What are you reading December, 2013

[Karen]

I just started I'm only 58 pages in and I know I'm going to like this! I too am trying to reach my goal, right now I'm 4 books behind :(

[Amy]

Ann wrote: "Amy, I get what you're saying -- but I also think WONDER surpasses the category. Also, it's a quick read -- 2 hours tops..."

OK, I'll read it. But, if I do and don't love it, can I be excused from YA ;)

[Chanda2426]

Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work.

[Ann]

Amy wrote: "Ann wrote: "Amy, I get what you're saying -- but I also think WONDER surpasses the category. Also, it's a quick read -- 2 hours tops..."

OK, I'll read it. But, if I do and don't love it, can I be ..."

Absolutely. In fact, as a reward for your flexibility, email me your address to annkingman at gmail dot com and I will send you a copy. That will make it completely risk free. :)

[Victoria]

Ann is so helpful! What a great offer!

[Janet]

Hmmm, Ann I've got a list of about 200 books I might be convinced to read....if you're in a giving mood...lol,

[Linda]

Janet wrote: "Hmmm, Ann I've got a list of about 200 books I might be convinced to read....if you're in a giving mood...lol,"

JANET!!!

; > )

[Julie]

Sue wrote: "I'm still savoring Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner and just started Snow Hunters on audio by Paul Yoon, which made for a delightful hour+ commute this morning. It's just lovely.

For Hanukka..."
I LOVE Stegner's books - you should pick up 'Angle of Repose' in 2014 if you want to read more - one of my alltime faves!

[Lisa]

Chanda2426 wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work."


Nope, you're not alone. I'm reading it now too and feel the same way. I'm looking forward to next. Hope it's as good!

[Chanda2426]

Lisa wrote: "Chanda2426 wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work."


Nope, y..."
Oh goodie! I, too, have a copy of

coming in the mail! We will have to discuss! This is my first taste of Tartt and I am absolutely mesmorized!
Happy reading! I look forward to your comments!

[Karen]

Julie wrote: "Sue wrote: "I'm still savoring Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner and just started Snow Hunters on audio by Paul Yoon, which made for a delightful hour+ commute this morning. It's just lovely.
..."

Stegner is one of my favorite authors and "Angle of Repose" one of my favorite novels.

[Victoria]

I finished The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story a few days ago. I don't recommend this one. It wasn't that well-written, seemed overly "fluffy" to me, and the characters were difficult to keep track of, I kept forgetting which one was which, maybe because they weren't really explored in depth.

I'm now about 1\2 way through Pompeii, which is okay, but I think I had higher expectations based on reviews I had read.

[Gerald]

Read ANGLE OF REPOSE

[Kate]

I have finished ny 60 books for my Goodreads challenge. My last book was which was silly and fun and just what I needed. I am in the midst of which Santa had brought for one of my sons last year (thanks to last year's BOTNS Holiday Gift Guide and a wonderful personal sales job by both Michael and Ann). My son has not picked it up as he is a reluctant reader and I am not as great at hand selling. I had a very rough work week and needed something uplifting and I am loving it. Plus, I didn't want to get tossed out of the group for not having read it!

[Linda]

Kate wrote: "I have finished ny 60 books for my Goodreads challenge. My last book was which was silly and fun and just what I needed. I am in the midst of [bookcover:Wonde..."

Kate, wouldn't even consider tossing you out.

I'm curious about the Evanovich, though. Have you read all of them? I read them up to about 16, but they seemed to be either going down hill or just more of the same, so I stopped. Has it gotten any better?

[Ann]

Kate wrote: "Plus, I didn't want to get tossed out of the group for not having read it! "

We don't toss anyone for not reading WONDER. We just nag them until they give in!

[Kate]

Linda wrote: "Kate wrote: "I have finished ny 60 books for my Goodreads challenge. My last book was which was silly and fun and just what I needed. I am in the midst of [bo..."

Linda, I have read all of them and probably should have stopped as they really are more of the same. They remind me of high school summers reading romance novels where you know how they will end. Stephanie still hasn't picked either guy so I am sure there will be a 21... Sometimes after work, I really do need mindless and this was perfect.

[[deleted user]]

Kate wrote: "Stephanie still hasn't picked either guy so I am sure there will be a 21..."

Hello, what?! It's been like 14 or fifteen years since One for the Money! What is she waiting for?! I read the first 3 or 4 and thought they were fun; but the whole Ranger vs Joe thing wore pretty thin for me very quickly as well as the running bit about her exploding cars... But maybe after all these years I might be able to pick up the next couple in the series and still be entertained again ;-)

Does she age at all in the series?

[Linda]

Tanya/dog eared copy wrote: "Kate wrote: "Stephanie still hasn't picked either guy so I am sure there will be a 21..."

Hello, what?! It's been like 14 or fifteen years since One for the Money! What is she waiting for?! I read..."

Tanya, you missed something. There actually was one book in which a car did not explode!

[[deleted user]]

Anyone who knows me know that I'm a passionate advocate of the comics artform. I'm also a huge fan of both Harlan Ellison and Paul Chadwick (writer/artist of the fantastic "Concrete" series). In this graphic novel, however, the elements just don't gel. Or at least the package doesn't add up to the sum of its very formidable parts.

This story is a science fiction take on the "Seven Samurai" formula, in which seven disparate personalities band together to save the day. This being a Harlan Ellison story, there are other thematic elements, such as the tendency of human beings to enslave one another, and the evolutionary path that allowed mammals, rather than reptiles, to dominate.

The length of the story (200 pages), allows only the space to shoehorn in the plot. There's no character development, and no opportunity for Ellison to offer his brand of wry, angry social criticism. At double the length, perhaps all of these things would have been possible. I can't help but think that, with the Ellison prose touch, this story would have made a great novella; a great capstone to Ellison's long and prolific career (his output has slowed down considerably in his elder years).

Still, as something of an Ellison completist, I'm glad I read it. It's competently done, but less than I expect of Ellison, by whom I always expect to be blown away.

[Amy]

Ann wrote: "Amy wrote: "Ann wrote: "Amy, I get what you're saying -- but I also think WONDER surpasses the category. Also, it's a quick read -- 2 hours tops..."

OK, I'll read it. But, if I do and don't love i..."

Ann, what a generous offer. You are so very helpful :)

[Kate]

Tanya/dog eared copy wrote: "Kate wrote: "Stephanie still hasn't picked either guy so I am sure there will be a 21..."

Hello, what?! It's been like 14 or fifteen years since One for the Money! What is she waiting for?! I read..."
No she does not seem to age in the series and in this episode I think the car is simply totaled and not exploded, but only 2 days later and I can't remember. When I went to pick it up at the library the librarian looked at it and said Janet Evanovich and James Patterson are the 2 authors that fly off the shelves and are most requested through interlibrary loan. I know that my very small neighborhood holds the distinction for most fiction borrowed per population in the NYC public library system so I know we are all big readers, but I found that interesting.

[Kay]

Chanda2426 wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work."

I am addicted to The Goldfinch Audible version. The narration of the characters is perfect. Tartt is genius. A true 'never-want-it-to-end book.

[Stacie]

ok, giving in to peer pressure.....going to start Wonder tonight!!

[Amy]

Kay wrote: "Chanda2426 wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work."

I am add..."

Absolutely loved the book!

[Elizabeth☮]

Stacie wrote: "ok, giving in to peer pressure.....going to start Wonder tonight!!"

You won't regret it.

[Sue]

Julie wrote: "Sue wrote: "I'm still savoring Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner and just started Snow Hunters on audio by Paul Yoon, which made for a delightful hour+ commute this morning. It's just lovely.
..."

There's definitely consensus on Angle of Repose - I'm looking forward to reading it. I really enjoyed Crossing to Safety.

There also seems to be consensus on The Goldfinch! I bought the Kindle version just because it was on sale the other day, but after hearing that someone was listening to the audio, I'm torn. I love a good audiobook, but there's something about Donna Tartt books that seems to demand an old-fashioned paper book. What to do, what to do...

[Victoria]

You can get the Audible version discounted for $12.99 (or 1 Audible credit) if you purchased the Kindle version. I actually just bought the Audible version today and decided I would try the Whispersync thing out. Reading with my eyes is still a much better fit for me, I just don't process the audio that well. I get distracted!

I think $12.99 is a lot for an "extra" since I already have the book. But I had 2 credits in my account, so I just did it.

[Sue]

I also tried the Whispersync thing last week, for The Great Santini, which was a $2.99 deal, and the extra audio was something like $1.99 - a deal I couldn't refuse. I agree that $12.99 is a lot for an 'extra,' but audiobooks are pricey. I usually get them from the library. I have a long commute and they really make the driving much more pleasant for me. Some great ones I've listened to recently:

Salvage the Bones by Jessmyn Ward
The Weekend by Bernard Schlink
The Snow Hunters by Paul Yoon (narrated by the author)
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I'm currently enjoying The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

Two audiobooks I did not enjoy and did not finish were The Tiger's Wife and The Burgess Boys. I still wonder if I would have liked either or both better in book form.

Victoria wrote: "You can get the Audible version discounted for $12.99 (or 1 Audible credit) if you purchased the Kindle version. I actually just bought the Audible version today and decided I would try the Whisper..."

[Janet]

I read The Goldfinch but I think I would enjoy the audio too. Will have to see if my library has acquired it.

[Rachel]

Finished for book club and quite enjoyed it. I'm excited to get back to ! It was so difficult to put down that I waited until the last possible minute to read for book club.

[Pam]

Sue--
I made it halfway through THE BURGESS BOYS on audio but had to give it up because the pace was killing me. I may try it another day but it was a library copy so I'll have to get in line again. Not nearly as engrossing as OLIVE KITTERIDGE.

[[deleted user]]

Chanda2426 wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work."

I'm sorry to tell you I hit a big reading slump after finishing The Goldfinch...I had a really hard time enjoying anything after finishing such a fabulous book.

[Pam]

Finished Nesbo's PHANTOM in two days. Love that Norwegian guy! Put his newest on my holiday list, so I can find out what happened to Harry Hole!

Listening to HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET which I may give away for World Book Night.

[Lisa]

Shannon wrote: "Chanda2426 wrote: "Am I the only one who doesn't want to ever end??! Don't think anything I read next will remotely compare to the beauty of this work."

I'm sorr..."

I hear you. This is something that always seems to happen to me after finishing a truely great book. Wish they could all be 5 stars!

[Sue]

I loved Olive Kitteridge, too. Glad I'm not the only one to be disappointed by the Burgess Boys!

Pam wrote: "Sue--
I made it halfway through THE BURGESS BOYS on audio but had to give it up because the pace was killing me. I may try it another day but it was a library copy so I'll have to get in line again..."

[Chanda2426]

Finished The Goldfinch! Amazing, amazing, amazing! Everything else pales in comparison! Definitely clutchworthy (even at 771 pages)!

[Katie]

Zealot by Reza Aslan as the intelligently researched and well-written counter to the selection I have to read for book group this month on the same topic:

[Linda]

Katie wrote: "Zealot by Reza Aslan as the intelligently researched and well-written counter to the selection I have to read for book group thi..."

Katie,
Reza Aslan is scheduled to be on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight (Wednesday December 11).

[[deleted user]]

I read about two pages of and gave the book an actual hug. I have a feeling I'm reading a new favorite.

[Becky]

I finished , it was ok….starting

[Denise]

Loved The Goldfinch, too!!! I'm now reading Brewster and am not loving it as much as I thought I would. I think I'll read Wonder next.

[Cindy]

I'm well into The Luminaries. . It truly feels like a 21st century Dickens novel.

[Mary]

Elizabeth wrote: "Stacie wrote: "ok, giving in to peer pressure.....going to start Wonder tonight!!"

You won't regret it."

[Victoria]

Ok, I have about a 1\2 dozen books started and was getting no traction with anything, so a pox on all of you who compelled me to add The Goldfinch to my list today! I went back and forth between Audible and Kindle all day and have just hit 20%. It is very good. This is my first Tartt book, although I do own The Secret History but haven't read it yet. This is doing SO much more for me than The Luminaries was. I returned that to the library for some future attempt.

[[deleted user]]

Cindy wrote: "I'm well into The Luminaries. . It truly feels like a 21st century Dickens novel."

Oh. That may have just killed it for me. I've read one Dickens (Great Expectations for the Beowulf on the Beach Challenge years ago) and while I'm glad that I can say that I've read a Dickens novel, I'm not rushing out to repeat the experience :-/

[Sue]

It's such a lovely book. Take your time with it if you can.

Shannon wrote: "I read about two pages of and gave the book an actual hug. I have a feeling I'm reading a new favorite."

[Amy]

Pam wrote: "Sue--
I made it halfway through THE BURGESS BOYS on audio but had to give it up because the pace was killing me. I may try it another day but it was a library copy so I'll have to get in line again..."

This is interesting... I really didn't like Olive Kitteridge. The writing was okay, but very depressing. I thought I would give this one a try (eventually).

[Jackie]

Pam I thought the same. My wife loved it. I did finish it , though.

[Linda]

Started listening to Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital