Diana Gabaldon- Outlander Series - the whole series!

OY, I agree about needing a little breather. The first time I read them straight through. I know what's going to happen on my second read and I still had to take a breather before I started DIA. Loved the Kate Daniels series as a little light reading.

Oh Yes, I feel your pain. These books are not for the light-hearted.

I read the Gail Carringer books in between the Outlander series to make me laugh and get my out of my semi-depression for Jamie and Claire.

It does get better for J&C, hang in there. DIA was wonderful, but heart wrenching!

Twin, have you voted on the "Who is the character that's "irked" us the most (substitute irk for whatever emotion you prefer!!)" Poll on this site? Leghair is loosing and we must not let her loose this poll. "As God as my witness....."

LOL - so I am presuming Leghiar gets more page time in future books, as my hate factor for her isn't where it should be yet.

Yes, I do need a break, but I like that, and it is nice to change the pace when reading books. I think 'verra' long books intimidate me because I was/am dyslexic, and when I was young I used to get so intimidated by reading speed. Of course back then, no one knew what dyslexia was, I just wasn't applying myself. I cured myself by reading by author, so I guess that is why I have always loved series. But my inner school-girl (LOL) still cringes at 700 page books with that many words on a page. But then I think ahhhh but they last longer. My problem now is I can't wait to find out all the answers and what happens next.

DiA
I was seriously depressed the first time I read the series and even the second time as well. I was unapproachable and add the lack of sleep reading hundread of pages a day while working a full time job...yeash! Voyager is another emotional book where to see Claire where she was with Bree and what happens with Jamie after we last see him at the standing stones before Culloden. I still really love it.
I am at the point where Jamie screams out loud when he received Jared's and Bonnie Prince Charlie's letters. Jenny asked Jamie to ask Ian to go as well. Jamie told Ian about BJR and now I assume Jenny knows. He said that Ian id like the piece of himself that he left at Lallybroch and he needed nothing left unsaid between them...this is another reason why I can see him speaking with LJ about BJR in book 8. Anyway, Claire continues to feel her insides and blood and such. I never noticed this so much as I did this time. I wonder if it is magic and something to do with the stones and TT. I also noticed that Jamie spok to his mother at the Abby and Calire said she does that with her uncle Lamb and father and a more different way with her mother...I wonder if he mother was a travellor or at least the one with the gene. She says they both died in a car crash, but did we ever hear of the funeral or bodies? Could they have TT'd?

OhYes--DIA was pretty tough. So sad. But, .......there was Jamie running into a brothel with a huge sausage in his hand. And, Claire going to Louise's for the waxing. I laughed when Jamie held her arms up so he could check her oxters!

You know you are truly addicted when you reach for the antacids and tell someone your wame is curdled.

Speaking of DIA,
I still want to know how Jamie got all those love bites on his leg,neck,etc. if he was behaving. I don't think I would have been as forgiving as Claire was,cause it seems like the hos had their hands and other parts of their bodies where they shouldn't have. Can you imagine what Jamie would have done if Claire returned with the love nibbles,etc on her body?!

Kimba-Well, I know the answer, but it is still tough to accept. He was supposed to be staying close and watching Prince Charles, and that is where the prince wanted to go. The men were giving Jamie a pretty bad time because he refused to cheat on Claire....were almost taunting the women into trying to seduce Jamie. That is why he told them all that Claire was "the White Lady".....so they would understand, if for the wrong reasons, that he would not cheat on Claire. The "ring" is what I found interesting. Were they trying to put it on him, or what? Did he take it away from them before they could ring him? What? I wanted to know a little more about that.

dia
I don't know but I felt they left marks so he'd lose inhibitions... I mean once the marks were there his wife would know so if he'd get in trouble anyway maybe he'd go through with it. I think they tried to size him with the ring but once the white witch stuff came out they left it for a token to remember them bybir maybe to cone to them if ever he changed his mind. I still want to know where the ring wound up... Like if it's gold did he try and sell it? Lol. You know I changed my mind like a million times in why hd didn't leave and did what ever and just how close he came and exactly what hd did or didn't do and why he didn't pretend to be sick and leave or something.

This has always bothered me too. I'm almost there in my reread, and anxious to find how I feel about it the second time around.

DiA

Jamie said no boys under 18 and no women in the war yet he takes Claire and Fergus...talk about a slap in the face to his men...I'm surprised we never really see resentment from them for that!

Jamie held Jenny's newborn and talked to her all night and Claire woke up with the baby between them. Claire envisioned him holding his own daughter in his arms and tunelessly singing to her... spoilers foreshadowing of Bree and when she cries to Jamie i that same way?

Last night I did read the scene where Jamie comes home with the scratches, bite mark, and hickey........Claire trusts him completely, but was still jealous. I think that's a perfectly natural reaction. I don't think it was reaslitic of Jamie to think he wouldn't have to explain what happened, in graphic detail. Silly man! What I had forgotten was the conversation about what they would do to each other if the other cheated.

Claire told Jamie she'd kill him, and he was startled, saying he'd kill the fellow, but not be happy with her. Her response was "Typical man, always missing the point." I loved Claire's reaction.

I still didn't find anything particularly disturbing about the "ring." I didn't find any suggestion that Jamie had used it or that it was anything but a gift from the Duke. Unusual gift, but just a gift. Maybe because Jamie told them Claire was The White Lady the Duke was trying to "buy" good thoughts from Claire?

I thought one of the ladies of the night gave him the ring?

I don't think so, it had the Duke's coat of arms on it, and was expensive, I don't believe a lady of the night would give it away.

Wonder what ever happened to the ring? Call me nieve,but what the heck is the ring for? Decoration on the erection?

nd Jmaie should have told her right away about what happened,insted of leting her find the hicky,etc on her own. Makes it seem like he was hiding something by not being upfront.

I also forgot about the cheating conversation..cough cough...book 8!

Then ring, I believe, is to keep an erection and maybe make it bigger??? I'm guessing, so ladies, if I'm wrong, please correct me.....

yes, that is what I have been told it is for. but does it only go around the frank or around the beans also?

It traps blood in the phallus, making the erection last longer, larger, and the veins stand out so it is also ribbed. There are multiple varieties that do different things, some encompass the beans as well as the frank. There is a wikipedia page about them. It has pics that are immediately visible as soon as the page is open, so it is NSFW or kids. Also, you can't unsee that once you've seen it. If you don't want to know what it looks like in close up detail don't go there.

Now I can't wait to wikipedia it when I get home!

couldn't wait- used my phone...yes many pictures and very informative. Maybe one day when Jamie is older he may need to use his one again since it is also used for erectile dysfunction (which I didn't know either)...LOL

Well, ladies this is an education I didn't anticipate, but thank you. Gotta go check wiki

:shock: Oh my! Some of those looked painful!

LOL, just think of it as educational thursday! LOL

When I first looked up "the ring" on wikipedia, I almost died of embarrassment, and I was alone in the room. Showing my age, I guess! The information and education you can get in fiction and on this board is just....well, encompassing.....hmmph.....ring humor!

ROFL! Education Thursday ~ thank you FLF, I was trying to think how I was going to phrase a response, yours was much more informative. Damn it, have little kids in the room right now but I will be wikepdiaing that later. Never tried one....hmmmmm....

DIA
Yes, the ring was a gift from his majesty, so I am sure he had to keep it. What an artifact that would be? I didn't even know they had them back then. I think the women were definitely messing with Jamie trying to get him to give in. He was also shitfaced at the time too. I am sure he was walking a fine line between trying to not cheat and still fit in with the guys. Thank goodness for his little white lie, and we know it is true because that is how her White Dame reputation began.

Oh man, I read in between that I should not have. Who cheats in book 8? Claire or Jamie - no don't tell me, I don't want to know!!!!!!!!!

Oh Yes!! There is so much "story" in this story. I don't know if reading the spoilers hurts or not. Usually it is so long before I get there that I've already forgotten what I read in the spoilers.

One of our newbies is a DG fan....sweetsymphony. I hope she shows up here. The chat last night with Faith was awesome.