to do this on my kindle yet! Basically I felt that if I was reading a fairytale I would prefer a happy ending, not one telling me I had ploughed through something that I wasn't enjoying only to be told it was meant to be totally unbelievable and and I had already worked that one out. I didn't find the ending any more believable in terms of family relationships either.
Sorry. I bet everyone else enjoyed it.

It was an easy read and ok until the end. Hated the end, but maybe that's what the author was aiming for.

I agree 100% with Merlin but didn't want to he the first to say that I didn't enjoy it. I have little time for reading so I really made an effort. I ploughed through it even though I thought that the characters were shallow as was the plot. When I got to the end and Pandora told us that it was all a lie I was really annoyed that she had wasted my time. In a way I was glad because it just affirmed what I had thought of her all along. Sorrrreeee to whoever it was that suggested this one but it wasn't for me.

P.S. I thought they all had silly names too. No offence to anyone who bears those monikers but really? All in the one family?

Yep, I didn't really enjoy it either and the end was a big let down. I read most of it on a fast day and as a consequence the entire day felt quite surreal.

Hello all guess what, it's here.....the 5:2 tea trolley has arrived with glorious goodies to share. So, to go with the chat about Big Brother anyone fancy some Oat, Pecan and Chocolate cookies to go alongside? (apologies no pictures this month, they got eaten!)

The 5:2 management felt it would be nice for all to share the book with and a cake or some biscuits, so if your finishing, or reviewing bake up a batch and enjoy.

You will need

1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups porridge oats
1 cup choc chips ( I use dark,milk and white combination)

And then you

Cream butter and sugar
Add egg and vanilla extract - mix
Add flour, baking powder,salt and cinnamon - mix
Add oats, choc chips and pecans - mix

Spoon onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper
Cook for 12-15 mins at 180 degs C

Cool, eat, read, enjoy.

Thanks Minsmum, I enjoyed that. I might have another later if there's any left. What a good idea to post the recipe. Spookily, I made some similar last week except I used dried apple pieces instead of the chocolate and served them warm with ice cream.

I'm still waiting for my copy from local library - must say I am disappointed by the reviews posted here. I have read two of her previous books and admired her writing, but one, set in the tennis world I couldn't even finish as I just could not get into it. Ah well, nice to see we have some tasty nibbles to keep us going....by the way, has no-one found any interesting reflections on the battle with weight touched on in the book?

Just seen this thread...is there a new book for the coming month that I can join in with?

@Merlin: With regards to the Kindle, there are options to 'navigate to' when you go into the book options (when you're in reading mode, not when you're at the overall menu). You can jump to the end by chapter, or page marker number. ALternatively you can click through all the chapters by clicking the chapter jump button or touching the right bit on screen (not sure which kindle you have).

Just seen this thread...is there a new book for the coming month that I can join in with?

@Merlin: With regards to the Kindle, there are options to 'navigate to' when you go into the book options (when you're in reading mode, not when you're at the overall menu). You can jump to the end by chapter, or page marker number. ALternatively you can click through all the chapters by clicking the chapter jump button or touching the right bit on screen (not sure which kindle you have).

Thanks. I'll give it a go. I have a paper white.

..by the way, has no-one found any interesting reflections on the battle with weight touched on in the book?[/quote]
I felt the whole thing was too OTT to be believable, but personally I'd put that style of eating down to mental health problems not dieting issues.

Thanks. I'll give it a go. I have a paper white.

Same as me, in fact this means you have more options...you can actually change your kindle progress into pages rather than percentages with the paper white. I changed it to pages as it's easier to remember what page I am on, and (bit geeky) I like working out the percentage I've read in my head as a litle maths challenge!

Am about 2/3 of the way through, so will wait to finish before commenting. I think she's an unusual writer but I'm just getting a bit tired of the constant first-person authorial voice and seeing things from her point of view. Maybe a wet fish is in order ...

Oh and fabbo sounding recipe Minsmum!

Now then - oat pecan and choc cookies ... Or salted caramel brownies ...oat ... Or salted. Oat or salted........

( Hmmmm might just have to make them both thx @Minsmum and @janeg)

Have to say that this is a book that I wouldn't have chosen, so it was nice to read something a bit different.

I found the first part of the book before the diet very difficult to get into, but I persevered in the hope that the characters would redeem themselves in some way. Unfortunately, they didn't.

I struggled on to the end, and it was a struggle. I so wanted to give up and read something else. I guess I just had no sympathy for any of the characters at all.

Sorry, it wasn't for me. I didn't like the story, the way it was written or the characterisation.

Roll on the next book.