What are you reading March 2013

[Gina]

Halfway through The End of the Affair by Graham Greene. It has been addicting so far.

[Kate]

I review for my local newspaper, so I tend to read a bit in advance. I just finished "Z" by Therese Ann Fowler and loved it! It comes out Mar. 26, but I can't not talk about it now :)

[Sydney]

I'm reading "The End Of Your Life Bookclub" by audio and "The Shadow of Night " by hardcover. Also reading "The Vagina Monologues" by theater. : )

[Denise]

Looks like I need to add Stoner and Alex to my list. I read The Dinner a few weeks ago. I liked it but wanted something different in the end. The writing sort of reminded me of The Slap which I loved. I'm now reading The Round House. I really like it, especially Grandma Ignatius. :-)

[Lisa]

Sydney wrote: "I'm reading "The End Of Your Life Bookclub" by audio and "The Shadow of Night " by hardcover. Also reading "The Vagina Monologues" by theater. : )"

I am also reading 'The End of Your Life Bookclub'. Enjoyable so far.

[Sarah]

I finished The Angel's Game, and I wished I enjoyed it more. I didn't connect with the characters as much as I had hoped I would.
Light reading now: The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart, The Red Herring with Mustard by Alan Bradley, and a Georgette Heyer mystery titled Why Shoot a Butler. Cozy Crime...works for me on one of the last snowy days of winter.

Alex sounds interesting. I read the The Dragon trilogy. The violence was hard, but I also found the animal torture very had to deal with, too. Before I read Alex, I will need to search for some spoilers that alert me to that type of thing. It's just my issue so I will want to know if I should avoid certain parts of the book if there is animal cruelty in it. That said, I really enjoyed Dragon trilogy, especially the third one.

[Carol]

I just finished #2 of the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (thanks Ann-now I'm hooked and have 17 more books for my to-read list) AND Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.

Next up: Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow

[Amy]

Sarah wrote: "Alex sounds interesting. I read the The Dragon trilogy. The violence was hard, but I also found the animal torture very had to deal with, too. "

While I obviously didn't like the human violence in the Dragon trilogy, it was really the animal violence that I had to skip ahead of.

[Janet]

I just have to say I am truly enjoying the audio of . I have one disc to go and the characters are so relatable and real to me and I feel so much empathy for Bea. This is what really does it for me in a book, great characters!

[Gerald]

I just finished last night.I have to admit I was not happy with this book or the audible edition.Basically my suggestion to Audible listeners,stay away from authors reading books.Ecch!As for the book itself the only story I really liked was the last one which the title of the book was taken.Saunders is a talented writer I am sure but this book is not my short story fav.Ger

[[deleted user]]

What a terrible and scurrilous attack on a noble and helpful religion! What a libel against its honest and self-effacing founder and prophet, L. Ron Hubbard! And upon its current and not at all insane leader, David Miscavige, who is by no means a sadistic tyrant! And upon Tom Cruise, who is not at all a megalomaniacal weirdo!






Psst...is everyone gone? Is it safe? Okay, I really liked this book. It's a hard hitting exposé of Scientology that has to be read to be believed. That first paragraph above was just a feeble attempt on my part to ward off retribution and harassment by the Church of Scientology for expressing a negative opinion.

[[deleted user]]

The world lost a great comedic voice when Larry Shue died in a plane crash back in the eighties. Two of his plays, "The Nerd" and "The Foreigner" are the gold standard in theatrical belly laughs. Shue, laugh for laugh, makes Neil Simon look like the MacNeil/Lehrer Report.

Willum Cubbert is a rising young architect in Terre Haute, IN who gets a call from Rick Steadman, who saved his life in Vietnam. Since he was unconscious while being rescued, he never actually saw what Rick looked like. Anyway, after calling, Rick shows up and takes up residence with the accommodating Willum. Rick is a terrible house-guest. A nerd. A pest. A pestilence.

Rick (aided by erstwhile girlfriend Tansy and acerbic buddy Axel), must find within himself the gumption to give Rick the boot.

A few paragraphs can't do justice to how funny this play is. So read it yourself. Or come see me in it (playing Axel) at Salem Community Theatre, opening April 19, 2013!

[Linda]

Eric wrote: "

What a terrible and scurrilous attack on a noble and helpful religion! What a libel against its honest and self-e..."

Love it, Eric. I'll take you in (Amy-Anne, too) if you need protection.

[nancy]

Eric wrote: "

What a terrible and scurrilous attack on a noble and helpful religion! What a libel against its honest and self-e..."

this post is so YOU Eric!!

[nancy]

Ann wrote: "Ok, all of you who bought ALEX from the UK -- do me a favor, please? If you love it, please talk it up WHEN IT'S OUT and encourage people to buy it here.

Honestly, I hadn't realized it was out in ..."

Wow Ann..look how influential your reviews are..when you rave about a book, your followers take out their credit cards!

[nancy]

I'm reading The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D..really enjoying it (Kindle);
Dear Lives on audio and Autobiography of Us in hardback.
--a totally multimedia week.

[Becky]

Just finished & starting a book which has been on my shelf for a long time...

[Virginia]

Eric - Your first paragraph "reviewing" Going Clear was quite funny!! I agree with you that it was a fascinating read. There was more detail about Scientology's internal politics & problems than I was really interested in knowing, but most of the book was absorbing. You know, if someone wrote a novel about the creation of a religion like Scientology, no one would believe it. And their hatred of psychiatry/psychology ... could it be because most of them are completely insane? I hope lots of people read Going Clear because there just can't be too much debunking of such a dangerous cult.

[Elizabeth☮]

I finished Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World which is an interesting piece of history. I was not aware of Nellie Bly and her attempt to circumnavigate the world in 75 days. Bly has spunk and charisma and dominated journalism in a time when men ruled this profession. She also broke social norms by traveling unescorted. Eye-opening and educational.

Now I am reading The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There.

[[deleted user]]

The second of Henry's Troy Chance novels, in which Troy gets a shot at making her name as an investigative journalist. She's called upon to investigate the death of a young man she knew who was found frozen in a lake.

The investigation into the cause of the man's death itself causes other events to transpire. Human existence is a complicated affair, and isn't always wrapped up in a neat package like a whodunit.

This non-traditional mystery series is shaping up to be a thoughtful take on human connections. I await the next installment.

[Sydney]

Just finished Guns by Stephen King and The End of Your Life Book Club.

[Susan from MD]

In March, I finished The Great Gatsby and The Hound of the Baskervilles and am now reading A Prayer for Owen Meany.

It's been a busy month at work, so a lighter reading month.

[Lil]

Just started and finished Safe from the Neighbors by Steve Yarbrough. Wow, this book was amazing and I am so glad BOTNS exposed me to this author.

Also, wanted to share my recent library book sale SCORE!!! Picked up a bunch of good books for $1 each, including 3 booktopia books! Also, got to pick up some southern lit for my friend who owns a used bookstores. My favorite kind of shopping!

[Mary]

I just finished Ghostman by Roger Hobbs. This was a great and quick read - fast-paced. Thanks Ann for recommending this!

[Ann]

Christine, all of the books in the trilogy will be released here; I thought Alex was the first, though perhaps I am wrong. It will be the first to be released in the US.

[Rae]

Linda wrote: "Finished listening to Canada so I perused the library's CD catalog and settled on Bridge of Sighs but only because no Booktopia that..."

How did you like Bridge of Sighs? It was the February pick for my book group and I had a hard time getting thru it...a little slow for me.

[Callie]

I finished The Realm of Last Chances, so good! I'm very excited to see the author at Booktopia. I also picked up and read Sailor Twain, which I liked way more that I expected. I found it so sad, and so lovely, it's a great example of the web comic and graphic novel as an art form.

I'm now reading Warm Bodies, which I got in my TBR random number generator roulette, and still listening to Ready Player One, which might be one of my favorite audiobooks ever. I will be very sad when this ends.

[Rae]

I finished Gone Girl (amazing!), Trapeze (good), and the audio of Beautiful Ruins (great) so far this month. I just started The Peach Keeper (meh, so far). I'll also be reading Small Damages for an author dinner my LBS is hosting the beginning of April.

[Tarah]

Here are mine... I have three going at one time (plus any non-fiction or online one-offs that I read)

Reading:


Listening:


Reading Aloud:

[Amy]

Rhiannon wrote: "I just started The Peach Keeper (meh, so far..."

My book group read this last year. The response was underwhelming. Kind of a fluff read.

[Rae]

Amy wrote: My book group read this last year. The response was underwhelming. Kind of a fluff read."

It feels a little 'fluffy'...not exactly what I was expecting when I read the descriptions. I'm wondering if I should just put it down but at this point, I think it's so short I'll just try to finish it quickly.

[Elizabeth☮]

The Peach Keeper is a light read. It's predicable. I felt the backstory of why the tree is called The Peach Keeper is more interesting than the present day story.

[Gina]

Just finished Where'd You Go, Bernadette which was one of the funniest, most entertaining books I have read in a while. Will start The Dinner tonight. I've been anxiously waiting to read it.

[[deleted user]]

I'm listening to "The Dinner" on audio right now. Excellent translation, and a far wittier book than I'd been led to believe. The narrator has a very Martin Amis-esque voice. Cranky and acerbic.

[Trish]

Lil wrote: "Also, wanted to share my recent library book shop..."

Wow! What a haul. That's a great library sale.

[Louise]

I'm reading - a great non-fiction description of pioneering life in the early 20th century :-)

[Rae]

Eric wrote: "I'm listening to "The Dinner" on audio right now. Excellent translation, and a far wittier book than I'd been led to believe.i>

That one is on my 'to read' list...I've been going back and forth on whether or not I want to get it on audio or in book form.

[[deleted user]]

The narrator is excellent.

[Kats]

Zeke wrote: "Here are mine... I have three going at one time (plus any non-fiction or online one-offs that I read)

Reading:

Listening:

Reading Aloud: "

Great idea to list the "Reading Aloud" book, too. The only regular reading time I get, actually, as my "audience" go crazy if I don't deliver the goods, as it were.

So, here we are at the end of March, and I'm feeling quite stressed that I have two book club meetings next week one of which I am hosting and moderating the bookS for (Eric, I blame you for doing the double whammy! Well, no, it's my poor organisation, actually.), and I am SO behind with the reading for it, so

for Book Club 1 which I'm hosting (and for Booktopia), I am reading

The Paris Wife
and to compliment it I will have to start (and finish!)
The Sun Also Rises

For the Book Club 2 I have to start (and finish)
Heavy Weather

For Booktopia I am reading
The Last Summer of the Camperdowns

On audio I just finished yesterday:
Instructions for a Heatwave

I am reading out loud for my children:
Lionboy

At the gym on the e-reader, I am reading:
I Just Want To Pee Alone

Thank God we have a long Easter week-end (five days off work/school here in Switzerland!) so I can concentrate on reading and eating Swiss chocolate! Okay, and shovelling snow. Yes. Again.

[Katie]

I'm reading Jojo Moyes for my book group this month:

[Becky]

Katie wrote: "I'm reading Jojo Moyes for my book group this month: "

this is my next book!!!

I finished 6 books in March-I am happy!!

[[deleted user]]

I was surprised that I liked this book less than I liked and .

By saying that, I don't want to put anyone off reading it. For those who like simple storytelling values, it's a great treat. And for some, this book may prove to be their favorite Clinch novel. Think of books like , , and , which offer similar twists, turns, tears, scares, and thrills.

Based on his earlier work, though, I expect Clinch to deliver more literary invention. Such as the way "Finn" created a tightly fitting companion piece to , and the way "Kings of the Earth" experimented with timelines and points of view.

The title "The Thief of Auschwitz" clues you in that you're about to read a drama set in that infamous Nazi death camp. I won't spoil the story by saying anything else. It's a very exciting, commercial novel, and I hope Hollywood comes knocking at Clinch's door. This book and the potential movie deserve to be every bit as successful as "The Help".

[Gerald]

Now listening to something I might understand.

[Callie]

Finished Ready Player One on audio, and LOVED it. I need a recommendation for my next audio, something similar, because this actually made a week of endless commuting fly by.

I also finished Warm Bodies, which was so much more than I was expecting. I had to have a pen nearby while I was reading it, there were so many great turns of phrase. ("I want to change my punctuation. I long for exclamation marks, but I'm drowning in ellipses.")

I'm now reading The Paris Wife for Booktopia, and it's also excellent. Love when I hit these good reading patches!

[Janet]

Callie wrote: "Finished Ready Player One on audio, and LOVED it. I need a recommendation for my next audio, something similar, because this actually made a week of endless commuting fly by.

I also finished Warm ..."

Highly, highly recommend the audio of Where'd You'd Go Bernadette....never a dull moment.

[Linda]

Starting The Realm of Last Chances in prep for Booktopia Vermont.