What I am also reading in February

[Robin]

Thanks for the info Jensownzoo!

[Dawn]

I just started reading Christopher Moore's "You Suck."

[JuliAnna]

Sandi, I really liked The Ghost Map. I hope you do as well. And, Jasper Fforde is always a delight. Sounds like a good month.

[JuliAnna]

I just finished Living Dead in Dallas, which I liked better than the first Sookie Stackhouse, but it is definitely a romance novel first and foremost. It is not something I would recommend for someone looking for much more than that. I am beginning to understand the usefulness of the genre title "paranormal romance."

I've started Bridge of Birds, which I am definitely enjoying. It is a fun, engaging read (but it does raise some disturbing questions about cultural stereotypes).

I'm finishing Anna Karenina this weekend. And, I've started on another Stephen Johnson book, The Invention of Air.

[JuliAnna]

Robin wrote: "I also started reading Howl's Moving Castle."

Robin, I've been considering reading that. Let me know what you think of it.

[Judy]

I'm reading "Three Junes" by Julia Glass on audio (I picked this one for audio because of the wonderful Scottish accents) and "The Forever King", fantasy by Molly Cochran and Warren Murphy, as my carry-along book while I'm on travel this month. Just finished "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides, which I loved.

BTW -- also a huge fan of the Barrayar books!

[Robin]

JuliAnna wrote: "Robin wrote: "I also started reading Howl's Moving Castle."

Robin, I've been considering reading that. Let me know what you think of it."

Will do JuliAnna - at the moment it is kind of reminding me of Neil Gaiman's Stardust. But I'm only 90 pages or so in.

[JuliAnna]

Judy wrote: "Just finished "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides, which I loved. BTW -- also a huge fan of the Barrayar books! "

I thought "The Virgin Suicides" was excellent. Much more tightly crafted and very different in tone than the wide ranging "Middlesex" (which I also enjoyed). You are the first person that I have heard comment on "The Virgin Suicides." I don't know if no one reads it, or if they just don't think it is worth commenting on.

[Robin]

I just finished Howl's Moving Castle - pretty good book.

[Sandi]

I just started Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees. I've only read one chapter, but it definitely reminds me of "Stardust". It was written in 1926.

[Leslie Ann]

Robin, have you seen "Howl's Moving Castle", the beautiful anime movie by Miyazaki? If so, how does it compare to the book?

[Ubik]

Im doing something I dont normally do: read NEW books. Very weird concept for me as I usually go for the oldest I possibly can. I am going to start The Suicide Collectors (inspired by the March pick of course) and Steal Across the Sky

[Robin]

Leslie wrote: "Robin, have you seen "Howl's Moving Castle", the beautiful anime movie by Miyazaki? If so, how does it compare to the book?"

No I have not seen the movie - and in fact I never heard of it before. I just went to hulu and watched the trailer and my first impression is...wow is this the same book I just read? Because it seems VERY different. In any case my daughter says that one of her friends has the DVD at his "father's house" so the next time he goes to visit he's going to bring it to me so maybe in a few weeks I'll have it.

-- Robin (32 days until Avempartha)

[Robin]

I started reading The Lightning Thief

[Chris]

Robin, I just noticed a little while ago that IFC is airing Howl's Moving Castle tomorrow (Mar 1) at 2 pm EST. If you get IFC in your area...

[Robin]

So I looked up IFC - we have it - but it is a paid station that I don't currently subscribe to I'm just going to have to wait for the DVD from my daughter's friend - but thanks so much for thinking of me Chris that was sweet.

[Sandi]

I think it's the Independent Film Channel.

[Sarah]

The book was quite different from the movie, as I remember both...

[Sandi]

I just started The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon. I was really afraid it wasn't going to live up to they hype I've heard about it, but it's amazing so far. I'm up to page 69 (chapter 5).

[Mariah]

In February I read The Forestwife by Theresa Tomlinson it's a retelling of the Robin Hood legend from Marian's perspective. Though feminist-y, she really grounds it in facts on medieval life, and the story was well-told.
It's more historical fiction than fantasy- no magical elements to it. It's also the 1st in a trilogy.

The one I just finished was The Dream-Maker's Magic by Sharon Shinn It's the 3rd in a trilogy- others being The Safe-Keeper's Secret and The Truth-Teller's Tale If you want something that is light on fantasy elements and pretty original, try these books. I thought this one was the best of the 3, but read the others first to get more out of it.