What Are You Reading Today? -(v2.0)

[Erin]

Ovidia wrote: "but I don't know if libraries accept book donations."

Depends on the library, I think. My library actually has paperbacks to lend, so I think they might actually go through the book donations and pull them to add to the shelves. Most of the time, though, it seems like the libraries do a big book sale of donations and use the proceeds to buy more books for the library. Which I've always thought was a little backward, but I guess they usually want the library bound editions rather than standard hardcovers?

[Erin]

I've been on a paranormal/urban fantasy kick lately. Adding to it, I borrowed Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series on Overdrive. I'm on book three now and it's pretty good so far; started out as much less romanticized than the other werewolf/vampire books available. Kind of an upbeat writing style and generally optimistic characters, but more realistic/cynical view of the rest of the world and human society.

I'm liking them, but if Kitty doesn't get a break soon, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep reading. As a friend said about Jim Butcher's Dresden books, it's just too hard to read about a character you like being repeatedly kicked while he's down.

[Margaret]

Our librarians check donations to see if there is anything the library needs and then send the rest to the Friends Group for book sales. The money earned not only buys books (and audiobooks) but also pays for programs and what other needs can't be met out of the meager normal funds.

[Kathy]

I'm reading non-Bouchercon (new word) authors that I couldn't get to before that event. I just finished Linda Fairstein's Death Angel, and I am starting M.C. Beaton's latest Agatha Raisin, Something Borrowed, Someone Dead: An Agatha Raisin Mystery. I am also trying to finish Carl Hiaasen's Star Island, which I started on audio on my recent trip. Then, I will be getting back to Bouchercon authors with Sue Grafton's W is for Wasted and, of course, LRK's The Bones of Paris. And, Ovidia, I will be reading your novel Aunty Lee's Delights: A Singaporean Mystery, too.

[Lenore]

I've just started listening to Tana French's Broken Harbor, which was recommended to me by just about everyone in the English-speaking world. Too soon to know how I'll like it, but I am already in awe of her descriptive powers. I swear that I am not only seeing the scenes as her characters see them, but also smelling the scents they are smelling.

[Carol]

I think you'll enjoy Broken Harbor-I read all her books last spring. I am hoping for a new one soon.

[Ovidia]

Thanks Kathy B! I enjoyed writing it but with all the new writers I've discovered since Bouchercon I'm just beginning to see how much I've got to learn!

[C.P.]

I am re-skimming Letters from Skye, which I loved, in preparation for interviewing the author, and reading The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas—a mystery set in 8th-century Samarkand. Translation is flawless, the setting fascinating and unusual, but the text takes a while to rev up. Worth sticking with, though.

Disclaimer: I have worked with the translator for years, but she has exceeded even her usual excellent work here. You would never know that the book was not originally written in English.

[Lenore]

I tried Jesse Kellerman's The Executor, but just couldn't get to care about the main character, so I did something I almost never do, and quit the book, about 1/3 of the way through. Now I'm listening to Louis Bayard's The School of Night, in which, at least, the narrator is likeable.

[Lenore]

Taking a "vacation" from mysteries and reading espionage novels by Charles McCarry, a master of the form. Most of his books are serious studies of espionage and politics, but Old Boys is sort of a spoof on espionage novels and a serious exploration of the depths of relationships of family and comrades in arms. It's almost certainly more fun for those (like me) who have read the preceding novels dealing with the Christopher/Hubbard family - and it was fun. Now I'm listening to the last of the books in the series (in terms of when it was written, not chronologically for the characters), Christopher's Ghosts, which is a tad depressing because it telegraphs where it's going, and for most of the characters, where it's going is not very good. McCarry is a fine writer, and my espionage detour is very rewarding.

[Erin]

I started a reread of Tamora Pierce's Emelan series after reading her most recent, Battle Magic. I realized I was kind of fuzzy on what had happened before this book and also that I rather missed those characters and it was about time to say hello to them again.

Tamora Pierce is one of those YA authors that makes me sad that they're doing YA because there's a finite number of stories she can do with her characters before they become adults. Though she always brings her adults back in cameos, which is also really fun.

[Erin]

I need to complain about a book I'm reading. I started reading The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon because it was up for a GR Choice award this year for fantasy (which is kind of funny because it's turned out to be alternative history and aliens and thus should be SF in my mind, but whatever) and the marketing campaign has plastered the title all over everywhere over. I'm even realizing that this book was marketed more than six months before it actually came out, which probably factors into the feeling that it's been all over everywhere for forever.

But it's really kind of a bad read. A quarter of the way through and we've gotten most of the world building in a couple of extreme data dumps (seriously, one of them was delivered as a seminar lecture). And the characters are pretty one dimensional. The whole tone of the book really reminds me of a WWII Nazi camps and genocide kind of story, which should spark so much emotional reaction, but falls so so flat.

I'll stop there, though. It's just so disappointing to be led into thinking something is going to be really good because of the hype level and then be completely let down. =P

[Sabrina]

Erin wrote: "I need to complain about a book I'm reading. I started reading The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon because it was up for a GR Choice award this year for fantasy (which is kind of funny because it'..."

That is really too bad, Erin. I've been seeing that book everywhere, but never even bothered to pick it up because the cover looked like an urban witch fantasy to me.

I just finished Wool Omnibus and highly recommend it! The world is sort of a mystery and the characters, who are complex, are unraveling their world with the reader.

[Elisabeth]

Erin wrote: "I need to complain about a book I'm reading. I started reading The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon because it was up for a GR Choice award this year for fantasy (which is kind of funny because it'..."

Ugh, I hate it when that happens!!

After struggling through a book I hated - which I had to finish because everyone else loved it - I decided that there's no sense in reading things I don't like. There's just too much good stuff out there. Put this thing down and pick up an old friend.

[Carole]

I finally finished Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch, which I started in June! It wasn't a book I could sit and read page after page, but I finally got through it. 5* rating though. I'll give my emotions a rest before starting the next book in the trilogy, Pillar of Fire. I'm currently reading Aftershock by Robert Reich and Murder as a Fine Art is up next.

[Lesley]

Elizabeth
Murder as a Fine Art is a unique read. I enjoyed it.

[Erin]

Elisabeth wrote: "There's just too much good stuff out there. Put this thing down and pick up an old friend. "

Happily, I had it out as an overdrive library loan and it expired yesterday, so I didn't even have the temptation to try to finish it!

I've switched over to Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger who's work is hilarious and just what I need to clear my brain =)

[Erin]

Lesley wrote: "Elizabeth
Murder as a Fine Art is a unique read. I enjoyed it."

We're discussing it next month, Lesley. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!

[LindaH]

Re The Bone Season...I totally agree with Erin's comment. I just had to stop listening to it. I was miffed at myself for falling for the hype and wasting an Audible point. There should be a thread called "What are you thinking of reading because of the marketing hype?" :)

[Elisabeth]

Lesley wrote: "Elizabeth
Murder as a Fine Art is a unique read. I enjoyed it."

'unique'...

color me intrigued! :)

[Erin]

Linda wrote: "There should be a thread called "What are you thinking of reading because of the marketing hype?" :) "

So start one ;-)

[Erin]

Elisabeth wrote: "Lesley wrote: "Elizabeth
Murder as a Fine Art is a unique read. I enjoyed it."

'unique'...

color me intrigued! :)"

I just found out this author is the guy who wrote the books that the Rambo movies are based on. So, yeah, I can definitely see where this one might be unique!

[Laura]

Erin wrote: "I need to complain about a book I'm reading. I started reading The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon because it was up for a GR Choice award this year for fantasy (which is kind of funny because it'..."

I understand how you feel. It's kind of a let down when you can't finish a book that you really wanted to read. I felt that way about "The Book Thief". A dear friend told me it was wonderful but I thought it was dark and depressing. Another book I wanted to read was "Guests on Earth" by one of my high school English teachers - North Carolina novelist Lee Smith. But again part way thru I just could not finish it. I've come to the decision that there are too many good books to waste time reading books I don't enjoy.

[Laura]

Erin wrote: "I started a reread of Tamora Pierce's Emelan series after reading her most recent, Battle Magic. I realized I was kind of fuzzy on what had happened before this book a..."

Sorry Erin, I disagree with you on this one. I think it is important that Tamora Pierce writes for the YA audience since there are so few really good books for that age group. I enjoy her YA books but it would be fun to read a book by her aimed at the adult market.

[LindaH]

This question is so off topic but I've just spent an hour searching for a place to ask it...well yeah, I did get stuck reading old threads...but I don't know the simplest stuff and I need to improve my game here: HOW do I copy and paste a comment?

[KarenB]

HOW do I copy and paste a comment?

I highlight the part of the comment I want to quote and then do Command C (or you can go up to Edit and go to Copy) then I go to the new comment box and paste (Command V or go up to Edit and Paste). I set it into italics using html. Every time I try to describe the html commands I just make it italic so look just above the comment box that you are writing in and in parentheses it says (some html is ok) and if you click on that it will tell you how to do italic and bold and underline.

Hope that helps!

[Lenore]

Laura wrote: "I've come to the decision that there are too many good books to waste time reading books I don't enjoy. ..."

I certainly agree, having just quit Jesse Kellerman's The Executor, and recently another book whose name escapes me (no doubt suppressed because I disliked it so much). However, as a general rule, I think one ought to give a book the first 100 pages - at least, if someone you respect has liked it - because some books just take awhile to reel you in. I'd have missed some great reads if I hadn't followed this rule, including LRK's own Folly, which for some reason I found difficult going until Rae actually got to the island.

[LindaH]

Thanks, Karen, for being thorough, especially about the italics. I'll try this on my laptop later. I mostly use my iPad for GR. What's the magic trick for copying and pasting on a touchscreen?

[Sabrina]

The same thing happened to me with Folly, Lenore. I actually stopped reading it. So happy I gave it another chance a few months later. Turned out to be one of my favorite books.

[Erin]

Linda wrote: "Thanks, Karen, for being thorough, especially about the italics. I'll try this on my laptop later. I mostly use my iPad for GR. What's the magic trick for copying and pasting on a touchscreen?"

I think you touch and hold the text you're wanting to copy and then there should be a drop down thing that gives you your usual copy/paste options. This is entirely anecdotal, though, as I don't work on a touchscreen.

I usually copy the part of a comment I want to reply to (via KarenB's method of command+C) and then hit the "reply" link at the bottom of that comment. The "reply" link at the bottom will start your comment box with the very beginning of whatever comment you're replying to (the person's name and a quote of the beginning of their comment). So I then paste my selected text over what's in quotes. Thereby putting the original commentor's name to their words. Plus, the whole thing will already have the html code written in automatically.

Also, for reference, I set up a "How do I" thread for us in the "Housekeeping" folder a while back for just such questions ;-)

[Erin]

Laura wrote: "Sorry Erin, I disagree with you on this one. I think it is important that Tamora Pierce writes for the YA audience since there are so few really good books for that age group. I enjoy her YA books but it would be fun to read a book by her aimed at the adult market. "

Yes, that was my point! She writes YA brilliantly and I love them and she should definitely continue writing them. But it would be fun to read something from her written to adults. Preferably involving some of my favorite characters who've grown to adulthood in her YA books. Like a book about Alana, but when she's older. Like the big battle in Lady Knight, but told from Alana's POV maybe. Something like that.

[LindaH]

KarenB wrote: "HOW do I copy and paste a comment?

I highlight the part of the comment I want to quote and then do Command C (or you can go up to Edit and go to Copy) then I go to the new comment box and paste (..."


Hey Karen, I'm learning. Much different GR site on my laptop. Thanks!

[LindaH]

Erin wrote: I usually copy the part of a comment I want to reply to (via KarenB's method of command+C) and then hit the "reply" link at the bottom of that comment. The "reply" link at the bottom will start your comment box with the very beginning of whatever comment you're replying to (the person's name and a quote of the beginning of their comment). So I then paste my selected text over what's in quotes. Thereby putting the original commentor's name to their words. Plus, the whole thing will already have the html code written in automatically.

Thanks for the directions, Erin! I used your paste-over method here. Nice.

[LindaH]

farmwifetwo wrote: "Linda wrote: "This question is so off topic but I've just spent an hour searching for a place to ask it...well yeah, I did get stuck reading old threads...but I don't know the simplest stuff and I ..."

I couldn't get the bubble to pop up when I tried sliding my finger, etc. Old iPad. Must check in with Apple. Thanks, farmwifexcxc (Sorry, must have hit button that changes font size to 4. LOL)

[Lesley]

Erin wrote: "Lesley wrote: "Elizabeth
Murder as a Fine Art is a unique read. I enjoyed it."

We're discussing it next month, Lesley. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!"

I will have to skim it again as I read it back in June. Had read another book that had the murderer de Quincey writes about as part of the storyline.

[Erin]

I just finished In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker and it was so so good. I highly recommend it to all the Connie Willis fans we have here.

The book starts out with a few chapters explaining the sci-fi backstory for the main characters (which was a really neat and original set-up!) and then moves into more of an interpersonal story with a bit of romance to it. Slice of life-ish...except it's a life informed by modern sensibilities experiencing life in Bloody Mary's reign.

Anyway, I really liked it. Scifi for people who are more interested in the characters.

Now I'm debating with myself on buying the next few in the series. I really want to read them, but I have 80+ books on my pile of books I have purchased and not yet read. Plus the holidays coming up. I really should probably hold off on new book purchases =P

[John]

Erin wrote: "I just finished In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker and it was so so good. I highly recommend it to all the Connie Willis fans we have here.

The book starts out with a few chapters ..."

I am a big fan of Kage Baker, and was so shaken by her death at a relatively early age a few years ago. I have read all of her books, and the Company books in particular were quite enjoyable to this SF geek. You have a lot of interesting reads ahead of you, Erin, in the world of the Company!

[Lenore]

Erin wrote: "I just finished In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker and it was so so good. I highly recommend it to all the Connie Willis fans we have here.

The book starts out with a few chapters ..."

This has been on my TBR list for years, but it's hard to find in audio format, which is how I do almost all of my non-work-related reading. But you have re-awakened my desire to try to get it in audio or to find time to read with my eyeballs.

[Sabrina]

I'm nearly finished with The Barbary Coast An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld It's by the same author of Gangs of New York. I've lived in the SF area my whole life, and I'm ashamed to say, I knew very little of its history. So this has been eye opening. And most of it, especially the people, are stranger than anything fiction could conjure.

[Laura]

Erin wrote: "Laura wrote: "Sorry Erin, I disagree with you on this one. I think it is important that Tamora Pierce writes for the YA audience since there are so few really good books for that age group. I enjoy..."

Oops I apologize. I totally missed your point. Sorry

[Jeanne]

I just found this on Audible and have added it to my wish list. This sounds very intriguing. Another on my TBR list. Thank you.

Lenore wrote: "Erin wrote: "I just finished In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker and it was so so good. I highly recommend it to all the Connie Willis fans we have here.

The book starts out with a ..."

[Margaret]

I just raced through The Light Gets In by Louise Penney.I liked it much better than the previous book in the series. What a cliff-hanger from page to page!

[Lesley]

I am reading BURIAL RITES by Hannah Kent. This is a seesaw book for me. By turns I am racing through pages eager for the story to unfold and then at other times feeling thuroughly bored and debating putting the book aside.

[Erin]

I just finished Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy and it was so mediocre, I can't figure out what all the fuss was about. I keep seeing comments about how it's more shocking than Susanne Collins' Hunger Games and just baffling; did we read the same books, people? A higher body count doesn't make the deaths more impactful or more shocking. Meh, I'm glad to be done with them and moving on.

I'm probably going to move back to a reread of Tamora Pierce or Elizabeth Peters next. It's just that time of year, I think, where I want something I don't have to think much about. Comfort books.

[Elisabeth]

I just started Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl. It seems like good silly fun, with a quick enough pace to keep me interested without getting me lost. Steampunk adventure with a healthy dose of historical and literary references. (I'm very glad to have recently read Bram Stoker's Dracula.) It has the makings of a very good story; we'll see if it can deliver. :)

[John]

I am finishing up "Pig Island", a stand alone by the marvelous Mo Hayder (I look forward to meeting her at Bouchercon some day!)which is seriously creeping me out (but I expected that going in!)
Also in the middle of "Neptune's Brood", a nice little space opera by the wonderful Charles Stross, after which I will probably crack open my paperback copy of Sabrina's "A Thread In The Tangle", which I look forward to with anticipation!

[Jessica C.]

Hi all, I felt like coming home. Finished reading The Clockwork Scarab, found it to be lovely. Though one of the blurbs on the back confused me, asking where a female teenage version of Sherlock Holmes has been.... Hmmmm. (seriously though, besides MR, thought of Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer right away as well.)

[Elisabeth]

Hm, The Clockwork Scarab sounds kind of fun, I'll have to check it out! :)

[Erin]

Jessica C. wrote: "asking where a female teenage version of Sherlock Holmes has been.... Hmmmm."

Ha! Yeah, blurb writer; where have you been in the book world, because there have definitely been a couple teenage girl versions of homes around for a while.

[Lenore]

Just finished Gilbert King's Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. Important book, but very depressing to realize that Americans behaved like this to their fellow citizens.