Outread Aubrey! Challenge discussion
What are you reading?
I finished Operation Garbo: The Personal Story of the Most Successful Double Agent of World War II! A great book, though details-heavy and not the most flowing writing. Don't get me wrong, the details were great, but it still took a while to get through them and parts of the book were confusing.
I decided not to finish reading "Across the Creek". And I am already not following my list. I agreed to review a book, so I am reading that one first. "Past Forward" by Chautona Havig. I have read the first three chapters so far and am liking it a lot.
I started on American Gods finally. I really thought I would like it and so far... I keep wanting it to be like "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul" by Douglas Adams and it's NOT. And that's disappointing. I always forget that Neil Gaiman is funny in person, but not in fiction.
in which case I really want to read it. :)
Faith wrote: "I decided not to finish reading "Across the Creek". And I am already not following my list. I agreed to review a book, so I am reading that one first. "Past Forward" by Chautona Havig. I have r..."Faith, which volume of Past Forward? Are you at the very beginning? I think it's a series of... 6. I've only read the first 3, I think. Maybe 4. So far. :)
Aubrey wrote: "And what are you going to do about that, Renna, hmm? :)"I'm too exhausted from college to do anything at the moment. :P Maybe I'll force myself to read something in a few weeks. I get a long break - from August 18th to September 23rd - from college, so... perhaps then I'll get to read.
That sounds like a plan. :) (And I share your exhaustion, so I get it. :P) You could also read something light. Manga or something.
Rebekah wrote: "Faith wrote: "I decided not to finish reading "Across the Creek". And I am already not following my list. I agreed to review a book, so I am reading that one first. "Past Forward" by Chautona Ha..."I read volume 1. What did you think of it?
Aubrey wrote: "That sounds like a plan. :) (And I share your exhaustion, so I get it. :P) You could also read something light. Manga or something."I'm not a big fan of manga, but it'd probably be a good way to catch up. :roll: Maybe I'll just return to my youth and read old chapter books like the Bailey School Kids or something.
That works too. I have a few "kids books" to read eventually here, some because they're the inspiration for movies I like.
Faith wrote: "Faith (LadyKatharina) | 80 comments Rebekah wrote: "Faith wrote: "I decided not to finish reading "Across the Creek". And I am already not following my list. I agreed to review a book, so I am reading that one first. "Past Forward" by Chautona Ha..."I read volume 1. What did you think of it? "
I liked it! I really liked the way the characters were portrayed - they seem very real. And I thought that Willow's situation was a interesting one to portray. I also love the town - but I've also read one of Mrs. Havig's mysteries set in the same town, so I can't say Past Forward is the only book that made me love it. :D
Just finished reading My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse and Messages by John Michael Hileman. Being sick gives me more reading time apparently. :pThe first book was funny. I particularly enjoyed his use of descriptive comparisons. I did get thrown for a loop when Bertie Wooster suddenly disappeared and Reggie pepper started telling his stories, with absolutely no warning at all. And then it jumped back to Mr. Wooster in the end, with the same lack of warning. But I adjusted. :p
As for Messages - it was good. A few things felt unrealistic (the FBI associations just felt... off, at times.) but I really enjoyed it. Enough to want to read book two, even though this one was a standalone. The characters were well done and the mystery aspect well written. It was kind of Christian Sci-Fi - though I think it's officially called a Mystery/Thriller. :)
Finished the Dorothy Johnson collection, The Hanging Tree, this weekend—it was excellent. And tonight I read Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington, a fun little novella about a distracted young playwright whose first play is being put on by an egotistical actor, and the unexpected effect of an ingénue understudy on the company.
I am reading "Where do I start?" by Molly Evangeline. So far, it is very good and I am learning a lot. Which is also very goo. :D
I am writing an early 1800s era story that is highly theological and even includes one entire sermon and portions of another. It's a lot of fun because I enjoy the characters and for once I'm writing only for myself. I've written 80 pages this month, which has been very damaging to internet time and reading! I've written 4 today. I'd love to get it finished this year!So I haven't read anything else yet. Maybe I need to get in on that kid's book movement???? I was eyeing some tempting westerns this afternoon, though. I got home at 10:30 pm last night from my summer job out of town, and have about two weeks to get things in order here before heading to Little Rock for an audition. Wow! I don't even have time to breathe these days...
Pretty pitiful when you go to a Southern Gospel weekend thing and write through most of it from your seat! ;)
~Hannah
Ahh, early 1800s is a fascinating era! And my goodness! That is amazing progress, my dear! o.O I can hardly begrudge your lack of reading if you're getting that much written!
But by all means, join us with a kid's book! Or be cool like me and read a grown-up picture book. ;)
But by all means, join us with a kid's book! Or be cool like me and read a grown-up picture book. ;)
I'm reading The Dream Life Of Sukhanov and it's one of the best books I've read all year. It conceals philosophy as fiction and truth as dreams and I can't explain why it's making me so emotional, but it is.
Just finished David Weber's "Field of Dishonor" which is book 4 in the Honor Harrington series.
Working on eliminating my current reading pile, as well as my library file. Just finished Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl. I also just re-read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Just as good as I remember it from last year. :)
Read The Bellamy Trial by Frances Noyes Hart this past week—a really good mystery/courtroom drama written in the 1920s. Loved it! Now I'm working on Practical Religion by J.C. Ryle, and I still have A Room With a View waiting around for me to start it...
I read a bunch of books while I was in West Virginia with Katie. :D I'm not sure what to read next... finish Fullmoon wo Sagashite and get a good start on Pandora Hearts for sure... I wanted to start Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell but it's so daunting...
I finished the Hunger Games trilogy and read a comic book as a bonus. Next on my list is Lord Darcy... but who knows when I'll have time to read again.
Ooh, I want to hear what you thought of THG, Katie! And watch the movie already. :P
I am finishing off a stack of manga that's sat ignored on my shelf for a bit and is coming due, as well as catching up on the backlog of comics I bought on comixology.com. My movie-watching challenge finishes up at the end of the month, and I hope to have several writing projects wrapping up by then, so hopefully thereafter I can focus on regular books... and then get more at the library used book sale in September! Wheeee!
I am finishing off a stack of manga that's sat ignored on my shelf for a bit and is coming due, as well as catching up on the backlog of comics I bought on comixology.com. My movie-watching challenge finishes up at the end of the month, and I hope to have several writing projects wrapping up by then, so hopefully thereafter I can focus on regular books... and then get more at the library used book sale in September! Wheeee!
Katie wrote: "Next on my list is Lord Darcy... but who knows when I'll have time to read again."Ooh! I loved Too Many Magicians, and some of the stories are as good.
Have you read the whole trilogy, Leah?
I haven't read any of the books, actually. I started the first one but haven't been motivated enough to finish it yet. I like the movie...
I just finished "The Magician's Nephew" by C.S. Lewis. Brilliant writing, colorful setting, great characters... One or two things bothered me, but other than that, I really enjoyed it! :)
Do Garfield comic books count? Because that's all I've managed to read lately. *facepalm* Pathetic, I know. :P
Read The Man Who Was Thursday or Manalive by Chesterton yet?
If it's a collection that has an ISBN, yes it does, Renna. :)
I got a book read in the dentist's office today... hurray for short stuff!
My recent reading fits into four categories: books sitting around the house (Rediscovering Holiness is the only one so far), books from the box-full my uncle (who is something of a collector) lent us awhile back, books from my own shelves that I wasn't sure (not having read them before) I wanted to keep, and books I have read before that I knew I would like and I knew would go quickly (three whole Tamora Pierce quartets!).
Jonathan, what is a quartet in reference to a book?
A series with 4 books, I'm pretty sure.
Rebekah wrote: "Jonathan, what is a quartet in reference to a book?"A group of four books. Like a trilogy, but four books instead of three.
So that's what you're supposed to call those... I learned something today!
Jonathan wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "Jonathan, what is a quartet in reference to a book?"A group of four books. Like a trilogy, but four books instead of three."
Oh, so it means the same thing in books and in music. :D
Thank you both for answering me, even if it seems like a silly question. :)
I'm halfway through a book called The Drowning City. The characters' names were confusing me, so I took a break and read Clockwork Angel in the meantime. Cassandra Clare's books are brilliant as effortless escapism. They're very easy to read and I can finish them in a few hours, so when I'm tired I love them.
*has considered reading Clare's series*
Yep. A quartet makes sense. Trilogies, no so much, since they can have either 3 or 6 books.
I just finished several books that I've been working on for weeks. Now I'm reading "The Law-Breakers" by Ridgwell Cullum. It's a good western-Canada tale.
Well and then there's the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy...
Aubrey wrote: "So that's what you're supposed to call those... I learned something today!"I wouldn't say that's what all four-book-series are supposed to be called; "tetralogy" (or is it "tetrology"?) is one I've seen used by analogy to "trilogy." But "quartet" is the word used for the ones by Pierce, and it's even in the name of most of them ("the Immortals Quartet," "the Protector of the Small Quartet," etc.).
Finished "The Law-Breakers" by Ridgwell Cullum. It was really a fun read and held my interest to the very end, despite some rather huge faults. It would have been a five-star with a good edit and a more justifiable ending. Really, don't have the suspect painted so blackly that everybody knows he's the culprit, and contradict everything after the guy dies! Planning wise, the plotting could have been pulled off, but without a good editor the last few chapters had unsupported surprises. Still enjoyed it, though!Now I'm reading "The Grafters" by Francis Lynde. So far it's good; apparently it is a business novel with a dash or two of romance and adventure. Definitely an unusual combination!
I should give a list of everything that I'm reading right now, once I'm on the computer. (Meaning, not on my phone.) I just finished "Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack". It was quite interesting, though I certainly disagreed with him on some points. Also read two Dr. Seuss books as part of my literature studies. Liked one, the other, not as much, but still enjoyed it.
Now, to work on the longer books in my pile.,. :D
Last night, I started reading "Star Trek: Into Darkness" a novelization by Alan Dean Foster. So far it is pretty good. Hopefully I will be able to compare it to the movie soon. :D
After you see the movie, you'll have to let me know how the novelization is, Faith. :)
Outread Aubrey! Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Eric Ludy (other topics)Leslie Ludy (other topics)
Andrew Lang (other topics)
Dick Francis (other topics)
Tamora Pierce (other topics)
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Rereading Fullmoon o Sagashite. I'm pretty sure I'm going to give it 5/5 again. My first manga. (And it counts for this 'cuz I hadnt' entered it into Goodreads before since I read it years and years back... XD)