What are you reading in April 2014?

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

I haven't started anything. I have a Cosby book to DNF so I can drop it off at the library before getting fined...

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

c.o.lleen ± (... never stop fighting) ± wrote: "Last night I couldn't decide between Lady Thief and Seraphina. I felt like I ought to start Seraphina, since it's a group read and since it's due back before the ot..."


So I just looked at reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Emily]

I'm also reading an early copy of The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon. I'm only a few chapters in, but so far it seems to have potential to be everything many of us were hoping The Book would have been. Optimistic so far - I'll report back.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

I have that one too, Emily. Haven't started it yet, but you might be right.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Emily wrote: "I've been meaning to read that one! Looking forward to hearing how it is!"

So, I liked it overall, was thinking of giving it 3.5 bumped to 4, but then the ending was annoying and cliffhangery, so I'm dumping it to 3.

[Nan]

I just started reading The Pilgrims.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Started Seraphina this morning. Not very far in, so no opinion on the story, but I'm liking the style.

[Jake]

I just finished Leviathan Wakes. my review. I'm currently reading Before They Are Hanged and listening to Dead Six.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Jake wrote: "I just finished Leviathan Wakes. my review. I'm currently reading Before They Are Hanged and listening to Dead Six."

Hubby enjoyed Dead Six - didn't like the 2nd one as much.

[Jake]

MrsJoseph wrote: "Jake wrote: "I just finished Leviathan Wakes. my review. I'm currently reading Before They Are Hanged and listening to Dead Six."

Hubby enjoyed Dead Si..."

I'm a huge Larry Correia fan but I know this one is a bit different. Good to know he liked it, I've heard mixed things.

[Lee]

Finally finished with Dance with Dragons... I wouldn't go so far as to say I didn't like the last two books of the series - but they were definitely disappointing.

I hate to say it but wth was with the (view spoiler)[ Tyrion chapters??? A dwarf riding a pig... ??? Really??!! It was almost painful to read. (hide spoiler)]

And the end... (view spoiler)[ Jon is so not dead... does anyone actually think he is? (hide spoiler)]

Anyway - I finished one more series on my 2014 reading challenge. Next up is Daughter of Smoke & Bone - now that the last book is out seems a good time to finish this series.

[Becky]

Yeah, that's pretty much the reaction I had too, Nienna. LOL

[Paolo]

I actually really liked DWD. You should check out this blog for an in-depth analysis: http://meereeneseblot.wordpress.com/, made me like the book even more. (view spoiler)[ I understood A LOT of things I had missed, especially with Daenerys. I was a little pissed off at the aimlessness of the Meereen storyline but now I love it, and I love her again. (hide spoiler)]

I finished reading The Island of Dr. Moreau last night and it was better than I expected it to be.

Next up I should finish reading Altered Carbon but my book ADD might make me start a new one instead... I got a bunch in my TBR pile.

[Lee]

Dance With Dragons wasn't a *bad* book. I just think at this point the tail is wagging the dog - meaning I think the story has gotten away from Martin. Though - what do I know - when its all done and finished Feast & Dragons might the most important books in the series - but for now they almost feel like filler.

I finished Daughter of Smoke & Bone - again - it was a reread. Now on to Days of Blood and Starlight - the 2nd book - which is not a reread.

After aSoIaF I'm going to finish up some of the shorter series for my challenge.

[Emily]

I agree that Dance w/ Dragons wasn't bad, but seriously 1,000 pages of what seems like filler gets a little annoying. The stories have gotten a little out of hand. I just keep reading because now that I've gotten this far I have to know what happens to the characters in the end. I just dread having to reread them to refresh my memory like 3 years from now for the new one.

I just finished a reread of Pretties so that I can continue on in the series. I just feel like this series was such a good idea, but like a lot of YA poorly executed with silly love triangles and pettiness. (view spoiler)[Though I forgot that Shay turned special… kinda that was pretty cool (hide spoiler)] I hope the last one really brings it all together.

Today I started The Madman's Daughter and I'm slowly making my way through The Wise Man's Fear which even though this book seems a little repetitive I still love every second.

[Emily]

I'm reading House of Hades by Rick Riordan, which continues the Heroes of Olympus series. I've been waiting for it from the library forever but am for some reason not in the right mood for it. Ah well - I'll power through and I'm sure it will pick up soon.

[Sam]

I've just finished the Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami which I loved. Now I've started Let the Right One In which, so far, I'm really enjoying too :)

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

I'm in a bog. :(

Nothing that I really want to read but maybe after the weekend is done?

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Reading A Clockwork Heart, but having a hard time getting into it.

[Becky]

I started the second in the Expanse series, Caliban's War. (On another note, MAN will I be glad not to be sick anymore. It's only been 3 days, but I feel completely braindead!! I have had this book on my To-Read radar for nearly two years, but I've just had to look up the title. I was all "Caliban *mumblesomething*...shoot. Open new tab, search, oh right... continue post")

It's pretty bad. Who are you people again and what was I talking about? O_o

[Luke]

MrsJoseph wrote: "I'm in a bog. :(

Nothing that I really want to read but maybe after the weekend is done?"

I know what you mean. I'm in the middle of The Blade Itself and just can't get through it. I have 3 other books waiting and I can't bring myself to start them.

[Ian]

Last week I read Jeff Vandermeer's Annihilation. Best use of setting I think since Mieville's Perdido Street Station.

I just finished John Claude Smith's collection, Autumn In The Abyss, great stuff. Very dark, but excellent.

Up next is John Langan's The Wide, Carnivorous Sky.

[Lee]

I finished Days of Blood & Starlight - not as good as Daughter of Smoke & Bone in my opinion - and now I'm finishing off the series with Dreams of Gods and Monsters. After that I will read the novella Night of Cake & Puppets and have one more series to mark off my list.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

I started Seraphina but I haven't gotten very far.

[Kara]

Went back and finished the end to Steelheart on audio. I was in a lull for months before returning to this one. Frankly (and seriously don't view this unless you've read to near the end of the book) (view spoiler)[ they killed of Megan, and I just wasn't happy about it, (hide spoiler)], but I WAS happy to see that the ending had more of a twist than I imagined, so it was definitely worth finishing.

THEN, I decided to read Shards of Honour for the group read, as I've always heard real good things about this series, but never started it. That was a quick and enjoyable listen, and THEN...(I HAD to read it before my library loan ended, especially after being number twenty-something on the waiting list) I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Very good! Typical Gaimin, and I listened to the audio. I hear a lot of mixed reviews about this one, but I thought is was solid. Very good, and of course unique with a magical dark wistful and whimsical feel. For adults though, mind you.
So, NOW... still trying to get into and enjoy A Feast For Crows. I'm about ready to just boycott the series (TV too) on the basis that I don't approve of such treachery deceit and overall egregious behavior, nor do I enjoy reading and following such characters. I DO like some of the overarching stories, very much, but... well, how much boring text and time listening to characters I could care less about do we really need in between?

Doesn't help that the narrator is "meh". Ok, that's my vent.

[Lee]

I struggled with Feast too - and Dragons.

Too many characters I don't care about. And half I don't even know. I might like them. If I knew who the heck they were.

I did like Feast though - for the characters we do know.

It does feel like half a book though.

[Luke]

Couldn't agree more on all the points mentioned. The first three are good books. After that, it almost feels like a whole different series, with very little plot movement that's just set in the same setting as the last series.

[Kara]

VERY little plot movement! I remember how the first chapter in book 1 just grabbed me! Nothing like that is going on here, and it's still the same world on the same timeline...

Anyway, just pushing off the start of Blood Song. I may need to go revisit my to-read list. I'm also thinking that I'm glad Audible takes returns!

[ally ¯\(ツ)/¯]

Honestly, I think I like love slow books. I read the first 5 GoT books last year in about a month.
I'm feeling the same way right now about Locke Lamora.

I will say that out of all the characters in GoT, I find reading Daenery's pov somewhat tedious.

[Lee]

Lol - I feel like I am the only person who doesn't like Daenerys. I'm undecided - is she really that *perfect* or is GRRM playing with us. I'm hoping he has something up his sleeves. Plus - I'm not a fan of the (view spoiler)[ white man (or woman) coming and 'saving' the "savages" storyline. Its been done too many times. (hide spoiler)]

I'm not a fan of Jon either... But I love Tyrion... book Tyrion. I love show Tyrion too - but they're different.

[Lee]

I'm starting The Madman's Daughter. I hope I have better luck with this one than I did Seraphina...

[ally ¯\(ツ)/¯]

I really enjoyed The Madman's Daughter! Good luck with it!

I agree about Tyrion, my opinion on almost every character has changed/wavered at least once. The ONLY exception to that is Tyrion. He can do no wrong in my eyes.

[Ala]

Both of those sound good, Nicki. Will probably read them soonish.

Read The Martian a couple of days ago. Its a really good and sometimes funny read.

Also Year of the Demon, a sequel to Daughter of the Sword. The historical sections are still the highlight in the series, with the present day sections being simply ok.

Need to find some decent space opera...

[Kara]

Just downloaded Moon Called from the library on audio... I need something more lively to fill in between listening to A Feast For Crows.

One of those I've been meaning to get to for a long time... and if I happen to start a new listening series then, hey, even better.

[Lee]

I picked up Red Rising when the ebook was $2 - I think it still is. Plan to read it soonish.

After I'm done with Madman's Daughter (I like it except for the romance-y bits) going to start The Girl with a Clock for a Heart: A Novel. No idea what it's about - but I found it at the library and the title interested me.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

I'm still reading The Way of Kings. Yes, still. I'm now in my third month. Only 60% in.

[Spacechik]

I'm on the second book of Ben Aaronovitch series. I've finished Midnight Riot and am almost done with Moon over Soho. He wrote for the DR WHO series. I've never been to England but I love looking at the map using his references just to see where his characters go. Does that make me an ugly American? Hope not. For me, Aaronovitch's local setting is new and exciting.

[Felina]

I'm working on Elantris. I'm really enjoying it though I've been busy lately. Hopefully I can finish it up soon.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

I'm reading Seraphina. I like the writing but I'm not really finding myself liking the story.

Its really meandering and I'm not a fan of 1st person POV.

[Felina]

I also dislike 1st person narratives.

[Becky]

Me too. Especially 1st person present tense narratives.

[Emily]

Haha Chris, in also still working on WoK. Oh well! Just wasn't in the mood for a long read I guess.

[Felina]

Becky wrote: "Me too. Especially 1st person present tense narratives."

Yes!

[Nan]

Especially 1st person self-obsessed present tense narratives. What's worse -- alternating chapters of two different characters' 1st person present tense narratives. Pfooey!

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Felina wrote: "Becky wrote: "Me too. Especially 1st person present tense narratives."

Yes!"

SOooo agreed.

[Lee]

Nan wrote: "Especially 1st person self-obsessed present tense narratives. What's worse -- alternating chapters of two different characters' 1st person present tense narratives. Pfooey!"

Me too. I hate this. My #1 pet peeve.

[Luke]

God, The Blade Itself just killed the last two weeks for me. It's been a loooooong time since a book slowed me down so much.

I'm finally into The Thousand Names and hopefully I'll have that finished in a couple days.

In other news, Books-a-million had an Easter sale and I bought about 25 books :D

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Luke wrote: "God, The Blade Itself just killed the last two weeks for me. It's been a loooooong time since a book slowed me down so much.

I'm finally into The Thousand Names and hopefully I'll ..."

25!! *jealous*

[Paolo]

I haven´t really been reading these past couple of weeks but I started The Ocean at the End of the Lane the other day and I´m liking it so far.

[Laurel]

I think there has to be some kind of rule that you can't tease us by saying you splurged on 25 books and not give us still least a FEW titles. Spill!