What Are You Reading and Why? 2015 second half Showing 1,001-1,050 of 1,268

[Joan]

Cherie as I watched Frozen for the fourth time with the grand-kids I wondered how they could be enjoying it AGAIN, but then I realized I do the same with my fave books like Persuasion and A Town Like Alice.

[Cherie]

Sandra wrote: "Looking forward to your comments on The Signature of All Things, Lilisa. I was really disappointed with it.

Does any of you ever tried the Murder, she wrote series? I was feeling ..."

I used to watch the old TV shows, but never read any of the books. Looks like 45 or 46 books there - that is a lot of nostalgia for you, Sarah. ^-^

[Gavin]

Made through the prequels, and finally got to Crisis on Infinite Earths

[Lynda]

I decided to delve a little bit into the His Dark Materials series and listened to Once Upon a Time in the North, I really enjoyed the reading, and am disappointed the rest of the series doesn't appear to be on audio from the library.

On the bright side, though Neverwhere finally came in! Also, I'm starting Tipping the Velvet for the buddy read.

[Cherie]

I hope you like Neverwhere, Lynda. I thought it was a hoot. Haven't read any of the Dark Materials series but it is on my someday list.

Doesn't it make you crazy what the library has available sometimes? I found a great young readers series in audio but the library only has the first three available. Not even ebooks for the last three. The difference between what is on Overdrive and on CD at my library is even more disjointed. A new book is soon to be released for another series I have really enjoyed and now I have to go and lobby my library to see if they will buy the CD. They did it for the last one for me after I had them tracking other volumes down from out of state. I love my library though!

[Bella]

Sandra wrote: "Looking forward to your comments on The Signature of All Things, Lilisa. I was really disappointed with it.

Does any of you ever tried the Murder, she wrote series? I was feeling ..."

I read the Murder, She Wrote series. I think the earlier ones are better than the newer ones. I think that you also have to like both cozy mysteries and have really, really liked the TV show.

I also like the books based on the Monk TV show- the ones written earlier are by a writer from the show. So it's very consistent in tone and everything.

[Bella]

Just started Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston. It's the new Pendergast mystery- as good as it always is.

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished Magic Slays and am reading Curran POV Collection. I should finish that quickly since it's a collection of situations from the first 4 books in the Kate Daniels series told from Curran's POV (obviously). Then, I'm thinking I resume A Clash of Kings. At this rate, it will take me a year to read it.

[Dem]

Finished Lady Chatterley's Lover My review. www.goodreads.com/review/show/1416972381

[Brenda]

Cherie wrote: "I hope you like Neverwhere, Lynda. I thought it was a hoot. Haven't read any of the Dark Materials series but it is on my someday list.

Doesn't it make you crazy what the library has available so..."

Cherie...From the Library Point of View...If you can get a few of your fellow towns people interested in the series and willing to check them out from the Library, then I am sure that the Library will be glad to purchase the audio book. I know that my Director has no problem getting a new book in a series as long as we have people interested and checking out the books/audios. Nothing breaks a Librarian heart faster then going to all the work in getting a book and only having the book checked out ONCE. Good luck! You can drop a note of the title and author of the new book to your library staff so they don't have to dig to find the info out.

[Brenda]

I am starting The Bees because I am enjoying the discussion this group is having about it. I hope to finish it yet this month, but time will tell.

[Cherie]

Janice - I am pretty sure that my library will buy the print book even if I do not ask for the CD. I bought #9 in ebook for my Nook. I have listened to all of the previous books in audio on my iPod or on CD. I love the narrator and the way that he reads the stories, but now I am curious to see if I love the characters because of him or because of what the author actually put on the paper.

[Lisa]

I finished The Bees for this month's group read. I really enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars. I did have a few problems with it (hence why it lost a star) but I would still highly recommend it. There are not many books out there that are told from the perspective of a bee so it is certainly a unique read!

[Bella]

I'm reading The Great Penguin Rescue: 40,000 Penguins, a Devastating Oil Spill, and the Inspiring Story of the World's Largest Animal Rescue by Dyan deNapoli. I love penguins and I had to get it- look at the cover:


Penguins are so cute. Plus they look like they're wearing little tuxedos, but they're tubby and they waddle and sit on eggs. Dignified, but silly. And yet, so graceful in the water.

[Joan]

Bella, did you see the recent news articles about an Australian using herding dogs to protect penguins from pedators? if not google it, it is interesting.

[Bella]

Joan wrote: "Bella, did you see the recent news articles about an Australian using herding dogs to protect penguins from pedators? if not google it, it is interesting."

Thanks, Joan. Hadn't heard of it. Wow, those dogs are cute, too.

I'm linking to an article- the other one was more detailed, but had no pictures of the penguins: http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sci...

I have to say, though, the little foxes that were eating the penguins are cute, too. But we shouldn't allow them to eat endangered birds.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Foxes in Australia are NOT cute. They are pest who are destroying our native animals and their habitats, and cannot be controlled.

Foxes in Europe and America are cute, but never over here.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

*puts away soapbox*

[Bella]

Rusalka wrote: "Foxes in Australia are NOT cute. They are pest who are destroying our native animals and their habitats, and cannot be controlled.

Foxes in Europe and America are cute, but never over here."

Hmm, you know, I think the opposite is true. The foxes in America are sneaky, evil pests, but the Australian and European ones are really cute.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I thought foxes in America were native, so I'm sorry if I was wrong on that.

Also, any animals that eat my pets, or your pets, are evil.

My point for Aus was really, that you have to view them as vile disgusting monsters here as they are responsible for many unique native species being endangered or extinct over here as they are an introduced species decimating our marsupials.

[Bella]

Rusalka wrote: "I thought foxes in America were native, so I'm sorry if I was wrong on that.

Also, any animals that eat my pets, or your pets, are evil.

My point for Aus was really, that you have to view them ..."

I think they're native to the US. I'm from Hawaii and while we don't have foxes, I think they've said that rats actually were responsible for a lot of endemic species going extinct. (Eating eggs, I think, was the cause.) I think that many islands- like Australia and Hawaii- have an absence of predators so the birds are pretty defenseless. There's really no typical apex predators like lions or tigers, so no real reason not to live on the ground or fly really well, etc.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

That's pretty true to NZ, but not so much Australia. We do have apex predators. But a lot of them are now endangered (Tasmanian Devils, Quolls) or extinct (Tasmanian Tigers) or have dramatically smaller habitats (Dingos).

In Australia, you have foxes, feral cats, mice, feral dogs, rats, rabbits, feral pigs, cane toads, feral camels and feral buffalo, carp, European honey bees, and European wasps, making it impossible for our native species - of all kinds. And then you have the flora problems. It's a bit of an ecological and environmental disaster down here.

[Joan]

on island like Guam and Hawaii big non-native brown snakes are a problem I think. Here in northeast US we have new problem with coyotes nabbing pets in the suburbs. some experts think they are a new coyote/dog hybrid

[Bella]

Because of the Paris thing I'm starting either Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick or The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State by William McCants. I'll probably read them both, though. Just deciding which to start first. The Paris thing has me kind of freaked out, so of course, my first impulse is to grab a book and learn more.

I'm also starting my yearly Harry Potter re-read early. I usually start the series in December, so I have a book I can easily put down because I know what happens. (You know, cleaning, cooking, guests, driving, shopping.) I'm starting the series early. I need a comfort read right now and wouldn't it be nice to escape to Hogwarts? That's what I'm doing, I guess.

[Stephanie]

I love Harry Potter, Bella :) with all that's going on in the world I think a world we can escape to via reading is such a great thing :)

[Stephanie]

I have 3 books going at the moment:

- I'm liking this more than the first book. I watched the TV series first :)

- this is my favorite Chet and Bernie book yet. Chet is funnier in this one :)

- completely cheesy but a fun and easy read while I exercise :)

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished Tipping the Velvet and really enjoyed it. Next up is my pick for the monthly challenge, The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories.

[Colleen]

Just finished Perfect Days which I received for free from the publisher, so wanted to make sure I read/reviewed timely.

Now reading Little Women for f2f book club.

[Lisa]

I am starting A Little Life for a buddy read.

[Tasha]

I'm reading Crooked Heart: A Novel for another group read and then I'll get to my short story read.

[Stephanie]

Sounds like a good book, Tasha :) I added it to my ever growing TBR list :)

[Roz]

I had requested The Nightingale from my library. It finally came through.

[Dem]

Just finished Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster My review.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1412644637

[Jackie]

I'm going to start reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty today.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm interested in it, Jackie. I read The Husband's Secret and it was so so to me.

[Jackie]

I haven't read that one, Sandra, but its on my TBR list. This is the first book I've read by this author. I'm only about 30 or so pages in but it seems ok so far. I'm enjoying her writing style.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I liked her writing style too. My problem was with the plot. That's why I want to try something else by her. Looking forward to your comments on this one.

[Mariab]

I'm reading the The Rosie Effect, having finished The Rosie Project.
I like it when I can read it all in a row, without (temporal) interruptions, like it were one book only (hate series...)

[Lynda]

I have had very little time for reading lately, due to a work project that's taking me to a location over an hour a way from my home. On the bright side, I'm pushing through Neverwhere, really fast, and it's been an enjoyable distraction to traffic.

I did read both Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal and Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why last night. They're okay. Kind of like the Captain Marvel series. Not my favorite.

I'm not getting very far with Tipping the Velvet, though, hoping to get a couple hours in with it tonight.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Once again, I have too many books going. I am reading Hidden Bodies (for review), Summer Secrets (for review), Career of Evil (series challenge), Winter (buddy read & series challenge), and As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride. They are very different, but all good so far. I need to wrap some of these up so that I can hopefully get to my monthly challenge book.

[Cherie]

I haven't gotten far into Tipping the Velvet yet either, Lynda but I just finished Blood of Tyrants and I am feeling Temeraire withdrawls already. I am back in Discworld with Making Money. I am not entirely sure I really like Moist van Lipwig, but some of the other characters are too funny.

[Cherie]

Kristie - my daughter Amy got to go see Cary Elwes at a book signing and talk about As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride. She got an autographed copy and had a wonderful time. He stayed until everyone in line got their book signed, even after they had officially closed their doors at the book store. She said he was wonderful. The movie is a #1 family favorite.

I cannot wait to get to Winter. It is going to wrap up my last Series Challenge level for the year.

[Kristie, Moderator]

That's great, Cherie! He seems like a very genuine person.

I need to finish Winter and Bitterblue to finish off my next level. I'm also hoping to finish the Unwind and Heroes of Olympus series to complete my next level. We shall see!

[Joan]

I am so broken hearted by recent events that I have decided to read "a gifted poet and theologian's examination of the suffering of innocents"

The Book of Job in the Bible. I don't know much about this work but it seems appropriate for the times.


I just finished this was recommended by Connie Ava Catherine in the cryptogram thread - it is charming and everyone should read it!

[Stephanie]

I finished Wayward by Blake Crouch, the second book in the wayward pines books. I liked it. It was a fast read and can't wait to read the next one but I have a stack of books to read before that happens, lol :)

[Roz]

I'm so excited!! My library just notified me that they have a copy of Winter waiting for me. I've had that hold out there at least 6 months. I don't care that I have about 3 books started. I may have to go over there and get it tonight.

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories for the monthly challenge. Then I started The Crystal Shard which is the first published book in the world of Drizzt and decided I'd had enough. I'm about 20 minutes into Pope Joan and I think it's a keeper.

I'm still slogging my way through A Clash of Kings and am hopeful that I may even finish it tonight. I shouldn't say "slogging" because I am enjoying it, but it's so long (all 1000 pages of it).

[Lynda]

Finished Neverwhere this evening, and I really enjoyed the story. This isn't surprising, with it being Neil Gaiman, and all, his characters and his worlds are delightful, gruesome, and full. The audio wasn't a disappointment either, with some fun effects thrown in here and there. It occurred to me that at some point in time I must have started watching the BBC miniseries, but never finished it. All I remember is that Tamsin Greig portrayed a Velvet, so I don't think I ever finished it. I hope it's still on Netflix.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

The new Doctor Who (Capaldi) is the Angel Islington in the series too.

I wish someone sat down with the original footage and just tidied it all up a bit, would make it much more watchable. BBC2's quality control was a lot lower in 1996 apparently.

[Mary Beth]

I am reading Undone Now You See Me and The Fiery Cross