What are you reading - May

[Cari]

It's May 1! Time to discuss new reads. It's beautiful here in Northeast Ohio.

I finished Always Watching. It was good. Not my favorite of her books (that goes to Still Missing) but it was still enjoyable and worth a read.

I read Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures last night. It's short, so it only took me an hour. It was HILARIOUS. I was laughing so hard my face hurt.

I'm currently reading Wedding Night and listening to Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. I'm enjoying both of them. Both authors are usual standbys for me and don't disappoint. Even when they're not on top of their game, I still enjoy anything they've written.

I added a bunch of books from the new BookPage to my reading list, by authors I haven't tried, so we'll see what happens with those.

[Alison]

I recently finished Life After Life and it was differently fantastic than I expected. I think you'll like it, Cari. :)

[Cari]

Oh yeeeees, I have had that on my to-read for a while. I love her. I actually had an ARC of it on my Nook, but it wasn't easily readable (lots of garbage on the file, couldn't change font, etc) so I decided to wait for the book. :-)

[PrimalAwakening]

Just finished The Dinner by Herman Koch. Wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be but hey we can't always strike it lucky ;)
Now I'm onto reading Boneshaker by Cherie Priest-a steam punk classic by now. This time I thought I'd make things more challenging and read about a further 100 pages than the last book I just finished. See how I go.
UPDATE- I finished reading Boneshaker by Cherie Priest and definitely recommend it to all who like this genre.
I am also reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and so far it's an elegant style of writing with interesting storytelling.
UPDATE- I highly recommend The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield to all readers who like a different kind of storytelling and an actual ending.

[Meg]

I'm reading Remains of the Day and listening to Great Expectations. Remains of the Day is slow, and it is building up to something good I think, but I am 85% through and not there yet. It is also very different from the Emma Thompson/Anthony Hopkins movie. Great Expectations is much better than when I read it in high school. It is another long one. When I am finished I will probably listen to Diabetes with Owls for something short and light. I also just finished a Shakespeare class, so I am classiced out, but you always know you will be reading a good book if you pick a classic. I recently read the Mindy Kahling book recommended by the podcast. I really like her and would recommend her book if you watch the Office or the Mindy Project. I also plan to read the series that Beth keeps recommending Bartalmeus or something like that, or something else quick.

[Jumana]

I really enjoyed Remains of the Day. It can be slow at times, but well worth the read! I saw the movie after I read the book, I'm glad I did.
I am currently reading How It All Began by Penelope Lively. It's about the ripple effect of people who never met after an elderly woman is mugged. It's a quick read and is light.

[Beth]

Finally reading Clockwork Princess and lovin' it!!

Also reading the False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen. A steal for 7.99 at the local bookstore and a staff pick. Reminds me of Prince and the Pauper with Man in the Iron Mask. So far so good.

I have David Sedaris' talk about diabetes with owls but have yet to open it. Afraid I might have to pass it on at the library before I get a chance to read it.

[Bookworm]

Hi! Im reading This is Wht Happy Looks Like!

[Nina]

Ooh. I loved "This is what Happy looks like." I didn't like it as much as "The Statistically Probability of Love at First Sight" though.

I'm reading "So Many Books, So Little Time" which is a memoir about a woman who plans to read 52 books in a year... One book a week. It was a Goodwill find and as I read it, the book choices shows it a bit dated. I will give it another chapter before think of abandoning it.

I'm also re-reading "Honey for a Child's Heart."

I'm reading to my 9-year old son "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" which I've never read. We are both not impressed and trudging through it.

To my 7-year old girl I'm taking a break from the Magic Tree House books to read Pippi Longstocking in an effort to clean my palate.

[Harry]

I've just started The Rosie Project (huge new Australian release) and got halfway through without coming up for air! A really sweet, easy read. Just finished listening to The Song of Achilles (good; I like the Greek myths), and have replaced it with The Sandcastle Girls, which I'm really looking forward to.

Love your podcast! I wish you were in Melbourne, Australia. I can't make it work on iTunes but listen to it on your site.

[Sarah]

I really enjoyed "So Many Books, So Little Time." If you decide to abandon it, at least find the section where the author rereads Marjorie Morningstar. The differences in how she feels about Marjorie as an adult vs. when she was a teenager are funny.

Nina wrote: "Ooh. I loved "This is what Happy looks like." I didn't like it as much as "The Statistically Probability of Love at First Sight" though.

I'm reading "So Many Books, So Little Time" which is a me..."

[Cari]

@Perri, thanks! I wish we were in Australia, too - wouldn't that be cool. I know nothing about Australia.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing - I'm not listening to anything right now, but I'm on the waiting list for the audiobook of Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan. I'm also reading Clockwork Angel, because everyone else is doing it :-)

[Meg]

So I was a few chapters in to Ready Player one, and I had to stop listening. It felt like too many boring details about a guy I didn't really care about and games I was never interested in. Should I try again? I may be the only person who didn't like this book. I switched to discovery of witches, and I like that so far.

[Cari]

Oh man, I loved Ready Player One, but if you're not into video games or 80s references, it may not be your thing. I was also a big fan of Discovery of Witches though. That one I did find a bit tedious at times, but I loved the characters and the story, so it kept me reading.

[Alanna]

I really liked Ready Player One - but I could see if you didn't play video games or watch movies in the 80s it wouldn't be nearly as fun to read.

I finished reading Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. The parts I loved I really really loved - the parts I didn't like I really didn't like. Pretty par for the course for me and Sedaris. The likes outweigh the not likes though.

I also finished The Time of My Life by Cecilia Ahern. I like her fine - I generally think her books are solidly good - not great. I like this one more though. I think I read it when I was in the perfect mood for it.

I also just finished listening to Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales I thought that was funny and good. And I also finished listening to Mini Shopaholic. These shopaholic books are like the oreos of the reading world. Yeah, I know they aren't good for me - but once in a while they just really hit the spot. The reader on the audios is excellent - sometimes I laugh out loud.

I am currently reading Seven Up by Janet Evanovich and listening V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton. If I don't get them totally mixed up it will be a miracle! I guess I am in a mystery kind of mood.

[Sally]

Just finished Owls - feel exactly the same!!

[Cari]

I loved Owls, but I know what you mean about Sedaris. I picked up Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (the only one I hadn't listened to yet - I had no idea what to listen to) and it's probably not my favorite.

I love the Shopaholic books too! (I think I said that before).

I'm really getting into Clockwork Angel now. I stayed up late to read it, and I'm so tired today.

[Wylie Kay]

Ok, I almost chucked Clockwork Angel to the "Give Up" pile because it was moving at a horribly slow pace. That is.......until the fight scene in which she find her brother. Finally somethings moving and I can't seem to put it down. Hope I can get it finished before the library wants to reclaim it.

[Cari]

I haven't gotten that far yet - It did take me a few tries to get into it, but I kept reading because so many people told me it got better.

[Beth]

Squeak! Just wait until book 3.

[Beth]

Reading Salt, Sugar, Fat and now I freaked out before chapter 1. "Some of the largest companies are now using brain scans to study how we neurologically react to certain foods, especially to sugar. They discovered that the brain lights up for sugar the same way it does for cocaine, and this knowledge is useful, not only in formulating foods. A company who makes ice cream parlayed it's brain research into brilliant marketing campaign that sells the eating of ice cream as "scientifically proven "way to make ourselves happy ". Great.

Also reading Lean In. Fascinating.

Fiction. Reading (listening) Snow White Must Die. Very good. Reminds me of Gone Girl meets Girl with Dragon Tattoo.

[Wylie Kay]

Cari wrote: "I haven't gotten that far yet - It did take me a few tries to get into it, but I kept reading because so many people told me it got better."

Ya, like chapter 10! Which is about 200 pages in. That's a lot to ask a reader, but I stayed up 2 hours later last night to keep reading.

[Cindy]

Wylie Kay wrote: "Ya, like chapter 10! Which is about 200 pages in..."

I had the same issue with it. That first fight scene was kinda the turning point that made me decide to at least finish the book. But I didn't really get sucked in until around Chapter 17, which is so painfully late. I also had trouble with the fact that the Clockwork Angel itself was mentioned very little throughout the story, and even when it finally plays a role I still didn't really get it. I probably won't read the rest of the series, unless Beth can provide some insight as to whether the next books move a little faster than the first.

[Wylie Kay]

The reason I checked it out was because of Beth. It's her fault! (kidding of course)

[Cari]

Yeah, Beth is responsible for me reading it too. :-)

[Cindy]

Me too, though somewhat indirectly. ;)

[Cari]

Haha, Cindy, I know, Beth got Bethany to read it, which then got all you guys to read it, plus my sister, which made me like, OK, now I just need to know what all the cool kids are talking about.

[Beth]

LOL. I feel like I've started a cult.

[Wylie Kay]

Started Clockwork Princess a week ago. Thanks again Beth.