What are you currently reading?

[Desirai]

I am currently reading:

Don't Read the Comments
The Count of Monte Cristo
Lucky Caller
Get Out of Your Own Way: A Skeptic's Guide to Growth and Fulfillment
This Is How You Lose the Time War (re-read)

[Tom]

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

[Tom]

Reading good books these days:

The Stranger Times by C.K. McDonnell - My selection for this book club. I've read other of McDonnell's works and enjoyed them, and I am finding this one hugely entertaining. The narrator is giving a tour de force performance.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - I didn't know what to expect from this one, but I'm getting more into it as I progress. The title of the book is its main premise/question.

Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey - Really good science fiction series about a future where humans colonized the solar system, and the issues that result. The Amazon series (at least halfway through Season 3) lines up nicely with the books.

Giant Days, Vol. 1 by John Allison - A comic book series focusing on three college students (Susan, Esther and Daisy) in the UK. I've actually read the first two volumes (issues 1-8) and it's very good fun.

[Lised]

Mexican Gothic

[Desirai]

Lised wrote: "Mexican Gothic"

I read that not too long ago and enjoyed it. How are you liking it?

[Tom]

Just finished Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon 4 Stars.

Finally ready for Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone when it comes out in late November.

[Tom]

I did end up finishing Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone and enjoyed it, like the rest of the series up to that point.

Currently, I am reading:
Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
The Count of Monte Cristo

and just finished The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie for my brick and mortar book club.

Edited to add: Oh, I am going to start Nuclear Winter Vol. 2

[Lised]

I currently trying to understand my teenage daughter and so I’m reading “The Five Love Languages of Teenagers”. Up next I have a couple of books i want to read, as in “Big Chicas Don’t Cry” and I also got “Moby Dick”.

[Desirai]

Lised wrote: "I currently trying to understand my teenage daughter and so I’m reading “The Five Love Languages of Teenagers”. Up next I have a couple of books i want to read, as in “Big Chicas Don’t Cry” and I a..."

Let me know how Big Chicas Don't Cry is. It's been on my radar.

[Tom]

I am trying to read a large classic every year - The Count of Monte Cristo for 2023. But I have had Moby Dick on the list for a while. I would appreciate your thoughts if you are reading/have read it.

[Lised]

I just got amo by Dick, going to start to read soon.

[Tom]

Finished The Count of Monte Cristo, and am continuing The Overstory.

[Tom]

Lised wrote: "I just got amo by Dick, going to start to read soon."

I've decided to read Moby Dick as well, as it's been on my TBR for while, and because it's about half the length of The Count of Monte Cristo. I've also picked up Daisy Jones And The Six for some shorter, lighter reading, and am continuing The Overstory.

[Lised]

Not sure if I should Moby Dick or Big Chicas Don’t Cry first?

[Tom]

Huge difference right there lol. I am about a third of the way through Moby Dick just now.

[Lised]

Ok so I started the Big Chicas Don’t Cry, it’s pretty good. Has a lot of drama! Lol. Once I’m done I will read Moby Dick. What version/author did you get from that book?

[Tom]

Lised wrote: "Ok so I started the Big Chicas Don’t Cry, it’s pretty good. Has a lot of drama! Lol. Once I’m done I will read Moby Dick. What version/author did you get from that book?"

Moby-Dick is the one I got. It is paired with the full cast version of the audiobook on Audible. (Jeff Moon et. al.)

[Lised]

Ok, I might have gotten an old version of it the author is Herman Melville. Have you read any books by him?

[Tom]

I read his novella Bartleby the Scrivener some time ago which I recall enjoying but that is it. Moby Dick is the first novel of his I have read. That said, I would think your copy should be fine, as there is only one version of the text. What had you choosing to read Moby Dick? Had you read anything by Melville previously?

[Lised]

No I haven’t read anything from him before, this is the first. I vaguely remember the story of Moby Dick from back in school, and I was watching a show that briefly mentioned it and that sparked me to want to read it.

[Tom]

I finished Moby Dick tonight. Quite a ride. I think if I had known some things about the author/book at the beginning it might have landed differently. Will be interested to hear your thoughts.

[Lised]

I have already started reading Moby Dick. I will definitely share my thoughts as soon as I’m done.

[Tom]

Finished The Overstory and Flowers for Algernon. Both 5 star reads for me. (Flowers for Algernon was a re-read.)

[Desirai]

I finished the following books (over a long period of time):
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill This was a contemporary romance I read for another book club. I originally borrowed it from the library but ended up loving it so much I ordered it from my local indie bookstore. I'm looking forward to rereading it and annotating it. It had some great quotes.

The Last Time I Lied My first book by Riley Sager. Also read with another book club. The sleepaway camp setting had me a little bored in the beginning but it hooked me about 2/3rds in. I hope to read more by Riley Sager.

Several People Are Typing LOVED this. The entire story is told in slack messages. It was funny and weird in the best way.

I read two poetry books:
Wires that Sputter: Poems
Harbour Grids
They were ok.

Most recently I finished:
Beartown The story follows several families in a struggling hockey town. It was really good. I cried like three times towards the end. I've also started watching the HBO Europe adaptation.

I am currently reading:
Ana María and the Fox
Maybe in Another Life
Tetris: The Games People Play

[Tom]

Ballad for Sophie 5 Stars
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands 5 Stars
Kaya, Volume 1 4 Stars
The River at Night 3 Stars
Dracula, Motherf**ker! 4 Stars
The River at Night 3 Stars
Broken Frontier: Anthology 3 Stars
Promethea, Book One 4 Stars
Stray Dogs 4 Stars (Trigger warning for this one. Consider the topic.)

Ballad for Sophe and Ducks: Two Years In The Oil Sands certainly earned their 5 stars.

[Tom]

If you have Amazon Prime, I would highly recommend giving My Policeman a watch. There is a book, which I plan to read, but I thought the movie was very well done.

[Tom]

Lised, how is Project Moby Dick coming along?

[Lised]

It’s still going. I had a couple of set backs to my reading, busy with other stuff so I haven’t had time. But I’m reading chapter 56, so far. I found a blog from a professor that breaks down the meaning of each chapter, so I skim through that after reading the chapter and it helps to understand the literature behind it all. This one is a doozy! Lol 😝

[Tom]

JUST finished my Goodreads Challenge. Emergency Skin by N K Jemisin is an outstanding short story, and available to read and listen via Prime Reading.

[Desirai]

I read The Last Conversation from that collection and thought it was really good. I always meant to go back and read the rest. Thanks for reminding me to do that!

[Tom]

Wow it has been a while since I've posted an update here. Here's what I'm reading right now.

The Rebels of Ireland - sequel to The Princes of Ireland which I enjoyed. Rutherfurd puts fictional characters into historical context (much like Outlander) with the result having dramatic interest but also teaches history

DEV1AT3 - cleaning out some unfinished book club business here. This is the 2nd book in Kristoff's Lifelike trilogy, the first book of which we read a while back.

One Hundred Years of Solitude - After reading Love in the Time of Cholera a few times, I figured it was finally time to read what is considered Marquez's masterpiece.