What are you reading and why? Jan-Jun 2014 Showing 751-800 of 1,330

[Pragya]

Hahaha love the conversation and omg that cover!

[Peggy]

I finished Gone with the Wind!! I thought it was fantastic, here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished The Cold Dish and gave it 3.5 stars. I may have enjoyed it more if I had read it in print format. George Guidall did a good job, but he sounded like an old man. I loved him in American Gods, so I'm not even sure if he was the problem with this book.

I'm still working on Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History (paperback) and Nemesis (ebook). Later today, I will start my next audiobook, Croak.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm now finished Nemesis. I really enjoyed it.

[Dem]

Just finished The Shock of the Fall This is my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/870499408

[Sarah]

Dem wrote: "Just finished The Shock of the Fall This is my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/870499408"

I'm reading this at the moment. Great review Dem! It is not uplifting no but I still find that I am interested by it and want to read on. I am glad I am reading it at the same time as lighter reads!

[Dem]

Sarah wrote: "Dem wrote: "Just finished The Shock of the Fall This is my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/870499408"

I'm reading this at the moment..."

Thanks Sarah, look forward to your thoughts.

[Casceil]

I just finished The Golem and the Jinni. I loved it.

[Esther]

I am still reading L’homme qui savait la langue des serpents. My backup books areRevelation Space and A Feast for Crows, both in my Mickey's chunkster.

Audio: i am listening to Greywalker, next are Insurgent, another chunkster.

[Sarah]

I have just finished the buddy read (and chunkster) The Golem and the Jinni which was fantastic. Now on to another buddy read (and chunkster) American Gods. I am also still reading my monthly challenge book The Shock of the Fall.

[Travis]

Still on my journey to read all one word titles for my chunkster task started drizzt #2 Exile

[Almeta]

Travis of NNY wrote: "Still on my journey to read all one word titles for my chunkster task started drizzt #2 Exile"

Your connections are soooo clever Travis!☻

[Travis]

Was that sarcasm? Doesn't matter because my one word title mission was to fit in one specific book only to find that it was a two word title lol. Make a plan and stick with it I found a new way to get to that book. Just have to read half a dozen more one worders to get to it.

[Almeta]

All of these were read for my YLTO! Chunkster-Voluminous Volumes and Miniature Matchmakers
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
AND for Stephen King Recommends Group Read
Almeta's Review of Something Wicked This Way Comes

Old Bones (Gideon Oliver Mystery, #4), Aaron Elkins
I can always count on "The Skeleton Detective" to provide interesting entertainment, AND excellent Challenge-fit titles.☻

The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
AND for Flick-Lit Challenge
Almeta's Review of Handmaid's Tale

Midnight Tales, Bram Stoker
AND for Shortcut Challenge
Almeta's Review of Midnight Tales

The Midwife's Tale, Sam Thomas
AND for Yearbook Challenge
Almeta's Review of Midwife's Tale

Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie
AND for b4iDie, In-a-Land-Far-Far-Away, Left-Over-Stew Challenges
Why, oh why have I ignored Rushdie for so long?

Read for YLTO! March Challenge
Unspoken Secrets, Lynette Mather
AND for Yearbook Challenge
Almeta's Review of Unspoken Secrets

Now Reading for YLTO! Group Read and Chunkster
The Round House

[Almeta]

Travis of NNY wrote: "Was that sarcasm? Doesn't matter because my one word title mission was to fit in one specific book only to find that it was a two word title lol. Make a plan and stick with it I found a new way to ..."

No, no, I really do like your imaginative connections. This is the first time that I have looked at them all.

As for one word titles, I'll be using that as well. Whether one, two or three, etc. I am, however, claiming the phrase: "(excluding a,an,the)". Something the moderators have inserted into their challenge rules regularly. Just a hint in case you can use it.☻

[Janice, Moderator]

I started Boy's Life for a group read in another group.

[Travis]

My copy of boys life arrived the other day but I think its an April book for me

[Dem]

Just finished The Enchanted This is my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/885795244

[Michelle T.]

Almeta wrote: "All of these are for my YLTO! Chunkster-Voluminous Volumes and Miniature Matchmakers
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
AND for Stephen King Recommends Group Read
Almeta'..."

Almeta,

Please,tell me that you are not reading all does books... "That's a LOT of books"... :)

[Almeta]

Michelle T. wrote: "Almeta, Please,tell me that you are not reading all does books... "That's a LOT of books"... :) .."

Oh no, I should have said that I had completed them. ☻ They are just some of my March reads that I had not listed yet, and for which I finally considered writing reviews!

Today I am reading only The Round House! and then will start Medicus and the Disappearing Dancing Girls.

[Peggy]

I started and finished The Whale Rider yesterday for the group read. I really enjoyed it! I'm also reading American Gods as a buddy-read and for my chunkster challenge. It's so-so so far for me.

[Cherie]

I finished book 1-5 of the Aubrey/Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian and am currently listening to #6 The Fortune of War.

[Tejas Janet]

I finished Land Below The Wind for the March group read with theme of indigenous peoples. This one is also counting toward my chunkster challenge, where I'm focusing on books about Malaysia for Mickey's Marchers.

Now I'm reading Telling it Straight and Stranger in the Forest. Gave up on The Singing Top: Tales from Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Just not enjoying it now. Will save it for another time.

For the March "No place like home" challenge, that I've really been appreciating, I've read these: La Salle's Ghost; The Girl From Long Guyland; Sleep Toward Heaven; and Spanking Watson. Have more I want to read. May make this a linking theme for later in my chunkster challenge reading.

Also exploring my newly acquired, replacement copy of The New Complete Book of Mexican Cooking. My old copy was falling-apart paperback. Could barely turn the crumbling pages but had some much-loved recipes. Now it's practically like exploring an all new cookbook!

[Peggy]

Haha, that title is brilliant :D

[Sandra, Moderator]

Just finished The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.
I liked this book, though I didn't love it. By the moment the letter was opened I already knew what was written in it. This didn't really bother me (I read many reviews complaining about the book being predictable) since I don't think this is a mystery. Mystery is just one of many condiments. So that was fine with me.
I liked the fact that I stopped many times to think what I would have done in the characters situation (this is one of the things that defines a good book to me), though I would never have solved things in the way characters did.
I'm still not sure what I think about the epilogue... Sometimes I think it was unnecessary. Sometimes I think it was a good addition.
It could have been a 4 stars (maybe, I don't know for sure) if I didn't have so many issues about the way she presented the catholic community where the story takes place...
But her writing was funny, fresh and enjoyable enough to want to try another novel by this author. Perhaps today I'm too positive(?)
Now I'm resuming The Visionist by Rachel Urquhart that for some reason is being slow for me...

[Dem]

just finished Road Ends
This is my review www.goodreads.com/review/show/808947754

[Janice, Moderator]

Dem wrote: "just finished Road Ends
This is my review www.goodreads.com/review/show/808947754"

I bought her first book, Crow Lake so long ago, I don't remember buying it. One day, I'll read it, and then maybe Road Ends. I growled chuckled when I read the bit in your review about enjoying the descriptons of the Canadian winter. Yup - so done with the Canadian winter just now. Bring on spring!

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared. It was a major snooze fest for me. There were things I enjoyed, even to the point of laughter. But maybe I need the abridged version (aka a movie).

Next up on audiobook is Naked in Death. I doubt I will finish it by April 1st, but I have to have an audiobook in the works.

I'm also going to start Consumption for my leftover stew challenge. It is set in Nunavut, and was on my unfinished Cross Canada challenge. And here I thought I was done with the Canadian winter.

[Suzanne]

Sandra wrote: "Just finished The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty.
I liked this book, though I didn't love it. By the moment the letter was opened I already knew what was written in it. This did..."

I have gone back and forth about reading this book. Based on your comments, I am willing to bet I won't like it. I've taken it off my TBR list!

[Sandra, Moderator]

Suzanne, What a responsibility! :) (just kidding)
I think that what upsets me more is since so many of my friend loved it I was expecting a 5 stars...
I gave it 3 stars only because the writing was fine and I found my self more than once saying "Oh my God! What I'd have done in this situation?!".

[Roz]

I finished Cress. Now I'm trying to finish all the other books I've started this month, but I've been distracted by work and college football. Next up to finish is Sands of the Kalahari and The Man from Beijing.

[Cherie]

Roz wrote: "I finished Cress. Now I'm trying to finish all the other books I've started this month, but I've been distracted by work and college football. Next up to finish is [book:Sands of t..."

Did Cress stand up to the other two in the series? I have not read Scarlet yet, and I have Cress in my chunkster list.

[Roz]

I think that of the 3 in the series so far, I like Cress the most. It ties things up and made some of what came in the previous books clearer. Characters were developed more (as they should be). The last one comes out in about a year.

[[deleted user]]

I have finished another book for my chunkster challenge. Riders by Jilly Cooper was not great literature. It was mildly diverting. The story lurched from one encounter to another and was, at times, rather outlandish. Being generous I will say that I think that maybe it was a product of its times and it has not aged well. One for the "not again" pile.

[Marnie]

I am reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and listening to The Aviator's Wife for my real life book club.

Finished Miss Peregrine's - it was an incredibly quick read. Now I am starting Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories and my next Matthew Shardlake Sovereign.

My husband had to leave for a business trip today so I have been having my own mini Toppler :)

[Roz]

I'm having one of those terrible reading times. I've started books and find I'm not enjoying them. I'm definitely not going to finish my "home" challenge book in time. I have about 40 pages left (of a 192 page book). The book was written by my husband's high school teacher and was made into a movie. Tonight my hubby told me he didn't like it either! Too bad he didn't tell me before I started it. I have a couple of others that I'm about 75% done with but not really enjoying. It's becoming a castor oil moment: hold your nose, close your eyes and swallow fast.

[Janice, Moderator]

Roz wrote: "I'm having one of those terrible reading times. I've started books and find I'm not enjoying them. I'm definitely not going to finish my "home" challenge book in time. I have about 40 pages left (o..."

Hate when that happens. I hope you get out of your reading slump soon. Maybe something light, fun, and pure fluff would help?

[Roz]

I can only hope........

[Janice, Moderator]

I just finished Naked in Death. It might be one for you Roz. Yes, there are gruesome murder bits, but there are also some hot sexy bits too. Juicy sexy bits.

Okay... phew! Hot in here!

So, I finished it just in time to start my April challenge selection tomorrow, The Shadow of the Wind. My library download expires in 6 days, so I'm champing at the bit to start it.

[Travis]

I'm working through The Confusion books 4+5 of the baroque cycle. Appropriately named since it is truly a combination. Of the two books. Originally written separately before editing each telling the tale of a separate character. Book 4 goes a while then 5 then 4 back and forth and again. This is about as close to simultaneously reading 2 books as you get

[Lisa]

I finished The Pillars of the Earth for the chunkster challenge. I thought it was amazing! Another 5 star read for me.

I will be starting The Shadow of the Wind for a buddy read next which I am really looking forward to.

[Roz]

Janice wrote: "I just finished Naked in Death. It might be one for you Roz. Yes, there are gruesome murder bits, but there are also some hot sexy bits too. Juicy sexy bits.

Okay... phew! Hot i..."

Ah, yes, the In Death series! I've read 26 of them so far. Roarke is ........well, you know. Keep reading them, Janice, but sit in front of a fan. ; )

[Janice, Moderator]

ROFL! Yes, I know!

[Roz]

I broke down and downloaded Salvation in Death. I'm blaming you for this one, Janice.

[Cherie]

I'm listening to Neil read Neverwhere to me for the Group Read and my Slick's Slugs list (did some swapping to add it), reading Lady Audley's Secret and The Shadow of the Wind for Buddy Reads, The Book of Ruth for the Library Challenge, and still listening to The Good Earth - just because. I hope I can make it through The Lieutenant for the toppler and my AtW challenge.

[Janice, Moderator]

Roz wrote: "I broke down and downloaded Salvation in Death. I'm blaming you for this one, Janice."

ROFL! I almost downloaded Glory in Death today.

[Janice, Moderator]

I started The Shadow of the Wind today for the monthly challenge.

[Dem]

Just finished Red Sky in Morning This is my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/891539978

[Janice, Moderator]

That cover appeals to me. I could read that book just because of it. But I NEVER read a book just because of the cover. Never! *cough*

[Tejas Janet]

I'm also reading The Shadow of the Wind for the monthly challenge. Glad to be reading this and enjoying it very much thus far. I'm only on page 39 of 487, but that's okay... it's very good, very rich, textured writing.

I'm still reading Have Mother, Will Travel: A Mother and Daughter Discover Themselves, Each Other, and the World and Telling it Straight. These are both for my chunkster challenge.

In terms of enjoyment, Have Mother, Will Travel wins handily. I like Telling it Straight, but it's more like assignment reading for a class or something.

Have Mother, Will Travel is so engaging. I love the switching back-and-forth narrative between mother and daughter. What they have to say resonates with me so much. Their thoughts and emotions could so easily be my own.

Makes me miss my own mother, who died 11 years ago. But don't know a nice way to say how happy I am to not be a dependent child any more living in my parents' house and all that entailed... ugh, really not good.