You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What Are You Reading? - 2017.1
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Janice, Moderator
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May 01, 2017 06:58AM
I also finished The Ghost Brigades, and have picked up The Wolf's Hour where I left off. I want to finish it before my library loan arrives.
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Yesterday finished Bitterblue the 3rd. book in the Graceling Serie. It was the weakest from the trilogy.
Just started The Silent Adversary by Agatha Christie.....taking a short break from Dave Robicheaux, Allan Shaw, John Puller & last but not least, Jack Reacher.
Patrick wrote: "Just started The Silent Adversary by Agatha Christie.....taking a short break from Dave Robicheaux, Allan Shaw, John Puller & last but not least, Jack Reacher."Those books fit right in with Mystery Week.
On with the Year-Ch.I'm reading Three Men in a Boat (to Say Nothing of the Dog) (1889) by: Jerome K. Jerome
Sadly, I am abandoning The Bear and the Nightingale. It has proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have tried to read in a long time. The characters are flat and uninteresting, the plot paper thin and the lyrical, immersive writing I was expecting appears to be MIA. I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt and try it again sometime, just in case it's me rather than the book, but if I still feel the same way, it's going to the charity shop.On a more positive note, I am really enjoying The Fifth Season.
Sorry to hear that Lisa. I was really looking forward to reading it, it sounds very promising! And the reviews are good! Not going to spend a bunch of money on it now. I'll wait for a kindle deal to come along.
Peggy wrote: "Sorry to hear that Lisa. I was really looking forward to reading it, it sounds very promising! And the reviews are good! Not going to spend a bunch of money on it now. I'll wait for a kindle deal..."
I was really looking forward to it too. It's so disappointing! As I said, I am going to give it another try sometime, just in case, but my hopes are not high :(
Lisa wrote: "Sadly, I am abandoning The Bear and the Nightingale. It has proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have tried to read in a long time. The characters are flat and uninter..."I loved The Fifth Season as well Lisa.
On a completely random note. On regular phone screen your avatar looks like a panda Peggy but once I enlarge my screen I now see it's actually you. Even after knowing it's you when my screen is back to tiny size it looks like a panda. Not at all meant to be an insult just noting that for quite some time I thought you had a picture of a panda Anyway. About to start The Nix
Problem is I'm not thrilled by the narration sample although it would probably grow on me. Someone started the audio and said it's kind of a hard book to follow on audio. Kindle is about $11 and paperback just came out yesterday at about $11. Audio credit it a little over $9. I'm torn which route to take. I'm thinking try the audio and if it doesn't work out return it and go another route. Usually I like the cheapest method. And it's impossible to get this one at a library at a timely fashion. I wish I'd never sampled the audio first. I never sample them I don't know why I did this time
Lol, you made me almost spit out my drink Travis! I've been looking for several minutes at my picture now but I have no clue how you see a panda.
Margo wrote: "I loved The Fifth Season as well Lisa."I'm glad you enjoyed it too, Margo. I think it's one of the most interesting fantasy books I have read in a while. I can't say I understand everything that is happening, but it's certainly got me well and truly hooked!
Lisa wrote: "Sadly, I am abandoning The Bear and the Nightingale. It has proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have tried to read in a long time. The characters are flat and uninter..."Oh no….I just picked that one up from my library. I will give it a shot in a few days.
Peggy wrote: "Lol, you made me almost spit out my drink Travis! I've been looking for several minutes at my picture now but I have no clue how you see a panda."I thought it was a panda also. If you stare at it for more than a brief few seconds you see that it's not, lol.
I hope the audio works out for you Travis.
Travis sivarT wrote: "About to start The NixProblem is I'm not thrilled by the narration sample although it would probably grow on me. Someone started the audio and said it's kind of a hard book to follow on audio. Kindle is about $11 and paperback just came out yesterday at about $11. Audio credit it a little over $9. I'm torn which route to take. I'm thinking try the audio and if it doesn't work out return it and go another route. Usually I like the cheapest method. And it's impossible to get this one at a library at a timely fashion. I wish I'd never sampled the audio first. I never sample them I don't know why I did this time "
I read the book. If I didn't like a narrator on audio it would ruin the book for me. If you end up reading it and like it you might also like Christodora which I actually liked a little more than The Nix.
Haha, maybe I should go back to my old picture ;-)
A panda?! Lol Now I'm trying to see it too. I suppose if I move the phone far away and squint so I can't see your face at all and only look at the shadowing... maybe. I'm currently reading The Serpent King and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Lisa wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Sadly, I am abandoning The Bear and the Nightingale. It has proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have tried to read in a long time. The characters are fla..."Hopefully you will enjoy it more than I did, Lisa. A lot of people seem to really love it, which must count for something.
That's a cute pic, Peggy. :)
Travis sivarT wrote: "On a completely random note. On regular phone screen your avatar looks like a panda Peggy but once I enlarge my screen I now see it's actually you. Even after knowing it's you when my screen is bac..."Only problem with that is that is you are limited in the number of audible returns you can make in a year and if the narration isn't great.... I've had similar tough decisions Travis - I feel your pain ;-)
Lisa wrote: "Sadly, I am abandoning The Bear and the Nightingale. It has proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have tried to read in a long time. The characters are flat and uninter..."Oh! Oh! I just bought it. :(
Peggy wrote: "Haha, maybe I should go back to my old picture ;-)"I liked your new one - very distinctive!!
Janice wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Sadly, I am abandoning The Bear and the Nightingale. It has proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have tried to read in a long time. The characters are fla..."You may well like it more than me, Janice. I'm wondering if my expectations were just too high given all the rave reviews, and maybe I would have enjoyed it a lot more if they had been a bit lower. Or it could just be that I'm in a fussy mood ;)
Lisa wrote: "You may well like it more than me, Janice. I'm wondering if my expectations were just too high given all the rave reviews, and maybe I would have enjoyed it a lot more if they had been a bit lower. Or it could just be that I'm in a fussy mood ;) "Over the last couple of years, I've been trying to read a number of new releases so that I have some context for when the Goodreads Awards come up. If it's got a lot of reviews now, it's likely it will get nominated. If I don't like it, then at least I can vote accordingly. The premise intrigued me so I hope I'll like it.
Janice wrote: "Lisa wrote: "You may well like it more than me, Janice. I'm wondering if my expectations were just too high given all the rave reviews, and maybe I would have enjoyed it a lot more if they had been..."I reckon you're right, Janice. I bet it will get nominated in the Goodreads Awards this year. Books with lots of reviews usually do. I will give it one more try at some point because on paper, it's the sort of book that I should love. Hopefully the next time will be more successful!
Were you listening to the audiobook, or was your edition in print format, Lisa?
Janice wrote: "Were you listening to the audiobook, or was your edition in print format, Lisa?"It was in print format. It's got a really beautiful cover too!
Travis sivarT wrote: "On a completely random note. On regular phone screen your avatar looks like a panda Peggy but once I enlarge my screen I now see it's actually you. Even after knowing it's you when my screen is bac..."That comment would've been mine Travis (sorry). The narrator is not too bad, it's the book I was finding a bit hard to follow. The links between chapters are a bit obscure and I don't know where it's heading yet. I would normally flick back to get my bearings, but can't because it's on audio...
I was in the same dilemma as you - the ebook / print versions were that bit too expensive.
I find myself with 6 books on the go and feel a bit like a child in a sweetie shop.The Woman in White is the long term episodic read that Sarah is involved in.
S. is a buddy read that I plan to take some time over and dip into. This may be on my reading list for a while.
The Idiot was supposed to be a buddy read in another group, but there's no-one discussing it and I'm feeling a bit bored and lost. I don't know whether to give up on this ; /
Night Shift is for dipping into. I listened to Jerusalem's Lot the other week and freaked myself out - I was stripping the faces off first aid mannequins at the time and the freakiness caught me completely off guard.
The Nix is my aforementioned audiobook. I listen to one on the way into work each morning. Not sure about this one yet. The writing is really good though.
The Ghost Brigades - I've just started this and it's sooo good. This is my favourite at the moment and I WILL be reading this as SOON as I get home tonight ; )
There you are - I've bared my soul. And there are so many other excellent books coming up for challenges / buddy reads etc
I have a lot of books on the go at the moment too Annerlee. But I always fid there is one I want to read more than another. Actually my two main reads are equally compelling but I'm going to try reading one at home and the other when commuting. I am off down to Bournemouth at the weekend on the train so I am looking forward to a longer reading session.
Thanks for the thoughts on the Nix. Peggy you're picture is good. I can never make out what anyone's picture is without enlarging. I was trying to think now what was it Peggy went for school for. Someone in this group was a psychology major. Maybe Pragya. Either way I was thinking of the psychiatrist and the picture test . Now what do you see here. I've actually never returned an audiobook in near 5 years. Usually the narrator can grow on you after a little bit of listening.
I am almost finished with a first kindle giveaway, A Criminal Defense by William L. Myers Jr.. I have wrongly guessed who did it a few times. I shall find out tonight. It's a good courtroom drama.I just started Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference by Cordelia Fine. It's an interesting read that show tests that have been done on people to show how society and wording before testing influences males and females.
Peggy is Dr Peggy in Psychology Travis, and Pragya is just about to be, so you were on the money.
I always want to read new releases but they are so expensive here in Aus. Paperbacks are at least $30 if not $40. Hardbacks are $40-45. E-books are anywhere from $20-$50 for new releases. Audiobooks aren't very available.So one day.
I'm back to We, the Drowned. I am actually enjoying it, I've just had to put it down for 3 challenges, a toppler, and a graphic novel I thought I should really read before we bomb North Korea. I will get through it!
Those prices are insane Rusalka! Especially for ebooks. I'm also always behind on new releases. I refuse to pay more than a few euros for an ebook, and I don't like hardcovers, so I usually have to wait 8 months or so before a paperback comes out. Then often it's first the large-size paperbacks which are between € 16-20, and then after a while the much more convenient smaller paperbacks, which are between € 8-12. I prefer the smaller paperbacks (sometimes buy the bigger ones though), so basically an author almost has a new book out already before I get to the previous one ;-)
And yes, psychology, and yes the pictures are very small here. But I was doubting the previous pic since I changed it, so I'm happy to have another one.
On reading, I started We Have Always Lived in the Castle. In the introduction to the book a famous short story by the same author was mentioned, called The Lottery, and I was curious so read that today. It's really very short, with a 'what the....' moment at the end, but I enjoyed it.
Rusalka wrote: "I always want to read new releases but they are so expensive here in Aus. Paperbacks are at least $30 if not $40. Hardbacks are $40-45. E-books are anywhere from $20-$50 for new releases. Audiobook..."Those prices are crazy. Are you close to any libraries? That is the only way I get new releases, unless I win one. They are just too expensive. My library actually tallies on the bottom of the receipt how much money you save by using the library. This week it said I saved $168.00.
BTW, thanks for We, the Drowned info. It looks very good.
Rusalka wrote: "I always want to read new releases but they are so expensive here in Aus. Paperbacks are at least $30 if not $40. Hardbacks are $40-45. E-books are anywhere from $20-$50 for new releases. Audiobook..."I'm glad you are enjoying We, the Drowned, Rusalka. It takes a bit of work to get through, but it's worth it in my opinion.
Rusalka wrote: "I always want to read new releases but they are so expensive here in Aus. Paperbacks are at least $30 if not $40. Hardbacks are $40-45. E-books are anywhere from $20-$50 for new releases. Audiobook..."Wow! Those prices are crazy! And I thought the prices for new releases here in the UK were steep! Any idea why they are so expensive in Aus, Rusalka?
We do have a great library system here in the ACT, but when it's you vs several hundreds of others for the new releases, I just let it go.I believe, that we have a protectionism policy that adds up to 20-30% to imported book prices. The idea is that it encourages publishers and such to support and publish Australian authors.
However it also goes into the fact that we pay more for everything over here. It is cheaper, and I am shitting you not, to fly to Finland, buy a new macbook, and fly back to Australia. Adobe charges us more to download - DOWNLOAD - off their servers, in the States, their products. Why? And this is why the download is important, because of our geographic location. ... what?... welcome to our world.
Anyway, here's a good link that talks about things much better than I can (my brain is a puddle tonight) from our national Youth radio station current affairs program http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/program... It's not very long but explains it pretty well.
I think we need to find a medium. I am so for Aussie stories being told. I think it is so incredibly important. We have a voice that is different to other parts of the world, sometimes from comments on here incomprehensible! :P But it is ridiculous. And. AND. Aussie books are not cheaper here. And that to me is against the point of the policy.
Rusalka wrote: "I'm back to We, the Drowned. I am actually enjoying it..."I read this last year. It has the feel of classic literature about it.
Sarah wrote: "I have a lot of books on the go at the moment too Annerlee. But I always fid there is one I want to read more than another. Actually my two main reads are equally compelling but I'm going to try re..."Reading on the train... sounds good
I usually buy the audiobook version of a new release. I buy the platinum membership at Audible which costs about $9.50 a book. I have, on occasional bought a new release on ebook, but only if the price doesn't exceed $10.00.
So I started The Nix so far the narration is good. The story is good. No part is giving me any grief. I'm certain when I sampled it was while I was listening to another book. Today starting fresh and it was a better experience. That's all it takes sometines.
Travis sivarT wrote: "So I started The Nix so far the narration is good. The story is good. No part is giving me any grief. I'm certain when I sampled it was while I was listening to another book. Today ..."That is good to hear Travis!
Oh Travis! I've been meaning to ask you for over a month, and I may have asked you, but I can't remember or remember where I would have asked you if I did ask you, but I don't think I did.*pants*
What audiobook version of The Odyssey did you listen to? Was it good? Where'd you get it from? Lexx has expressed a wish to read it, and I pointed out that audiobook for him would be best, also as it was an oral poem.
Ian McKellan was the narrator Rusalka. Robert Fagles was the translator. I don't remember having any issues with the narrator. I got it through audible and it is quite highly rated. That version also says #1 best seller for poems although I admit I'm not positive if they mean the story itself or the narration. It's the only version that says best seller so I'm assuming they mean that narration, but who knows.I have also picked up, in a sale, an Iliad and Odyssey combo narrated by Anthony Heald which I haven't listened to. I can say I've enjoyed Heald in other narrations he's done. I wonder if the translator of this version is the same or not. I've never checked.
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