What Are You Currently Reading? (doesn't have to be an Aussie book) Showing 15,351-15,400 of 15,617

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Why? That sounds very strange Carolyn!

[George]

Currently reading Nick Vujicic - Life without limits. Just under half way , going good so far!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

George wrote: "Currently reading Nick Vujicic - Life without limits. Just under half way , going good so far!"



Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic

[Carolyn]

Brenda wrote: "Why? That sounds very strange Carolyn!"

They said I needed to have a well subscribed blog to get books to review. But that's Ok, there are plenty of books from other publishers available.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carolyn wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Why? That sounds very strange Carolyn!"

They said I needed to have a well subscribed blog to get books to review. But that's Ok, there are plenty of books from other publishers avai..."

I don't have a blog!!! Goodreads is my blog....odd!

[George]

Just started reading the book Kon-Tiki. Highly recommend so far!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl

Is this the one George? If you link your titles we can check out what you're reading:)

[George]

Yes! Very exciting book. Would recommend it to you Brenda :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Thanks George:)

[Marianne]

I didn't really enjoy The Pilgrimage very much, and my review will reflect that, but now have started reading one by a favourite author, Paul Torday, his fourth, The Hopeless Life Of Charlie Summers, which I am already enjoying.

[Tango]

I just finished the shocking but brilliant Lolita and about to start Close Your Eyes.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I am currently reading my 300th book for the year:) The Silk Thief by Deborah Challinor

[Dale]

Brenda wrote: "I am currently reading my 300th book for the year:) The Silk Thief by Deborah Challinor"

Well done reading machine Brenda.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Thanks Dale:) I've been wondering if I'd beat last year's total and I have - just! I've been aiming for 300:)

[Margot]

A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James

[Angela]

Currently reading book 4 of the Charlie Madigan UF series "Shadows Before the Sun".

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Angela wrote: "Currently reading book 4 of the Charlie Madigan UF series "Shadows Before the Sun"."

Shadows Before the Sun by Kelly Gay

Is that the one Angela?

[Angela]

Brenda wrote: "Angela wrote: "Currently reading book 4 of the Charlie Madigan UF series "Shadows Before the Sun"."

Shadows Before the Sun by Kelly Gay

Is that the one Angela?"

It is, and thank you, Brenda! Merry Christmas!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Thanks Angela and Merry Christmas to you too!!

[Lorraine]

I'm currently reading another Danielle Steel book, after just reading Accident, and I'm so unimpressed that I can't even recall the name of the book I'm reading! So why do I read Danielle Steel when I hate her style? Two reasons:
(a)The books are readily available (I found them in my mother's room at a nursing home after she passed away) and I can't resist reading a book that's on hand when I'm looking for something I haven't read, and
(b) I want to try to understand what makes her a best-selling author, apart from being prolific.
I'm not getting far with (b). All I'm doing is figuring out what it is I hate about her writing. It's repetitive. It's gushy. Her characters are far too wonderful and everyone loves them in ways that are over the top. Where are their flaws? And her constant use of clauses starting with ''as'' drives me insane. Plus, I can't find any literary value in her work. There are no BFO flashes of wisdom. There are no magical descriptions or beautiful poetic phrasings that you want to read over and over for the sheer magic of the words.
So all I conclude is that readers tend to like formulaic stories - and I hate them. Can I make myself write in a style I hate? I doubt it! I guess I'll go on studying the style of authors I love, like Jodi Piccoult and Erica Spindler. I write from the heart, and to mimic Danielle Steel I'd have to write from the head, with a calculated purpose. That's just not me, I'm afraid.
Anyone here like Danielle Steel and prepared to tell me why?

[K]

I am currently reading: Breaking Rules
The Truth About Him
And
Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis: Far Horizons
All ebooks

[Andrea]

Lorraine wrote: "I'm currently reading another Danielle Steel book, after just reading Accident, and I'm so unimpressed that I can't even recall the name of the book I'm reading! So why do I read Danielle Steel whe..."

I think I've only ever read one of hers, and it was 'nice' and completely forgettable. Maybe some people are comfortable with that kind of escapism? I'm with you though Lorraine - life is too short and there are too many good books to read.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I used to read Danielle Steel a lot Lorraine - I'd buy every new book that was published. This was a LOT of years ago. But all of a sudden I just got bored with her writing. It's the same every book - different characters, same dialogue!!! I still have 2 that are unread which I bought years ago. And I've given a lot away, and will give the rest away when I can find a recipient;)

[Ryan]

You could donate them to the local school Brenda.

[Lorraine]

Ryan wrote: "You could donate them to the local school Brenda."

Please don't, Brenda! Let's TRY to encourage kids to appreciate a higher standard of literature.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Haha thanks Ryan:) Don't think they're worthy of a school! Probably I'll end up taking them to Vinnies or Salvos or similar:)

[K]

I have never, ever read Danielle Steel in my life and nor have I ever had the desire to... Clearly I'm not missing out on anything? :P

[Sally906]

Kiera wrote: "I have never, ever read Danielle Steel in my life and nor have I ever had the desire to... Clearly I'm not missing out on anything? :P"

LOVE Danielle Steele - well her early works anyway - I haven't read her for a year or two but I can't think of one I disliked - only recommended title that comes to mind is Message from Nam and it was amazing. One of her sons committed suicide - he suffered from manic depression and while he fought against it he eventually sucommed to it - she wrote His Bright Light: The Story of My Son, Nick Traina about his life.

I certainly recommend her.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I enjoyed the earlier ones too Sally - but her writing is pretty standard now!!!

[Sally906]

Lorraine wrote: "Ryan wrote: "You could donate them to the local school Brenda."

Please don't, Brenda! Let's TRY to encourage kids to appreciate a higher standard of literature."

I was in high school when I started to read her - and I have an English degree in which I majored in Russian writers - I don't think I suffered from reading a wide range of writings and glad I had a librarian who censored nothing - I was borrowing Mills and Boon romances and Nicolai Gogol books at the same time.

[K]

I am an amateur writer and I suppose my stories would be considered as "pretty standard", but do you know what makes them special? They're MY stories and they come from my mind. Not everyone is a JK Rowling or a Dickens, I'm afraid. But writing gives us pleasure and an important outlet for our feelings and emotions that we can't always vocalise. I would love to have a novel published one day and I think every author should have that chance. Lol, sorry about the ramble, it's just something close to my heart.

[Sally906]

I picked up my ARC copy of Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman the other day. Got a bit ho hum about it as it lost my interest about quarter of the way in - but picked it up this afternoon and wham it hooked me - almost 3/4 through it now and on the edge of my seat with it!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

That's good when that happens..especially if you didn't give up completely:)

[Sally906]

Brenda wrote: "That's good when that happens..especially if you didn't give up completely:)"

I had engaged with the characters enough to care what happened to them :)

[Lorraine]

Kiera, I agree that your stories are special, and I encourage everyone to write THEIR story, even if they struggle to write a coherent sentence. There is value in the story, even poorly written. And I've read some very poorly written stories that I've found deeply rewarding and worthy of re-reading and recommending to others.
What I dislike about Danielle Steel's novels is that they really are formulaic. They are not HER stories. There's no uniqueness in them. The characters are too good to be true - neither real nor believable. I can't relate to them. I'd much rather a bad description of a real person - written so that I can relate to the author's feelings about that person. It's not good writing that enables us to do that so much as the writer's knowledge of the person and willingness to paint them as they really are - warts and all!
As Brenda says, as a reader, we want to engage with characters enough to care what happens to them. I could care less what happens to Danielle Steel's characters, because by the fourth page I'm heartily sick of the gushy accounts of their virtues and the repeated reports of how loved and admired they are by everyone.

Sally, I might look at some of her earlier works. Maybe doing so will enlighten me as to how she became so popular. Might be educational! I have read some Mills and Boon also. I do try to read a wide variety of different types of writing, because I believe writers need to do that to find their own voice and niche. For a writer, knowing what doesn't work for you, as a reader, is probably equally important with knowing what does.

[K]

Lorraine wrote: "Kiera, I agree that your stories are special, and I encourage everyone to write THEIR story, even if they struggle to write a coherent sentence. There is value in the story, even poorly written. An..."

Thanks Lorraine. I know what you're saying, I despise "perfect" characters and perfect settings. Conflict is so important in a good novel, as are imperfections in each character. Otherwise they're so incredibly unrealistic and boring. Things like that really aggravate me! Oh my goodness, it makes me wish you guys could read my stories, even though they're works in progress. I never get any feedback! Lol.

[Neko]

Sally906 wrote: "I picked up my ARC copy of Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman the other day. Got a bit ho hum about it as it lost my interest about quarter of the way in - but p..."

Love it when a story can get you back and hooked into it especially when you start to lose some interest in it. Had a few like that over time.

-

I'm not currently reading anything..Well, my GR page says I am but I haven't picked up that book since Oct...Urgh. Thinking I may try and get back into it...Last Man in Tower
Just a bit worried it's been so long that I'll have forgotten what I was up to as this book was kinda boring me (hence the long break).

[Lorraine]

Hey Kiera, I might regret this offer, but I often help writers develop their stories and I'd be happy to look at your work in progress and give you feedback if you think I could help at all.

I had several writers and a reader give me feedback when I was writing ''Mortgaged Goods'' and it was wonderfully helpful. Now that it's published, I'm looking for reader feedback but my promotion plans fell apart when my mother fell ill and it was clear she hadn't long to live. My release timing was all wrong (Seems to always be! My daughter-in-law was diagnosed with cancer straight after the release of my previous book, and I spent 18 months giving all I had to my son and his children and nothing to my writing work!)

I did sell copies of the book face to face when on a recent trip, and got great feedback, but sadly none of the buyers are on either Goodreads or Amazon, so the reviews weren't posted. I need more readers who are active on line. Now that my mother has gone, perhaps I can get active in promoting, but I'm still struggling with grief. And I'm sad that my biggest fan is no longer here. She discouraged me from writing or so long, but later in life she just loved that I was writing and she bought dozens of copies of my books to give to friends and raved to everyone about my writing.

Anyway, if you think you could benefit from feedback from me, feel free to message me and I'll give you an email address to send to. I warn you, I'm brutally honest, but I always try to be encouraging and helpful - never unkind.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Lorraine and Kiera would you mind PM'ing each other please as this conversation has turned into self promotion. Sorry guys..either that or the Author spotlight section :)

[K]

I was not actually trying to self promote. My comments were meant to be in relation to the Danielle Steel comments and I just said something whimsical, I know. I cannot take Lorranie up on her offer anyway and I do not belong in the author spotlight because I am not a proper author, no matter how much I want to be. Sorry.

[Lorraine]

Sorry, I wasn't consciously trying to self-promote either. I guess I just got a bit carried away with the conversation. But I can see now how it looks. My apologies to all.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

No worries guys, thanks :)

[K]

I finished Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis: Far Horizons and I gave it 3.5 stars- 3 in Goodreads language, because I thought it deserved more than three stars but didn't quite feel like a 4 star read to me.

[Sally906]

Today I have started reading Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples - set in Pakistan it is about a young Muslim girl in a camel herding family. She is betrothed to marry a distant cousin who she likes. But now she may get palmed off to a perfect stranger to settle a family feud. Apparently the author lived with these herders so knows how their customs work.

[Ali]

I am reading..
Why not me? by Mindy Kaling

Its a bunch of essays its hilarious. I am a fan of her from her tv show and her previous book and I am really enjoying it!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Ali wrote: "I am reading..
Why not me? by Mindy Kaling

Its a bunch of essays its hilarious. I am a fan of her from her tv show and her previous book and I am really enjoying it!"

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

[Ali]

Sorry I forgot to link in the name!
Thankyou for fixing it up
Brenda wrote: "Ali wrote: "I am reading..
Why not me? by Mindy Kaling

Its a bunch of essays its hilarious. I am a fan of her from her tv show and her previous book and I am really enjoying it!"

[book:Why Not M..."

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

You're very welcome:)

[Ashleigh]

I am marathon-ing the War of the Roses series by Posie Graeme-Evans for December. On the last book now The Beloved.

[Lorraine]

Maeve Binchy's Heart and Soul. Haven't read any of her work before. New authors are always interesting.