What are you reading in December, 2016?

[Candiss]

Please tell us what you are reading, or planning to read, in December 2016!

[Silvana]

I have an ambitious list:
Red Mars (Kim Stanley Robinson)
Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes)
Tower Lord (Anthony Ryan)
and three non-genre books.

[Shel, Moderator]

It's a rare month at Beyond Reality when I've already read both of the books the group is discussing :)

So, I'm catching up on my Kate Daniels books! I'm almost finished with Magic Shifts right now and have Magic Binds lined up next. I also just picked up A Study in Scarlet Women from the library on recommendation from a friend, and somewhere in there I'll get my hands on the next Deverry book for the group series read!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I'm slowly plowing my way through Other, part of the Childe Cycle. I think only one published book left in the series after this. I am enjoying the story but there is a lot of non-story (and repetitive, IMO) internal musing that bogs things down.

On this month's pile are Colors of Chaos (part of the Recluce series), Escape from Hell (sequel to previously read Inferno), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 (borrowed from a family member), Rise of Empire (next book in the Riyria Revelations), and, of course, the next book in the Deverry Cycle, The Black Raven.

[Sarah]

I just finished Mishell Baker's Borderline, which I breezed through. Ditto Daniel Jose Older's Ghost Girl in the Corner, a side novella for Shadowshaper.

I had wanted to read Too Like the Lightning, Necessity, and Infomocracy by the end of the year, but that's not looking likely.

[Ken]

Finished the Sabermetric baseball book Ahead of the Curve. I really liked it. It gave me a better understanding of baseball.

Started on an old school SF, Stranger in a Strange Land

[Justine]

I'm glad you liked Borderline, Sarah! Such great book. There's a sequel coming out in the new year.

[Sumant]

Here is my review of The Last Kingdom.

[Jenny]

Hi folks! On Audible I'm re-reading (but listening to for the first time) The Way of Shadows. I absolutely LOVED this series when I first read it in... 2009 maybe? I'm surprised by how much I forgot.

I'm also reading Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits and loving it. I would have it done by now except I've been prioritizing other hobbies over reading. I'm really hoping to finish both of these by the new year so I can start fresh in 2017.

[Terry]

Currently working for Netflix on the set of Altered Carbon. All I can say is that the show looks REALLY good! So good that in anticipation of what I hope will be a great show, I've started reading the book of the same name by Richard K. Morgan.

The book really stands on it's own, and I am fully expecting to enjoy the entire series.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...


**Sidenote, if someone knows how to add a cover picture, please comment. I'm new at this.

[Justine]

Just use the add book/author link at the top of the comment box on the left and at the bottom select "cover".

[Sumant]

Here is my review of The Pale Horseman

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I finished Other--way too much rumination overwhelming a decent story.
Then I read The Black Raven for our Deverry Cycle group read. Very solid.
Then I got a jump on our January BotM and read Last Song Before Night. Might be the best book I read this year, definitely 5 stars.
Starting the Sevenwaters series next, with Daughter of the Forest. This a version of an old Celtic tale, I believe, and I expect to enjoy it.

[Christine]

I just finished Nest which I don't recommend; the middle of the story is mostly a lecture on the nature of evil. Now on my shelf are the following titles: Defiant, This Savage Song, Too Like the Lightning, The Sunlight Pilgrims, All Good Children, Dark Matter and Wrath. I'm tempted to jump over the first six to see if John Gwynne can redeem himself after the ending of the last book.

[Nick]

I am in the middle of Sleeping Giants, which was our SF BOTM last July. Finally getting around to it. So far, it's worth it.

[Random]

Why is it that life interferes with my pleasure reading. Bteween 3 or so hours of commuting a day, plus working 50-60 hours a week, it depresses me how long it takes me to get through a non audio book.

I finally finished A Beautiful Friendship, a prequel to David Webbers Honor Harrington series. It was ok. Stephanie was a decent character and the adults dind't suffer from stupid adult syndrome which was a definite plus. But it was stilla YA book and its simplicity left me unsatisfied and unwilling to waste time trying the next two in the prequel series.

Don't tell my husband though as he adore David Webber and it might break his heart. :)

Had to read too many technical docs for work these last few months that have really numbed my brain to much else.

Been attempting to start Peter Watts Beyond the Rift hoping I will have better luck with short stories. maybe over the holiday here as I actually have some time off. :)

I nered a new audiobook, but nothing I have at the moment is light enough for my poor addled brain.

[Shel, Moderator]

I'm dying to start Children of Earth and Sky, which was a Chanukah present from my husband, but it's a monster of a hardcover and we're headed out tomorrow to visit my family for a week; I don't want to lug it on the airplane. So instead I'm just starting The Golem and the Jinni, which I have on my kindle (much easier for traveling)!

[Justine]

Oh The Golem and the Jinni is a great book, Shel; I think you will really like it!

[Justine]

Christine, I'm with you on Wrath; so excited to find out what happens after that awful cliffhanger ending in the last book. I'm reading The Star-Touched Queen right now and then I will probably start Wrath next.

[Christine]

I finished Defiant and definitely recommend it. At first, I was worried about the direction of the storyline, but was pleased with what it actually was. I've ordered the last book from my library. I decided to skip over the next two books I brought with me (I'm on a very brief vacation) and started Wrath. Will the author somehow pull this story together after blowing it up at the end of the last volume? Justine, have you started this yet?

[Justine]

I'll see if I can finish The Star-Touched Queen tonight and then decide if I can start Wrath now or wait until January 1. It will kill me to have a book hanging over the end of the year!

[Ken]

Shel wrote: "I'm dying to start Children of Earth and Sky, which was a Chanukah present from my husband,"

Well I just finished Stranger in a Strange Land. It was good but Heinlein repeated himself quite a bit. I read the Directors cut, the authors preferred edition

Started Children of Earth and Sky
Been waiting on this since I bought this in May

[Sumant]

Here is my review of Lords of the North

[Shel, Moderator]

Justine wrote: "Oh The Golem and the Jinni is a great book, Shel; I think you will really like it!"

I did love it! And I've just finished Dawn, which I also loved. Am back in town now, so I think the Kay is up next :)