Fall 2012 - What are you reading & why?

[Janice, Moderator]

Chrissie wrote: "Janice, Black Hawk is definitely worth listening too. I picked that up from Audible when it was free. Did you do that too? Nice!"

Yes, I did. :)

[Chrissie]

I finished Empires of Sand - an exciting, plot-driven adventure story!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will now startRules of Civility, an audiobook, and The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: A Jewish Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World, a paperback.

[Shirley]

The Light Between Oceans




Half way thru and it is soothing to listen and enjoy the story.

[Janice, Moderator]

Chrissie wrote: "I finished Empires of Sand - an exciting, plot-driven adventure story!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will now startRules of Civility, an audiobook, and The Man in the..."

I love plot driven novels! I will check that out.

[Janice, Moderator]

Shirley wrote: "The Light Between Oceans




Half way thru and it is soothing to listen and enjoy the story."

I have this one on my wishlist. Dem gave it high stars.

[Chrissie]

Judy, I do not know if I am going to like it..... I am quite worried. It is just that so many people say it's wonderful. I have started listening. Immediately, I notice that I react negatively to a certain choice of words. It is just the style that hits me wrong. And the thoughts of the protagonist seem off to me. I think, I would not think that or put it in those words. I have only listened to a teeny bit...... Maybe it takes getting used to.

Am I going to be the oddball out?!

[[deleted user]]

I've finished the third Campion book Look to the Lady. That one was really good. And now we've ticked round into October, I have a list to read for my various book clubs and the question is more "which first"!

[Chrissie]

Judy, now I absolutely love how NYC is depicted. I am there. It makes me so nostalgic.

[Kat]

I've just finished A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary and I'm kind of lost for words. I've never read a WWII book from a German woman's perspective and although it's shocking in places, its also give me a lot to think about.

[Chrissie]

Kat, that book was terrific. I gave it five stars! How many stars did you give it?

Judy, have your read Rules of Civility? And your stars?

[Kat]

Chrissie wrote: "Kat, that book was terrific. I gave it five stars! How many stars did you give it?

Judy, have your read Rules of Civility? And your stars?"

I haven't finished my review yet, but it is definitely five stars.

[Kimberly]

I'm starting I've heard really good things about it.

[Jennifer]

Judy wrote: "Jennifer, your book looks interesting. Is it set in Italy or New York City?"

In New York and Buenos Aires, actually. The first book was set in both NYC and Italy. I thought this was a trilogy when I picked it up but there are only two books, and a phantom title for a third, so far. Sorry I didn't answer you before, I just saw this!

[Jennifer]

I'm reading:
Kitty Foyle and The Caine Mutiny: A Novel of World War II , the latter on audio, and the narrator sounds a little like Bogie when he reads the Queeg character, which I can't help thinking is deliberate. Also reading A Brew to a Kill , The Paris Wife and The Sister Queens -- so I'm kind of all over the map at the moment!

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished Boneshaker. Disappointed.

I have an 8 hour drive tomorrow, so I will start the audiobook, The Book of Ebenezer le Page.

[Kimberly]

Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading:
Kitty Foyle and The Caine Mutiny: A Novel of World War II , the latter on audio, and the nar..."

Nice ones Jenniffer. I have a few of those on my TBR list.

[Chrissie]

I absolutely loved Rules of Civility!
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I will now start the audiobook Those Who Save Us and open The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World. I never started it because I could not stop listening to "Rules of Civility"! Remember? I thought it wouldn't work for me. Boy, was that erroneous.

[Chrissie]

Shirley, I am so annoyed. "The Orchardist" isn't available at Audible for me in Europe. Stupid rules!!!!

[Shirley]

Chrissie wrote: "Shirley, I am so annoyed. "The Orchardist" isn't available at Audible for me in Europe. Stupid rules!!!!"

Oh No that doesn't seem right. Such rules!

[Chrissie]

Shirley wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Shirley, I am so annoyed. "The Orchardist" isn't available at Audible for me in Europe. Stupid rules!!!!"

Oh No that doesn't seem right. Such rules!"

Yeah, they suck!

[Jada]

I am currently reading because a close friend of mine read it and loved it. She has agreed to read . Now we'll have some new books to talk about withour worrying about spoilers! yay! :D

[Dem]

I jsut finished Blue Asylum and I really enjoyed this Novel. This is my review.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/380057606

[Kimberly]

Dem wrote: "I jsut finished Blue Asylum and I really enjoyed this Novel. This is my review.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/380057606"

I've had that one sitting on my kindle for ages. After reading your review Dem it's been moved up on my tbr pile.

[Dem]

Kimberly wrote: "Dem wrote: "I jsut finished Blue Asylum and I really enjoyed this Novel. This is my review.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/380057606"

I've had that one sitting on m..."

well hope you like it Kimberly.

[[deleted user]]

I'm starting A Discovery of Witches for another club read. It's a bit on the thick side, hoping it's a good one. Not sure I fancy wading through that much if it doesn't grab me.

[Shannon]

Helen wrote: "I'm starting A Discovery of Witches for another club read. It's a bit on the thick side, hoping it's a good one. Not sure I fancy wading through that much..."

uh oh, don't read my review then. ;) It is a quick read tho.

[Shannon]

Dem wrote: "I jsut finished Blue Asylum and I really enjoyed this Novel. This is my review.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/380057606"

Thanks, I have just added it to my tbr (so easy to do but why does it never get shorter!)

[[deleted user]]

Shannon wrote: "Helen wrote: "I'm starting A Discovery of Witches for another club read. It's a bit on the thick side, hoping it's a good one. Not sure I fancy wading thr..."

mmm. I can see why it's a best seller, but it's not exactly a great work of intellectual fiction. Not even being set in Oxford (spit) can elevate it. There were a few too many inconsistencies in it for me to swallow it entirely. Matthew I could fall for hook, line & sinker. Diana I suspect I'd slap if we met. She annoyed me. Not enough to dislike the book, but enough that I can't say I loved it.

[Kimberly]

I'm reading and

[Janice, Moderator]

I started reading The Sandcastle Girls last night. It's the book I chose because it was released in July. I'm falling a little behind in my self-made challenge of reading a new release each month.

[Chrissie]

I finished Those Who Save Us
(review: What Is Left the Daughter)

and have started What Is Left the Daughter. I am completely drained after the last so I need something lighter in tone. In this one the story begins when a guy's parents both commit suicide on the same night - each jumping off a different bridge in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Yes, it is lighter in tone than the last one!

[Janice, Moderator]

What Is Left the Daughter looks interesting, Chrissie. I've added it to my possible cross-Canada challenge list.

[Pam]

I'm starting for my 8th grade book club at my middle school. I'm sponsoring a book club for 8th graders to read books that may be on the edge for 6-7th graders and recommend them (or not) for our library collection.

[Chrissie]

Janice, I can recommend The Bird Artist by Howard Norman. I thought it was better than his Museum Guard. WILTD is my third by the author.

[Janice, Moderator]

Thanks Chrissie. I added the Bird Artist when I was investigating WILTD. This may be a new discover for me.

[Chrissie]

Janice, glad i could help.

[[deleted user]]

I'm now on one I picked up at random in the library - The Quickening Maze. Used to Live on an estate where the roads were all poets - including Clare Cresent, only I'd never heard of John Clare. This is about his time in a lunatic asylum. Which doesn't sound like a promising surmise, but is proving quite a lyrical little book so far.

[Dem]

I just finished That They May Face The Rising Sun this is my review www.goodreads.com/review/show/266145678

[Chrissie]

Finished What Is Left the Daughter
Review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I still preferred The Bird Artist by this author.

Have started: Between Love and Honor

[Janice, Moderator]

I started reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I'm a bit early for the buddy read, but I have another audiobook I want to read during the Toppler, so decided to plow ahead.

[Shannon]

Just finished and have now started . About half way and am wondering about the wonder part but its easy to read so far.

[Alison]

I've dropped out of the usual monthly challenges etc as I've started a masters course in children's Literature and Literacies. On the down side this means reading lots of text books, on the upside I get to read lots of children's books too.

[[deleted user]]

Ohh, that sounds interesting, Alison. For enjoyment, or as a practical exercise?

I've often wondered about going back & studying English literature again. When you study & take exams as a teenager you've seen so little of the world that you can barely understand some of the themes that are present in the works - what do you know of love and loss at that age? I'm sure I'd write a much better essay armed with 2 decades extra experience of life than I did then.

[Jada]

I'm reading and now I just started

[April]

Jada wrote: "I'm reading and now I just started "

How do you like ? I have attempted to read it a couple of times and ended up abandoning both times. However, I keep it on my shelf because I'm determined to get it read some day! I don't know what it is about that book and me! I've heard nothing but good things about it.

[Jada]

April wrote: "Jada wrote: "I'm reading and now I just started "

How do you like ? I have attempted to read it a couple of ..."

I've only gotten to about page 90 so far. It has some funny parts. But it's not haha humor more like witty humor. Kinda like Oscar Wilde or Mark Twain.

[Chrissie]

I have read The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: My Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World
Review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

and the very short

The Backwash Of War
Review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
which definitely socks a punch!

Thank you Nancy for pushing me to read the first, which had been sitting on my wooden shelves for ages!

And thank you Steelwhisper for recommending the latter. This is to date the best book I have read on WW1. It is short, but it hits home with its message. Caustic in tone and very brutal reading! There is a link on my review to the free copy at Gutenberg.

I will now start Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Another book I purchased ages ago!

[[deleted user]]

I've finished The Quickening Maze. Review here. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... I enjoyed it, but I suspect it's a book that wouldn't appeal to a lot of people. Not a plot driven, linear narrative - it's more like a gentle meander through life.

So I'm now primed and ready to start toppling...
Might start with The Railway Man, as the author, Eric Lomax died this week. And it's been sitting on the study floor for ages.

[Chrissie]

Helen, I am very curious about The Railway Man. The tale he tells is obviously gripping, but how is the pose style? How is the book as a whole? What are its weak points? Please let me know. you can tell me stuff as you read if you want.....

[Pragya]

Helen wrote: "I've finished The Quickening Maze. Review here. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... I enjoyed it, but I suspect it's a book that wouldn't appeal to a lot of people. Not a plot driven, l..."

Ah, I will be reading The Quickening Maze soon, I hope I enjoy it and the book makes me think some.