Feb 2013 - What are you reading & why

[Kimberly]

I started last night.

[Lisa]

I have just finished which was another great ghost story from Susan Hill and I gave it 5 stars.

I am just over 100 pages into and I am not really enjoying it that much at the moment. Hopefully it will pick up as I get further into it.

[Lynn]

I have to say I wasn't a fan of Eat, Pray, Love, there was a lot of hype about the book and didn't understand why.

[Kimberly]

I'm going to start

[Lisa]

Lynn wrote: "I have to say I wasn't a fan of Eat, Pray, Love, there was a lot of hype about the book and didn't understand why."

I am just over half way through now and it is not doing anything for me at all. It just feels a bit self indulgent to me.

[April]

Lisa wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I have to say I wasn't a fan of Eat, Pray, Love, there was a lot of hype about the book and didn't understand why."

I am just over half way through now and it is not doing anything fo..."
Lisa, I must admit, I didn't see anything special about
Eat, Pray, Love. At least it is a short quick read!

[Lisa]

I am glad to see I am not the only one who has struggled with Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia! I will stick with it until the end but it's a bit of a chore getting there so far.

I am just about to start The Thirty-Nine Steps as well. I have been wanting to read this for a while now and I haven't read any classics for a couple of months so I figured now would be a good time to start.

[Tejas Janet]

Lisa wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I have to say I wasn't a fan of Eat, Pray, Love, there was a lot of hype about the book and didn't understand why."

I am just over half way through now and it is not doing anything fo..."

I have thus far intentionally avoided reading this book in large part because of all the hype surrounding it. Rather humorous actually, how I've read so many reviews without reading the book itself. I should just read it so I can see if it lives up to all I think it isn't. It certainly captured the attention of millions of readers around the world.

[Travis]

I'm reading The Broken Ones they label it as horror, but I disagree. It is a detective murder mystery thriller with a slight bit of horror and paranormal. Someone is brutally murdering young teenage girls in australia and a detective is on the hunt for them, but there is corruption in the police and he can trust no one. Starts slow but gets pretty good once he gets on the case.

[Janice, Moderator]

I started The Leper of Saint Giles the other day and Year of Wonders today. I'm still trying to finish up Chocolat left over from the Toppler.

[Kimberly]

Travis of NNY wrote: "I'm reading The Broken Ones they label it as horror, but I disagree. It is a detective murder mystery thriller with a slight bit of horror and paranormal. Someone is brutally murdering young teenag..."

I think I might just have to see if my library has that one. It sounds like my type of read.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I agree with Kimberly. Let us know how you find it in the end Travis.

What you think of Chocolat Janice? You seen the movie before?

And I am plodding through A Case of Exploding Mangoes for my Pakistan read as well as C of my alphabet.

I'm kind of glad it is taking a while as D still hasn't been delivered yet from Kyrgyzstan (The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years) and I ordered it in early December. Our uni bookshop here on campus has promised it to arrive sometime this week, but as it is Thursday...

[Janice, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "What you think of Chocolat Janice? You seen the movie before?"

I've seen the movie a few times and I read the book after the movie came out. I love the movie! I gave the book 5 stars the first time I read it. I'm not sure it's going to keep the high rating this time. I've been having a bit of trouble reading and concentrating lately, and that may be my problem rather than the book itself.

[Travis]

Finished I gave it 4 stars. After a slow start it picked up and kept me guessing. After looking to find this is only the authors second book I guess I can look past a rocky beginning as long as it gets better as it goes along and it did.

[Roz]

I started today. I requested it from my library after I finished Cinder. I have to read it this week because I'm going on vacation next week and it'll probably be overdo before I get back.

[Kimberly]

I finished and absolutely loved it. It's probably one of the best YA novels I've ever read and I can't wait to see where book #2 takes us.

Now I think I'm going to start

[Lynn]

Ooohhhh, those two have gone on my tbr list Kimberly.

[Lisa]

Kimberly, I read for the February toppler and loved it. I really hope you enjoy it too.

[Kimberly]

Lisa wrote: "Kimberly, I read for the February toppler and loved it. I really hope you enjoy it too."

I've had it sitting on my kindle for ages so it's good to finally get too it I'm about 35% through it. Really enjoying it so far!

[Travis]

Started

[Dem]

Just finished Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II This is a really interesting book.
My review www.goodreads.com/review/show/531479343

[Kimberly]

I finished which was a HUGE let down for me. I've been wanting to read it for months and now that I have I didn't care for it nearly as much as I had hoped to. It started off great but it didn't keep up the momentum so it's a 2 star read for me.

Now I'm starting loved the first book in the series so I'm hoping this one will be good too and I'm also starting

[Ann]

I'm still reading which is my "I" author for an Alphabet Challenge. I'm on page like 410 out of 515 so I'm almost finished!

[Chrissie]

I absolutely love Colum McCann's writing. I highly recommend This Side of Brightness, but for the right reader. It will not fit everybody.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I will start Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. If you haven't heard about this book I am surprised. What will I think?

[Lisa]

I finished Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia for the alphabet challenge. I did not enjoy it at all, I found it slow, the lead character was unlikeable and the tone felt rather self-satisfied to me. I gave it a 2 star rating because the 'Eat' section in Italy was ok and redeemed it slightly but the rest just wasn't for me.

I am also nearing the end of The Thirty-Nine Steps which I am really enjoying. It's a fun, easy to read classic with a great (and dashing) hero.

[Shannon]

Lisa wrote: "I finished Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia for the alphabet challenge. I did not enjoy it at all, I found it slow, the lead character was unlike..."

Kudos to you for finishing it Lisa. I didn't get more than a few pages in before I hurled it before I hurled! lol.

I am currently reading a bit of a bizarre book but so far interesting called written from the perspective of wild african elephants.

[Dem]

Just finished and enjoyedThe Blood of Flowers This is my review;
www.goodreads.com/review/show/346447034

[Chrissie]

I completed Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity. It well complements Colum McCann's This Side of Brightness. I recommend both if you want to read about the homeless and most destitute be they in NYC or in Mumbai.

My review of the former: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I will read another by Ernest Hemingway: For Whom the Bell Tolls. I like Hemingway's simple strong lines.

[Ann]

I'm reading which took forever to come from the library. I am enjoying it - more than I expected to actually. That's always nice. I must be one of the few people who enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love. I find it interesting all the different view points about different books. I guess that's what makes the world go 'round and makes room for so many different authors!

[[deleted user]]

Finally finished The Six Wives of Henry VIII, which was long, but very interesting. And it;s sat in the midst of a bit of a Tudor fix recently.

Still have Revelation by CJ Sansom on the go, but have picked up my next alphabet book, starting Map Of A Nation.

[Lynn]

Currently reading for one of my other book groups

[Julia]

I'm currently reading for another book club. I saw the movie before reading the book. I like both very much, but of course like the book better.

[Janice, Moderator]

I have finished Year of Wonders - still have to do a review. I'll start The Two which is the next audiobook on my list.

[Shirley]

The Silent Girl



Very nice.

[Thing Two]

I'm reading The Master by Colm Tóibín, because the 21st Century Book Club (Goodreads) discussed it in January, but since the author's last name begins with "T" I couldn't read it with them!

I'm also just starting Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth because it's on my shelf.

[Julia]

Travis of NNY wrote: "I'm reading The Essential Calvin and Hobbes I needed something that takes no brain power"

I ADORE Calvin & Hobbes!!

[Julia]

Shirley wrote: "The Silent Girl



Very nice."

So far I've read everything in this series and I love it. If you like this book, you might want to try Harvest also by Tess Gerritsen.

[Travis]

Julia wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "I'm reading The Essential Calvin and Hobbes I needed something that takes no brain power"

I ADORE Calvin & Hobbes!!"

I grew up reading C and H then forgot about them now I find them
more enjoyable and the humor is different reading as a father now

[Lisa]

Just finished The Thirty-Nine Steps which I absolutely loved! It was really easy to read, was great fun and it has an insanely likeable (and dashing) hero in Richard Hannay. 5 stars from me and I am looking forward to checking out Buchan's other works which also feature Hannay.

Next I will be reading And Then There Were None which I have had heard some great things about and I am looking forward to getting started.

[Shirley]

Julia wrote: "Shirley wrote: "The Silent Girl



Very nice."

So far I've read everything in this series and I love it. If you like this book, you might want to try Harvest al..."

checked my library and I have it.

[Kimberly]

Shannon wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I finished Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia for the alphabet challenge. I did not enjoy it at all, I found it slow, the lead charact..."

There's a bbc documentary bout that book called Echo of the Elephants it follows the author on her travels to africa to meet a herd of elephants like those in the book. I've had the book on my bookshelf for 5 years. I'm hoping to get to it this year.

[Kimberly]

Julia wrote: "I'm currently reading for another book club. I saw the movie before reading the book. I like both very much, but ..."

I was the opposite with that book. I loved the movie more which was surprising for me.

[Chrissie]

Thing Two wrote: "I'm reading The Master by Colm Tóibín, because the 21st Century Book Club (Goodreads) discussed it in January, but since the author's last name begins with "T" I couldn'..."

I wonder how you will react to Sacred Hunger? I am glad I read it, but parts dragged, particularly in the beginning when they were rehearsing a play! that was not my cup of tea. Don't give up.

[Kimberly]

I'm starting

[Chrissie]

Kimberly wrote: "I'm starting "

Thanks Kimberly, I have now added that one. Check out Love, Life, and Elephants: An African Love Story. I liked it.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Lisa wrote: "Next I will be reading And Then There Were None which I have had heard some great things about and I am looking forward to getting started. "

I really enjoyed that book. Also, wait until Friday and you can then count it for the challenge

[Lisa]

Rusalka wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Next I will be reading And Then There Were None which I have had heard some great things about and I am looking forward to getting started. "

I really enjoyed that book. Also, wait un..."

Oh yes, I keep forgetting that the challenge starts on Friday! I will keep And Then There Were None for that then.

In the meantime I will start reading The Sense of an Ending. I don't know a great deal about it except that it won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 and it sounds like it will be an interesting read.

[Kimberly]

Chrissie wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I'm starting "

Thanks Kimberly, I have now added that one. Check out Love, Life, and Elephants..."

I'm loving the Elephant Whisperer, the author had a gift for making his books very fun and easy to read. I read his other novel Babylon's Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo and loved it. Love, life, and Elephants has been on my tbr pile for ages.

[Chrissie]

Kimberly wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I'm starting "

Thanks Kimberly, I have now added that one. Check out Love, Li..."

So which book is best to start with?

[Kimberly]

I would start with Babylon's Ark as it was his first book.