What Else Are You Reading - January 2013

[Jonathan]

I read the last two books of The Wheel of Time. I was going to reread the entire series but I put it off way too long so I went through and read the summaries online and when I got to Towers of Midnight I didn't recognize any of the plot details and realized that I had never actually gotten around to reading it.
I'm not sure what I'm going to move onto next.

[Philo]

Just finished Nexus by Ramez Naam. Excellent concept,explored in a balanced way in a page turner of a book. Loved it.

[Pedro]

Just finished Sharp Objects and my overall feeling is that I was given a bag of sweets, and upon opening it, found none. It has a lot of potential, but never fully lives up to it, which is a shame as it could've been excellent in a multitude of ways. Feel free to read my full review here.

Just started The Last Colony, which I'm quite excited about as I loved the first two books in the series.

[Carolina]

Pedro wrote: "Just finished Sharp Objects and my overall feeling is that I was given a bag of sweets, and upon opening it, found none. It has a lot of potential, but never fully lives up to it, which is a shame ..."

I have a lot of expectations for that book..maybe it would be best to lower them and then I will be pleasently surprised?

[Pedro]

Carolina wrote: "I have a lot of expectations for that book..maybe it would be best to lower them and then I will be pleasently surprised? "

Might want to try that! It has some really interesting concepts, but unfortunately none of them are very well realised, at least in my opinion. It doesn't help that I expected it to be a proper horror novel, when in fact it's a mystery novel with a lot of disfunctional people. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for mystery. Looking forward to seeing what you think of it!

[Tom]

Carter wrote: "So far this month, in addition to OMW, I have knocked out The Hobbit (little behind I know, but I moved in December!), Dies the Fire, The Protector's War, Storm Front (OMG, I love Butcher. Just no..."

I love the Emberverse series, but it does kinda fall into that perpetual story with no real end category. At least each book has a climax and somewhat of an ending. Dies the Fire and The Sunrise Lands where my favorites. I'm sure that I will read The Given Sacrifice when it comes out. Maybe Stirling will wrap it all up, but I doubt it.

I also love the Dresden Files. I'm not big of werewolf and vampire stories, but somehow Butcher makes the genre much more entertaining.

[Lamora]

Tom wrote: "Carter wrote: "So far this month, in addition to OMW, I have knocked out The Hobbit (little behind I know, but I moved in December!), Dies the Fire, The Protector's War, Storm Front (OMG, I love Bu..."

I am the same about not exactly loving werewolf/vampire stories, and yet I love the Dresden Files. I suppose it happens because he frames the supernatural world in hardboiled detective fiction and the nonchalant, slightly sardonic progtagonist acts as a grounding element. I am still to find a series/book of supernatural fiction I have loved some much as the Dresden Files.

[Carolina]

Pedro wrote: "Carolina wrote: "I have a lot of expectations for that book..maybe it would be best to lower them and then I will be pleasantly surprised? "

Might want to try that! It has some really interesting ..."

I heard very good things about Gone Girl and that's why I want to read the previous ones Dark Places and Sharp Objects. But I never thought it as a horror story, always a dysfunctional type mystery...

[Dara]

I'm having serious concentration issues. I'm gonna quit The Well of Ascension and try something else. Maybe Assassin's Apprentice.

[Lamora]

Dara wrote: "I'm having serious concentration issues. I'm gonna quit The Well of Ascension and try something else. Maybe Assassin's Apprentice."

Yeah, that book really does not live up to the first one. I felt the same, that I need to be concentrated to plow through it - I even took a Mistborn hiatus at a time simply because the book's tension withered away. I really admire Sanderson's imaginative mind and the magic systems he creates but, dear goodness, he cannot write characters. Kelsier was a decent bloke but the moment Vin took the front seat, I wanted to throw the book out the window.

[[deleted user]]

Akinoiro/Lamora wrote: "Dara wrote: "I'm having serious concentration issues. I'm gonna quit The Well of Ascension and try something else. Maybe Assassin's Apprentice."

Yeah, that book really does not live up to the firs..."

The second book was mostly about diplomacy going exactly nowhere and all characters whining "Oh Kelsier, why did you leave us? What do we do now?"

[Igor]

Starting Second Shift - Order, book 7 of the Silo Series by Hugh Howey.

[Dara]

Akinoiro/Lamora wrote: "Dara wrote: "I'm having serious concentration issues. I'm gonna quit The Well of Ascension and try something else. Maybe Assassin's Apprentice."

Yeah, that book really does not live up to the firs..."

I think that might be my issue with it. I got 6% in and I couldn't do it. I also feel like the first novel was so great as a stand-alone. I don't feel like a sequel was all that necessary.

[Pedro]

Carolina wrote: "I heard very good things about Gone Girl and that's why I want to read the previous ones Dark Places and Sharp Objects. But I never thought it as a horror story, always a dysfunctional type mystery... "

I've seen it being advertised as horror several times, so I was led to believe it'd go a bit deeper in that regard (and it really should've, as the mystery itself doesn't quite stand on its own and would've benefited from having some support).

Finished The Last Colony and I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as the first two. I can't quite point out why (and that really bugs me), but after the whole getting the colony running it really didn't keep me as compelled though the ending was - thankfully - quite satisfying. You can read my full review here.

After putting it off for way longer than I probably should've, going to read The Blade Itself next.

[Carolina]

Pedro wrote: "Carolina wrote: "I heard very good things about Gone Girl and that's why I want to read the previous ones Dark Places and Sharp Objects. But I never thought it as a horror story, always a dysfuncti..."

I haven't read anything by Joe Abercrombie yet, but I've noticed that a lot of people in the group have. I will wait to see your review and then maybe try it.

I finally finished my review for OMW,here

[Joseph]

Finished Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth. Next up: In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.

[Rob, Roberator]

Dara wrote: "Akinoiro/Lamora wrote: "Dara wrote: "I'm having serious concentration issues. I'm gonna quit The Well of Ascension and try something else. Maybe Assassin's Apprentice."

Yeah, that book really does..."

The second book definitely suffers from middle book syndrome, but the last book makes it worth it to me.

[David Sven]

Finished Locke and Key Vol. 2 Head Games
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Tamahome]

Incomparable podcast just recorded a show on it. Maybe S&L can too. :)

[David Sven]

I'm going to have to hurry up and finish these. Had to stop listening to avoid spoilers.

[Sandi]

I'm a bit over halfway through Audible's production of The Handmaid's Tale narrated by Claire Danes. She tends to pause too frequently, but otherwise the performance is good. I could see her playing Offred in a movie adaptation. She'd be perfect for the part.

[AndrewP]

Pedro wrote: "Finished The Last Colony and I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as the first two. I can't quite point out why (and that really bugs me), but after the whole getting the colony running it really didn't keep me as compelled though the ending was - thankfully - quite satisfying.."

While it's still fresh in your mind you should continue with Zoe's Tale. It's essential the exact same story but seen from Zoe's point of view.

[Dara]

Rob wrote: "Dara wrote: "Akinoiro/Lamora wrote: "Dara wrote: "I'm having serious concentration issues. I'm gonna quit The Well of Ascension and try something else. Maybe Assassin's Apprentice."

Yeah, that boo..."

I'll get to it at some point this year. I'm finally getting into something though. So yay for
Caliban's War.

[Joseph]

Finished The Hobbit so it is of course impossible for me to read anything other than The Lord of the Rings next.

[Laura]

I finished Dexter (eh), so I will get a start on Bridge of Birds.

[Igor]

Finished Second Shift - Order. Can't wait for the third part of this prequel trilogy and after that story continues where original Wool ended. Exciting, yes?

Anyway, I started reading The Vampire Lestat, no idea how I come to this one after all this sci-fi books lately :)

[Carolina]

Igor wrote: "Finished Second Shift - Order. Can't wait for the third part of this prequel trilogy and after that story continues where original Wool ended. Exciting, yes?

Anyway, I started reading The Vampire..."

I liked The Vampire Lestat, and also The Queen of the Damned. The Tale of the Body Thief not so much, there was something missing...

[Liv]

Currently Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion then I'm going to finally read Patrick Rothfuss's first book.

[Igor]

Carolina wrote: "I liked The Vampire Lestat, and also The Queen of the Damned. The Tale of the Body Thief not so much, there was something missing... "

I only read Interview and Vampire Armand and found both enthralling at that time. I stumbled again to the series and it seems I will continue with it. I'm at 10% of Lestat and really enjoying it.

[Joseph]

Igor wrote: "I only read Interview and Vampire Armand and found both enthralling at that time. I stumbled again to the series and it seems I will continue with it. I'm at 10% of Lestat and really enjoying it."

I read Interview, Lestat and Queen back in the day and enjoyed them (although I got kind of irritated at Rice's tendency in every book to say, "No, ignore all of the history they told you about in the last book; here's what really happened." I read Body Thief and wasn't impressed -- I think that's when she was kind of consciously trying to turn it into a series. Never got around to reading anything further.

[Carolina]

Joseph wrote: "Igor wrote: "I only read Interview and Vampire Armand and found both enthralling at that time. I stumbled again to the series and it seems I will continue with it. I'm at 10% of Lestat and really e..."

I've been considering reading Memnoch the Devil, but I'm hesitant since I wasn't thrilled with Body Thief. Then again, the whole "traveling trough time" sounds like an interesting twist. I really enjoyed the "flashbacks" to ancient Egypt while reading Queen of the damned

[Michael]

Carolina wrote: "Joseph wrote: "Igor wrote: "I only read Interview and Vampire Armand and found both enthralling at that time. I stumbled again to the series and it seems I will continue with it. I'm at 10% of Lest..."

Memnoch was my favorite of the series. Definitely give it a shot.

[Hanne]

finished Banks' Use of Weapons. there are some unforgettable elements in that one! for those interested, you can find my review here

still busy reading Gardens of the Moonand Royal Assassin as well. really enjoying both!

[terpkristin]

I finished listening to We Can Build You on my way home from physical therapy today. It's one of those "talk about ideas" books instead of "read about cool stuff happening" type books. There was a little too much high-level "talk" and not enough "do" for my liking, but basically it seemed like a treatise on mental health and mental healthcare.

Up next I think is Technomancer, or maybe I'll jump into Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was early...decisions, decisions.

[Ric]

Just finished Great North Road. Quite a read. It'll take a while to get back to the real world having lived in Peter F. Hamilton's imagined universe for the last couple of weeks.

[Brian]

Not long ago I finished , which was fantastic. I'm having a hard time deciding if I should read Eden, or next. Ideas?

[John (john)]

I've read Gun Machine and Alif the Unseen this month; found Alif to be a really fascinating and entertaining read. Am still slogging through Children of the Sky (which I'm thinking of now as Lord of the Flies with Talking Dogs. I'm sure there's more to it but I'm just not catching on.)

I bought The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox last night but hoping to get through both The Man in the High Castle and Control Point first.

[David Sven]

Finished Locke and Key Vol. 3 Crown of Shadows
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... and Key, Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows

[Laura]

I adored Watership Down. Now on to Shadow of the Giant.

[Rob, Roberator]

I finished Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was (my review) and Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale which is just a short graphic novel (my review)

Next up is more Gardens of the Moon to get a head start on next week's reading, then I'll be jumping into The Name of the Wind for the first time to read along with a small group of friends.

[Lars André]

Currently reading American Gods..Loving it. I also listening to Century Rain on Audible.

[Ric]

John wrote: "I've read Gun Machine and Alif the Unseen this month; found Alif to be a really fascinating and entertaining read. Am still slogging through Children of the Sky (which I'm thinking of now as Lord o..."
Concur with you on
The Children of the Sky. Am about to give up on it.

[Jordy]

Started Prince of Thorns today I'm really enjoying it so far

[David Sven]

Finished reading Brent Weeks' The Way of Shadows
My Review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Starting Janny Wurts' The Curse of the Mistwraith

[Mathew]

Finished The State of the Art, on to Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was

[Pedro]

Just finished The Blade Itself and despite its few flaws I really enjoyed it. The battle scenes in particular were absolutely amazing and I'm definitely picking up Before They Are Hanged as soon as possible. Feel free to read my review by clicking here.

Going to read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy next. (shame on me for not having read it before!)

[Hershel]

Reading Tarzan of the Apes,just ordered Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was at my local B&N. Probably going to read The Fault in Our Stars if I get done before Bridge of Birds shows up.

[Rob, Roberator]

As it is not yet February, my OCD prevents me from posting in the WRONG thread about my other reads. ^_^

I just finished Gardens of the Moon, a little ahead of our group

Feel free to check out My Review if you're so inclined.

I really enjoyed the book. I think in large part due to the group. If you've been on the fence about reading this book, it's not too late to join us!

Next up is The Name of the Wind with a small group of people.

[Nancy]

On the audio front I'm reading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, which isn't as good as I heard it was, but I'm still liking it. I'm also reading Cold Days by Jim Butcher, and I'm loving it!

[Docxen]

i'm reading gail carriger's etiquette and espionage.