Week 13: What are you reading?

[Liz]

I can't believe there is the possibility of more snow! Who else is ready for Spring to officially be here? One good thing about the lousy weather is you don't have to feel bad for curling up in bed or next to a fire and reading!

It's been a busy few weeks for me so I definitely haven't been reading as much as I'd like. I'm still working on the biography challenge and am not sure I'll get through it this month. I will finish it though!

On the side, I sped through book four of The Mortal Instruments and started book five. I'm more in it just to see what happens now than for the story or characters. I think Cassandra Clare could have stopped at book three and left the series as it was. Book six will be released soon, though, so I kind of feel obligated to see it to the end.

I can't get over how many books I have to read! I tried to start a blog this year detailing the books I was reading and how my daily life was affecting by the challenge, but too many things piled up and I didn't get around to updating it enough. Now, I've switched to posting quick blurbs and thoughts about the books I've read or am reading, but that just makes me want to read even more!

Enough about my challenge, what is everyone else reading?

[Kyra]

I'm reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green this week because I loved The Fault In Our Stars! So far I'm enjoying it, it has funny little subscripts throughout the whole book.

[Liz]

Kyra wrote: "I'm reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green this week because I loved The Fault In Our Stars! So far I'm enjoying it, it has funny little subscripts throughout the whole book."

I am pretty impressed by John Green. He's so active with his fans, and his books are pretty good too. I thought An Abundance of Katherines was his weakest novel but that may have just been because I read it last, and he tends to write the same sort of characters in every one of his novels. Nonetheless, I think he does a fantastic job with the themes he uses and writing for teen readers.

[Angela]

I started and finished reading "Cress" by Marissa Meyer over the weekend. I love the series, I just hate having to wait so long for the next book! I also read Matchless by Gregory Maguire and the Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles with my son. I am on my way to the Library now to see what I can pick up for this week. Have a great one all!

[Julie]

I finished The Prayer of The Lord, which I did enjoy. It was a nice in depth look at the Lord's Prayer.

I am still listening to Trap Door, but imagine I'll finish it in the next few days.

I'm also nearly done with Just My Type, and still working through A Dance With Dragons.

Otherwise I'm looking to see what I'll read/listen to next. There are SO MANY CHOICES!

[Pattie]

I am starting The Interestings this week. And I think I am going to start The Selection by Kiera Cass.

[Vivian]

just started "Blackberry Pie Murder" by Joanne Fluke which I picked up from the library. Also still reading "Clash of the Kings". Not sure I will ever finish! I should probably just read it until I finish but I'm always finding more I want to read! I currently have "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman on hold.

[Donna]

I finished Clyde Edgerton's Walking Across Egypt last week and started Jenny Worth's memoir Call The Midwife (which the PBS show is based). Also started Z, A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald. I've always been fascinated with the Fitzgeralds and that time period.

[Julie]

Vivian wrote: "just started "Blackberry Pie Murder" by Joanne Fluke which I picked up from the library. Also still reading "Clash of the Kings". Not sure I will ever finish! I should probably just read it until..."

I recently read Neverwhere, and I LOVED it! I hope you enjoy it as much. Are you reading it or listening to the audiobook? I listened to it, and Neil Gaiman narrates the book, it was great!

I also really like Joanne Fluke, and am reading A Dance With Dragons right now... seems like we'd be book buddies. :)

[Vivian]

Yes we do seem to have the same taste for books! I'm reading rather than listening to the audiobook. I find when I listen to a book my mind wanders & I don't get that much out of it!

[LindaD]

Started another series by James Lee Burke. Audio version of (starting with the last in the series, lol) it's the only one available right now!

checked out 18 Seconds by George D. Shuman after starting another of his books called Lost Girls: A Sherry Moore Novel, which I am finding very interesting. brutal, but interesting

[Angela]

Hi all! So, I am looking for suggestions, I have picked up several books lately that I just did not like... And some that I really do, but I am looking for sink your teeth into kind of book ( anything but romance type books) I really liked Ready Player One, and a few of the others that you guys have talked about... Thanks for help!

[Traci]

Angela wrote: "Hi all! So, I am looking for suggestions, I have picked up several books lately that I just did not like... And some that I really do, but I am looking for sink your teeth into kind of book ( an..."

Have you read Little Brother by Cory Doctorow? It sort of reminded me a bit of Ready Player One, and I enjoyed it a lot. I've read quite a few not so fantastic books lately, but a couple I did enjoy were Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (which is sort of a gritty London fantasy) and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (first in a mystery series that has a brilliant little protagonist). If you like YA (that's a bit dark), I'd recommend the Gone books by Michael Grant.

[Katie]

Hey Angela still looking for a book?? Here are my top picks for you:

Something whimsical like...
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
The Child Thief by Brom

Something creepy like...
The Harrowing by Alexandra Sockoloff
The Undead by Kristi McKay

Something dystopian/ post apocalyptic like...
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Something paranormal like...
Para normalcy by Kirsten white
Stray by Rachel Vincent

Have you read any of those??

[Ingrid]

Angela,
Have you read any Halelan Corben? He is fast paced & sucks me in. Quick read.

[Ingrid]

Anyone have any good science fiction to recommend?
Right now I am finishing The Power of Six and still loving the CD Outlander. Since I came down w/ a stomach virus I am behind on reading.

[Katie]

Ingrid wrote: "Anyone have any good science fiction to recommend?
Right now I am finishing The Power of Six and still loving the CD Outlander. Since I came down w/ a stomach virus I am behind on reading."

Here are my sci-fi picks for you!





… they are all YA because that's pretty much all I read. Let me know if you try one & like it!

[Ingrid]

Thanks Katie! I already have Ender's Game, but haven't read it yet so I think I will start there!

[Liz]

Thanks for all the great recommendations, Katie! Feel free to start a recommendations bookshelf on the group page.

[Katie]

Liz wrote: "Thanks for all the great recommendations, Katie! Feel free to start a recommendations bookshelf on the group page."

I added some graphic novels. :D I'm super excited about April!!

[Ingrid]

Do we know April's challenge yet? Is it graphic novels? Will Walking Dead count if I read an entire season or two?

[Julie]

Ingrid wrote: "Thanks Katie! I already have Ender's Game, but haven't read it yet so I think I will start there!"

I highly recommend Ender's Game, it is great!!

[Liz]

Ingrid wrote: "Do we know April's challenge yet? Is it graphic novels? Will Walking Dead count if I read an entire season or two?"

April's challenge is Graphic Novels. The Walking Dead can count. I'll leave it up to you if you want to count one individual book or the whole series.

[Vivian]

I've not ready any graphic novels so am excited about this challenge. My son has all a couple of the "Walking Dead" so think I will give it a shot!

I finished both of the books I was reading this week- "Blackberry Pie Murder" by Joanne Fluke & "Clash of the Kings" 2nd in the Song of Ice & Fire series. I'm planning on starting "The Whole Enchilada" by Diane Mott Davidson, "Neverwhere" by Neil Garmin & maybe "A Storm of Swords" since the new series of Game of Thrones starts Sunday!

[Traci]

I've just finished the ninth book in the Morgnaville vampire series, Ghost Town, which I actually think was my favorite so far. I'm currently reading The Elite by Kiera Cass (book two in the Selection series) and The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. I've got the audiobook of These Broken Stars on hold on Overdrive which should come through any day now, and I'll be starting that as soon as it's available.

March was full of a lot of mediocre books (with the exception of Ghost Town), so I'm hoping April will be filled with lots of good ones.