What Else Are You Reading

[Adelaide]

So, I just read this book, The Double Game by Dan Fesperman, and it was the most fun thing I have read in a long time. It's a spy thriller about the love of spy thrillers. Even though I had not read any of the books it referenced, it was so clearly written that it did not matter, and now I want to read those books!

[Adelaide]

So, I am currently reading Crab Monsters, Teenage Cavemen, and Candy Stripe Nurses: Roger Corman: King of the B-movie which is an oral history of Roger Corman. It is super fun: both in the stories people tell and the movie posters and other ephemera it catalogues. Totally deserves a shout out. (I'd say it will mostly appeal to Corman/movie fans, but there is a lot here that might appeal to a casual reader.)

[Adelaide]

I recently read The Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin and it was a blast. There are a few of his books that really don't do it for me, but this was one of the good ones. His books are usually pretty short, but full of twists and turns. (Rosemary's Baby, A Kiss Before Dying, The Stepford Wives) This book is about a Nazi hunter who discovers that Dr. Mengele might be up to his old tricks. Fun read!

[Sarah]

Just finished Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace: can I say it's worth the 1100 page read? It depends: do you think Hamlet would have been a lot better had Kurt Vonnegut written it set in an alternate American Tennis academy? Certainly witty, absurd, and captivating, this is wholly original read...don't hold out much hope for the ending.

[Adelaide]

I read Psycho this week, and I have to say it is a fun little book. (While being completely disturbing at the same time.) The movie is so iconic, it was a little hard to approach the book with a fresh mind, but it stood up well on its own. The movie adheres pretty close to the book, but there are just enough differences to keep things interesting.

[Adelaide]

For those of you into Victorian sensation novels (Wilkie Collins and friends) I recently read The Luminaries, which was a very pleasant surprise. It recently won the Man Booker prize, so it's considered Literature with a big "L." It's quite good, if a little too long, and presents a murder mystery in a Victorian New Zealand mining town. I'm not one for modern literary novels (they all seem stuck on unhappy families), but an experimental take on sensation novels? Sigh me up.

[Kathy]

I live in a little town in the GA mountains. Our nearest bookstore, which is a used bookstore, is a 40 minute drive away. Imagine my surprise, when I came across Dawn by Octavia E. Butler yesterday. I will be joining next month's group read!

[Sarah]

I'm rereading a wrinkle in time and a wind in the door. I never appreciated how fantastic these young adult novels are. There's no vampires or werewolves, but it does dabble in quantum mechanics and religious dogma. Fantastic reads! I hope my daughter gets into them someday. Maybe I'll forbid her to read them...that's the ticket.

[Adelaide]

Sarah wrote: "I'm rereading a wrinkle in time and a wind in the door. I never appreciated how fantastic these young adult novels are. There's no vampires or werewolves, but it does dabble in quantum mechanics ..."

I love those books. Meg was a great role model for me. (She still is.)

[Adelaide]

I am not a big one for the current literary fiction because so much of it focuses on unhappy families. For reals, who cares. There is a lot more interesting subject matter out there. Anyway, I've decided to dip my toe back in the pool lately, and have had some good experiences. (The previously mentioned The Luminaries being one of them.) I'm almost done with The Interestings and have been enjoying the hell out of it. Gulping it down the same way I would with a good mystery. What a pleasant surprise it has been.

[Cheryl]

Thanks for the info about these books, Adelaide. I, too, find it hard to find literary fiction that interests me. My library has both books and I will be checking them out soon.

[Adelaide]

I am currently enjoying the hell out of the new Stephen King book, Mr. Mercedes. I bought my first Stephen King book in 1978 when I was 10. (Carrie) I don't love all of his books equally, but I've never hated one, and my favorite Christmases when I was a kid involved finding one of his books in my stocking. (I would pretty much be gone reading for the rest of the day.)

[Kathy]

I was in high school when I first read my first Stephen King book. I think the first was The Shining; then Salem's Lot. I read everything of his I could find. I even visited The Stanley Hotel where he got the idea for The Shining. Have you read any of Joe Hill's books? He is Stephen king's son. I loved NOS4A2.

[Adelaide]

NOS4A2 is pretty darn good. His comic Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft is really really really good.

[Alexandria]

A little late to the conversation but I'm actually reading NOS4A2 right now. Joe Hill is really good. I haven't read too many Stephen King books though except for the 1st book in the Dark Tower Series.

[Adelaide]

Alexandria wrote: "A little late to the conversation but I'm actually reading NOS4A2 right now. Joe Hill is really good. I haven't read too many Stephen King books though except for the 1st book in the Dark Tower Ser..."

The Gunslinger is not King's best, but he's got some good stuff. Have fun with NOS4A2!

[Adelaide]

So, I know I am supposed to be reading The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I got distracted by The Naked Sun which is the follow up to The Caves of Steel. I did not think the story was as good, but I found the further exploration of the three laws to be very interesting. I was also intrigued by the idea of a planet so depopulated that actual human contact was repulsive. Definitely worth reading.

[Kathy]

I haven't started The Talented Mr. Ripley yet either. I am reading Doctor Sleep the sequel to The Shining. All I can say is, Wow!

[Sarah]

Am reading Octavia Butler's Patternist Series. Fantastic! Explores the ethics of eugenics and throws in some race and gender issues too....

[William]

Adelaide wrote: "So, I know I am supposed to be reading The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I got distracted by The Naked Sun which is the follow up to The Caves of Steel. I did no..."

I really enjoyed all of Asimov's robot books; I can't remember the details of the murder plots, but I sometimes still think about aspects of his human societies and the radically different directions they took.

[Adelaide]

William wrote: "Adelaide wrote: "So, I know I am supposed to be reading The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I got distracted by The Naked Sun which is the follow up to [book:The Caves of Steel..."

I think that's what I'm having the most fun with.

[Galaxy Press]

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

♥,
Cat at Galaxy Press

[Cheryl]

I'm not sure if this is the place to post this, but I'm looking for a book recommendation. Does anyone know of any science fiction novels about generation ships/space colonies? I was very disappointed in the SYFY channel miniseries Ascension, which did a bait and switch on this theme. I do want to read a book about colonizing another planet, but don't know what's out there that's good. Any suggestions?

[Sarah]

Well, there's the Rama series. Though it kind of goes downhill after the first one.

I really liked Orphans of the Sky, but it's Heinlein. Most people either like him or hate him.

[Adelaide]

Here is a link on wikipedia that has some suggestions (including the ones Sarah made.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generat...

[Cheryl]

Sarah,

I did read the Rama series long ago. It was good, from what I can remember.

[Cheryl]

Adelaide wrote: "Here is a link on wikipedia that has some suggestions (including the ones Sarah made.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generat..."

Thanks, Adelaide.

[Sarah]

By the way...really enjoying the maze runner series, though it's a bit gory. If you guys are looking for a good quick read. The movie was entertaining too. But I'd wait until it comes up on cable.

[Sarah]

If anyone is looking for a good Christmas read, my Aunt's friend, Susan Fletcher, wrote this great book, Alphabet of Dreams. She actually traveled to Iran against Travel advice to do research for the book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Adelaide]

Looks interesting!

[Kirsten]

Just finished my interlibrary loan Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Cheryl]

Kirsten,

That book was a group read here in December. I enjoyed it and I think other group members did, too.

[Kirsten]

Cheryl wrote: "Kirsten,

That book was a group read here in December. I enjoyed it and I think other group members did, too."

That's how I found you! When I finish a book I always go down to the bottom to see if any groups have discussed it....

[Kirsten]

Just finished Night of the Crabs by Guy N. Smith

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

What fun! Really took me back to my childhood watching monster movies with my dad.

[Adelaide]

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Just finished Night of the Crabs by Guy N. Smith

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

What fun! Really took me ba..."

This looks like a ton of fun! I love schlocky horror, and may have to give this a try.

[Kirsten]

If you watched the kind of movies I did as a kid, you'll love it! I just wish my dad were still alive. He would've loved it!!

[Kirsten]

I finished reading my Kindle Unlimited selection The Frozen Sky by Jeff Carlson last night.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

Just finished reading The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

I finished reading Devil's Gate by Clive Cussler and listening to Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen yesterday.

My reviews:
Devil's Gate - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Royal Blood - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

I just finished reading Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

I just finished listening to Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

I just finished reading Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

Finished reading Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

Just finished reading Tales of Cynings Volume I by Cameron W. Kobes

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

Just finished reading The Heretic by Lucas Bale

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kirsten]

Just finished my Kindle Unlimited selection VOID by David M. Staniforth

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Kirsten]

Just finished reading The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge.

One of the best book I've read this year!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Adelaide]

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Just finished reading The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge.

One of the best book I've read this year!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/s..."

Yeah, I love this book!

[Sarah]

Hey I love that one too. I haven't gotten around to any of the sequels, though. Does anyone know if they're any good?

[Adelaide]

Sarah wrote: "Hey I love that one too. I haven't gotten around to any of the sequels, though. Does anyone know if they're any good?"

I liked them!