What are you reading and why? Jan-Jun 2014 Showing 51-100 of 1,330

[Jenn]

I'm reading because I am trying to work my way through the Discworld series. My next book will be a Newbery Award winner because I am trying to work my way through those as well.

[Peggy]

I haven't read much the past 2 days because I started Sophie's Choice, but I'm not in the mood for it all the time and I feel like reading something shorter. So, I'll start The Ocean at the End of the Lane now for the monthly group read. Bye!

[Snoozie Suzie]

I started The Jewel of St Petersburg by Kate Furnivall borrowed from the library and am listening to The Nowhere Man by Sheila Quigley which I just had to listen to after stumbling upon book 1 of this trilogy and loving it.

[Bryndís]

Rusalka wrote: "Bryndís wrote: "I'm avout half way through with the second of three books I got for Christmas. All 3 are icelandic thrillers that came out this fall/winter. The third one is only about 150 pages, s..."

Oh, yes, there are a lot of new books every year. We don't ask: "did you get books for Christmas?" but "Which books did you get?"

I got the new books by two of our most popular mystery and thriller writers, Arnaldur Indriðason and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. They are both very good, but I think I liked Arnaldur better this year.
The third one I'm about to start now, is by Árni Þórarinsson. My daughter and husband have read it and liked it, so I'm excited to start.

[Bryndís]

Wendy wrote: "Bryndís wrote: "I'm avout half way through with the second of three books I got for Christmas. All 3 are icelandic thrillers that came out this fall/winter. The third one is only about 150 pages, s..."

Sorry I didn't answer this, I totally missed it! But I see both of us have moved on to the Goldfinch buddy reads thread :)

[Kimberly]

Happy New Year Everyone! I haven't stopped by in a month or two I hope everyone is having a great start to the new year :)

I'm reading and I'm LOVING it and I'm also reading which is okay.

[Nancy from NJ]

I continue to read The Bronze Horseman for the Chunkster Challenge and have just added the audio of The Poisonwood Bible. Now I need to figure out how to include this title in my Slick Slugs category.

[Travis]

Zombies plus superheroes in Ex-Heroes

[Debra]

Sarah wrote: "I've started reading Perdido Street Station for the chunkster challenge. It..."

Let us know what you think of it, Sarah. I really enjoyed reading it. It's not really a series, but the second book is just a strange and wonderful.

[Debra]

Well everyone, would you believe I was so sick this past week I couldn't even READ!? How dreary. I think I was delirious on New Year's Day, I only remember being in bed with no appetite and only getting up for the bathroom. I think there was some tea and chicken soup in there somewhere. I didn't really start my first book for the year until Saturday, The Name of the Wind and loved it. That's the first in my chunkster list...now I'm on to The Abominable. Two books with the word "THE" in the title.

I plan on concentrating on horror tomes for my chunkster challenge, but will throw in the few fantasy or other genre/connection when I just must!

We are snowed in and work closed today, so I'm enjoying ANOTHER day in bed doing nothing but reading, recovering, and snuggling with hubby and the kitties.

Hope everyone that has been sick is feeling better! Happy belated New Year!

[Sarah]

Debra wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I've started reading Perdido Street Station for the chunkster challenge. It..."

Let us know what you think of it, Sarah. I really enjoyed reading it. It's not really a..."

Well what can I say about it! So far I think it's dark and disturbing, interesting and intriguing, weird and wonderful! And I love it! I read the first quarter of it really quickly and then there were a couple bum chapters which slowed me down a bit but now it's picked up again. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens (and the other books). Will let you know my final verdict!

[Samantha A]

I am trying to finish up
Pee-Shy by Frank Spinelli
and
The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

and I'm in the middle of (and LOVING)
Stay Awake by Dan Chaon.

[Debra]

Sarah wrote: "Debra wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Well what can I say about it! So far I think it's dark and disturbing, interesting and intriguing, weird and wonderful! And I love it! I read the first quarter of it really quickly and then there were a couple bum chapters which slowed me down a bit but now it's picked up again. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens (and the other books). Will let you know my final verdict! "

Yes, it is all that and more. Quite a unique piece. Glad you are enjoying it, mostly.

[Janice, Moderator]

Debra wrote: "Well everyone, would you believe I was so sick this past week I couldn't even READ!? How dreary. I think I was delirious on New Year's Day, I only remember being in bed with no appetite and only ..."

I wondered if you were sick. You were conspicuously missing in action. I'm glad you're feeling better.

I've had to add Perdido Street Station based on your & Sarah's discussion.

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished The Shining late last night. No wonder I slept in till almost 9:00 this morning! I have to do a review yet.

I will start my Aussie read later today - Tommo and Hawk.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Debra wrote: "Well everyone, would you believe I was so sick this past week I couldn't even READ!? How dreary. I think I was delirious on New Year's Day, I only remember being in bed with no appetite and only ..."

Good to know you are feeling better, Debra. We have been the last 20 days going through fever, diarrhea, vomit, sore throat... and now the bad weather... I feel the kids have been absent from school for ever!

[Roz]

I started my Aussie book last night. I'm reading The Bat: A Harry Hole Novel.

[Debra]

Yeah, Janice I missed you guys, but my head was so heavy and eyes bothering me so badly, I just couldn't get in front of this computer, or even pick up a book!

Thanks Sandra, I AM feeling much better. It's tough when you have everyone in your house going through this stuff. I feel for you!

[Marnie]

Hope everyone recovers and feels stronger soon.
I just finished Fingersmith- (5 stars) and now that my son finished... I am going to start Storm Front.

[Peggy]

I have Fingersmith somewhere in my chunkster challenge too, good to know you enjoyed it so much :)

[Travis]

Storm keeps interfering with my internet so this will bey entire goodreads experience tonight. Finished Ex-Patriotsstarted The Heroes nice to be back to some darker fantasy and once again I love Michael Page as a fantasy narrator.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Stay warm Travis. I was reading about -51C wind chill in some parts of the States over the next few days.

[Kat]

Glad to hear you are feeling better Debra!

Very interested to hear what you think about The Abominable - I have it on my shelf at home and get overwhelmed just looking at it!

[Travis]

Our forecast from Monday night to Wednesday night is a potential for 68 inches or 173 cm of snow. -25F or -32C. Luckily when I got up at 1 am to plow driveway we only had a foot in the deepest places because the wind blows so hard through here it never hit the ground. I don't think wind chills were much below -15F. The way these lake effect bands go I've seen 5ft of snow fall 10 miles from here while we got just a dusting. Clear sky can turn to absolute white out in minutes in these storms. Can't complain though. Snow can always be moved and you can always add another layer of clothing to stay warm, there's much worse weather out there than cold and snow. It's just not always pleasant in the winter.

[Nancy from NJ]

Travis and others- stay warm today and be careful. I will be staying put today. Will be arranging my book closet since it needs cleaning up, writing to my good read groups, reading and watching more episodes of Scandal, Orange is the New Black and Breaking Bad. Love Netflix , my books and Goodread groups on these cold winter days.

[Debra]

Kat wrote: "Glad to hear you are feeling better Debra!

Very interested to hear what you think about The Abominable - I have it on my shelf at home and get overwhelmed just looking at it!"

Hey Kat, Dan Simmons is a consummate writer. I didn't think I was going to get into the book, but so far it is flowing very smoothly. I'm not really into on the rock/snow-climbing jargon, but I'm just letting my mind skim over the real technical stuff that bores me a bit. No Yeti, yet, but there's been talk of them.

[Debra]

Travis of NNY wrote: "Our forecast from Monday night to Wednesday night is a potential for 68 inches or 173 cm of snow. -25F or -32C. Luckily when I got up at 1 am to plow driveway we only had a foot in the deepest pl..."

And I'm complaining about our 0 degree weather with wicked wind-chill factors. Glad I don't have to plow any driveways at 1am, Travis. Stay warm!

[Sandra, Moderator]

Right now we are -23F (feels -42) in central PA.
Thanks God not snow to plow.

[Esther]

Well, book overload. Somehow this always happens. All my holds from the library became availalble at once. So i am still reading the 2nd Nesbo. On top of this I have Hounded (fun so far), The Luminaries (i will head to the buddy read thread when I have read more of it) and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry on my virtual shelves.

I also got The Husband's Secret on audio for the Aussie challenge.

I almost wish for a big bad storm (what's one more), bad enough for the office to be closed so I can catch up.

[Dawn]

Esther wrote: "I almost wish for a big bad storm (what's one more), bad enough for the office to be closed so I can catch up...."

I will wish with you. :)

Though around here it doesn't need to be much of a storm, we just aren't used to it and close down for small storms too!

[Esther]

Dawn wrote: "Esther wrote: "I almost wish for a big bad storm (what's one more), bad enough for the office to be closed so I can catch up...."

I will wish with you. :)

Though around here it doesn't need to b..."

It takes a lot to shut us down. We would not do anything during the winter time if not. Once every few years really.

[Dawn]

It doesn't happen here very often either but that's from lack of weather, not being used to it.

Snow freaks out everyone here unless they used to live in Alberta. :)

[Cherie]

I finished Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, so I have my Neil Gaiman fix over and the Australia challenge behind me for the month. Now, I can concentrate on reading Sophie's Choice and listening to The Sun Also Rises, which I have started over twice so far.

[Sandra, Moderator]

How did you like The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Cherie?
I just checked it out of the library a few days ago but didn't go through it yet.

[AmyCynthia]

I started out the new year so sick, that I haven't picked up a book in a week! I am just today getting back in the game. I am starting the first book for my chunkster challenge, A Feast for Crows.

[Cherie]

Sandra wrote: "How did you like The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Cherie?
I just checked it out of the library a few days ago but didn't go through it yet."

Hi Sandra,
I liked it very much, but I wanted "more" at the end. I actually bailed out before I got to the end because I did not want it to end. I finished it the next morning and still have a few mixed feelings about it. I think Peggy had the same reaction. My head may "get it" but my heart does not. I know that sounds weird, but I do not want to discourage you from reading it either. You tell me what you think after you are done. :)
If you want more opinions, go to the Janurary Group Read thread for 2013 winners/nominies thread. There are a couple of reviews posted there too.

[Janice, Moderator]

Dawn wrote: "It doesn't happen here very often either but that's from lack of weather, not being used to it.

Snow freaks out everyone here unless they used to live in Alberta. :)"

ROFL!! Yes, we Albertans are a hearty bunch. But, there's been a lot of whining and complaining about the snow this year.

[Wendy]

I am reading I Am the Messenger for the Aussie challenge and enjoying a leisurely read of When You Are Engulfed in Flames since it has been on my nightstand forever. I am still waiting for Burial Rites to come in at the library.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

So my computer broke today. I pulled it apart (case and bits... I although writing this reminds me I forgot to do the RAM), vacuumed it, got a paintbrush into the power supply, CPU and graphics card fans, and put it all back together. I ended up with a left over plug. Worked it out finally, and then it wouldn't boot off my right hard drive.

Reaching the end of my knowledge, I took it as a sign and sat on the couch and read The Secret River for the whole afternoon. It's why I've been quiet today.

Finished, and tried not to have a little cry before the next book. Right at that moment the chicken snuggled into me and wrapped her head around into my lap. I got hugged by a bird because my book was sad.

Started The Luminaries but had to go cook, so will pick it up again later tonight for my first chunkster!

[Marnie]

Sorry about your computer issues. Seems like you and Amy have caught the same bug.
Sometimes a good cry is the best especially when you are snuggled up with a loved one ( feathered friends included).

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Mine was bad maintenance really. Apparently computers don't like inch thick layers of dirt/dust. Slackers.

Heh indeed. It was just great that I sniffled, she looked at me and did that. Loved the book, but I think it should be sold and lent out with chickens for this exact reason though.

[Debra]

Wendy wrote: "I am reading I Am the Messenger for the Aussie challenge and enjoying a leisurely read of When You Are Engulfed in Flames since it has been on my nightstand forever. I a..."

I really enjoyed I Am the Messenger. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it.

[Debra]

Rusalka wrote: "Mine was bad maintenance really. Apparently computers don't like inch thick layers of dirt/dust. Slackers.

Heh indeed. It was just great that I sniffled, she looked at me and did that. Loved the b..."

So sorry about your computer. Mine suffers from negligence, too. I've got to give it a cleaning. Isn't it wonderful when our animal family gives us a snuggle when we need it!?

[Sarah]

Did you enjoy the book Rusalka although you had a little sniffle at the end? I really enjoyed the first part of the book then I started to get sad and annoyed in the second half - mainly because I know that that is probably how things happened back then and it is a period of history that I knew very little about.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I really enjoyed it. I more got a little teary on reflection. I knew it was coming. It's what happened. Everywhere. We get taught about it at school. I taught kids about it when I worked at the National Museum of Aus.

They have a gallery on the First Australians there looking at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, art and history. It's huge. The last room is about White Australians and Indigenous peoples interactions. There's great things in that room like the referendum papers from the 70s when we gave Aborignals the right to vote in the country they had lived in for thousands of years. But it always made me teary reading about what us white Australians did to them. Just because they didn't fit out definitions.

And it made me think of what my own convict great, great, great grandfather possibly did as a convict then freeman, the same as William, in Tasmania (Van Diemen's land then) at the same time. There are no Indigenous Tasmanians left. We drove the tribes extinct.

And then the terrible things we continue to do to these people... People need to be better. Or we should at least TRY to be better. Was a well needed kick up the bum :)

[Sarah]

See I knew about the prison hulks and convicts from England being shipped off to Tasmania and Australia as one of my indirect ancestors was shipped off there (spent a few years researching my family history) and I know that the indigenous people were pushed out but I suppose I hadn't thought about what that actually meant or what happened for that to be the case. When I read The Secret River, while I enjoyed it, I wasn't sure at one point whether I was going to finish it or not but I'm glad I did. Will you read the others in the series?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Possibly. I'm not adverse to the idea. The second one definitely looks interesting.

I love reading about thing that happen in my world for a change. I know the parts of Sydney they were beginning to build, I know the Hawkesbury. We had my aunt's 70th birthday dinner in the room William got pardoned in in Parramatta last December.

So after reading it, i'm making myself read more Aussie lit. And she apparently lives down the road according to the bookshop girl the other day.

[Sarah]

Just finished listening to Night Film and I've moved on to Control Point which received 5 star ratings from two of my favourite authors (Peter V. Brett and Patrick Rothfuss) so hopefully that means it will be a good one!

[Nancy from NJ]

I also caught the computer bug but got roped into a service contract only yo be told my hard drive is most likely corrupted and the contract doesn't cover this. What dies it cover. Now thinking about either fixing this one, buying a new one or using my husbands and my I Pad. Only thing I have on this computer I might want are photos although I printed most of the ones I want and I never look at them anyway. I wonder if they will transfer to a new computer if I use my sing in names. And what can I say, I never copy anything or back it up either.

[Dem]

Just finished My Old True Love This is my review, www.goodreads.com/review/show/803477522