You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Chit Chat About Books
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What Are You Reading? - 2019
I'm still enjoying my favourite old Czech detective in Graham Brack's great series set in Prague. The third book is Death On Duty: Authentic detective fiction, packed full of suspense, and there are more to come! Dark crime and light humour. Perfect mix! 
4.5★ Link to my review
Now for something completely different! Blossoms in Autumn is a new, adult, graphic (in both senses of the word) novel about an older guy and an older woman, both alone now, and how they get to know each other, warts and all (yes, all). Have a look - I included some good illustrations. 
4★ Link to my review
I've started The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise. It doesn't get great reviews, but it was cheap on Kindle a while back. Besides, I needed a book for the set in London task on the movie challenge, and you can't really get more in London than the tower, can you? It's a bit strange so far. I'm not really sure how it's all going to come together, but there are some quirky characters in it that are moving things along.
I finished Assassin's Quest, and with it my first series of the year. I gave it 5 stars. Next up is a new release for 2019, Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I can fit it into the movie mania challenge.
Janice wrote: "I finished Assassin's Quest, and with it my first series of the year. I gave it 5 stars. Next up is a new release for 2019, Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I can fit it i..."
I will be looking forward to hearing what you think of Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Janice. I recently brought it but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
Tricia wrote: "I've started The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise. It doesn't get great reviews, but it was cheap on Kindle a while back. Besides, I needed a book for the set in London task on the m..."I have this book on my TBR list, left over from the Geo Challenge, for the "tower" task. I will look forward to how it turns out for you, Tricia.
Dem wrote: "Finished and enjoyedIsland of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World 
My Review: www.goodreads.com/..."
Glad you liked it, Dem!
I am reading the 12th Rizzoli & Isles book, I Know A Secret - just because. I forgot how much I looked forward to these characters.
Cherie wrote: "I am reading the 12th Rizzoli & Isles book, I Know A Secret - just because. I forgot how much I looked forward to these characters."I was unaware of this series until the 11th book, which I got on an Audible sale. I just added the first to my TBR. For some reason, the first one isn't available through Audible. I'll be checking my library for these.
Kristie wrote: "Rizzoli & Isles.I was unaware of this series until the 11th book, which I got on an Audible sale. I just added the first to my TBR. For some reason, the first one isn't available through Audible. I'll be checking my library for these..."
I have never listened to the audio books, Kristie, so I do not know about the audiobook formats. I read most of them as ebooks, because I bought them from Barnes & Nobel. I borrowed this last one, in print, from my library.
Starting from the beginning will give you some progression of the characters and how things changed in their lives, vs. coming into it at book 11. Mara is quite different in the books than she was presented on the TV show. Rizzoli's family are the same, for the most part. I think the TV characters were more "characters", if you know what I mean.
Lisa wrote: "I will be looking forward to hearing what you think of Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Janice. I recently brought it but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. .."It's a chunkster (24 hour audiobook), so it's going to take a bit of time to finish it. It seems the reviews are a bit mixed, so I'm a little apprehensive.
My reading time has been greatly reduced in the last few weeks, and I am feeling its lack... :/I quit the buddy read for Perdido Street Station because I got from the library at the same time two books I had been in the waiting list for a long time. This books were Warlight, which was only a 2 stars for me, and The Clockmaker's Daughter, of which I mange to read only 30 pages before it was due. Those pages were enough, though, to know I would like to pick it up again in the future. It just feels so unfair... I wish I had picked The Clockmaker's Daughter to read before Warlight, but this last one was shorter and looked a faster read. Bad decision.
Right now I am reading The Witch Elm and enjoying it. I was in the waiting list for weeks for this one too. I got a message from the library that The Death of Mrs. Westaway is ready to download. Another one I have waited for a while.
It is unbelievable. I've been in these waiting lists for many, many weeks, and now 4 books come almost at the same time, and the timing is so bad I don't even have time for reading them.
That's happened to me quite a bit lately, Sandra. My library books have had terrible timing and I've had to send a few back un read after waiting weeks to get them, then get back in the waiting line again. I am currently reading The Lost Man and have just over 100 pages to go and it is due back today. I'm hoping I can finish it this morning because I have plans this afternoon. I am just at the good part too where things are starting to come together.
I've picked up Wanderlove for the monthly, after taken 6 weeks to finish my last book. It's fluffy, self-righteous, the main character is annoying as all hell although slightly more self aware about bad relationships than I was expecting, bordering on bad writing. Yet it's exactly what I need it seems. It's so easy to read. And it's talking about the characters travels through Belize and Guatemala, and I found out they are using real places and highways and the like, so that's nice for someone really in need of a holiday.
So don't recommend it, but do if you need this headspace. It's like Twilight, but not...
(no vampires though)
lol, I love how twisted that is, Rusalka. Basically, it's a terrible book and just what you needed. It's awful, but perfect and that somehow makes perfect sense.
Kristie wrote: "lol, I love how twisted that is, Rusalka. Basically, it's a terrible book and just what you needed. It's awful, but perfect and that somehow makes perfect sense."lol, yes! It has happened to me and it is fantastic and depressing at the same time.
I know. I am hating myself for devouring it, but loving I'm reading again. It's like the reading equivalent of an enormous fairy floss. There's no nutritional value, or taste, but I'm just going with it.
I finished The Golden Goblet. I've had this book for years and I don't even remember when I got it. It has library stickers & stamps on it so I must have picked it up in some sale. I'll start The Elfstones of Shannara. I picked this one up in a clearance sale of library books. I'll bet I got Golden Goblet at the same sale. It sucks to lose your memory. Hahaha!
What is worse? Being excited about a book and then being disappointed by it, or feeling obligated to read books that have been on your shelf forever? I don't really want to read Elfstones or several of the books I bought in that sale.
That's a bummer, Janice. Hopefully it will turn out to be a good read for you and you'll be glad you read it after all. I have plenty of books like that on my shelves.
I do not think you will be disappointed about the Shannara book, Janice. Hopefully, you read the first book. :o)
Good grief! I spoke too soon. I started Black Leopard, Red Wolf today. I was so excited to read this book. I'm in the middle of chapter 3 and I have no idea what is going on. I think I'm going to return it.I'll start Shannara tonight. I have the first book shelved as "be my buddy" so we must have buddy-read it.
I started Shannara last night. Such tiny font! Eshhh! I'll start The Devil Aspect on audiobook today.
Oh I loved all the Shannara series. I also enjoyed the first season of the TV show
Janice wrote: "Good grief! I spoke too soon. I started Black Leopard, Red Wolf today. I was so excited to read this book. I'm in the middle of chapter 3 and I have no idea what is going on. I thin..."Oh, that's disappointing, Janice. I'm worried I may have the same problem as I had to give up on his previous book, A Brief History of Seven Killings, as I just couldn't keep track of what was going on and who was who. It sounds like this book may go the same way.
I hope you had better luck than I did, Lisa.
Janice - We started the Shannara series as a buddy read. We read book 1 I believe. I never even completed that.
Sarah wrote: "Janice - We started the Shannara series as a buddy read. We read book 1 I believe. I never even completed that."I've been meaning to look the buddy read up to remind myself what transpired in the first book. I have a few memories coming through, but I'm not sure if they belong to this book or another.
I think that Shannara might work better as a show than as as a book. I did that buddy with Sarah and I think Peggy. I think I the most disappointed one. It seemed very 2 D to me but I gather it was a important book in the development of the modern fantasy genre - I never really enjoy stories that are described like that! @Janice, I can't wait to see what you make of it - especially so close on the heals of Hobb.
I did finish book 1 and intended to go on, but hasn't happened yet. I'm trying to remember what the book was about but I can't.
I started Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? because it came in from the library. What a weird, weird book. lol I think I may put it aside until the discussion thread is open. It would be a good one to discuss and maybe other people will be more clear on exactly what is going on in the part that I'm at. I have so many thoughts...
Margo wrote: "I think that Shannara might work better as a show than as as a book. I did that buddy with Sarah and I think Peggy. I think I the most disappointed one. It seemed very 2 D to me but I gather it was..."I found the thread and read through it last night. It confirmed those vague memories I had. There is a gap of 50 years between the two books which may explain why I wasn't making a connection.
Kristie wrote: "I started Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? because it came in from the library. What a weird, weird book. lol I think I may put it aside until the discussion thread is open. It ..."I got an email that the download is available from my library, so I'll need to download it right away. I'm not sure I can cope with weird right now. We'll see.
I’m curious to see what you think of it, Janice.
I've picked up Sold on a Monday again. I don't think it's a bad book, but I just don't find it interesting at all. I feel like it's going to get better, but I'm 26% in and it hasn't yet. I put this one down a while ago to read something else and never went back to it. Now, I'm trying to get through it, but find myself making excuses and doing other things. It's an old NetGalley too that I still need to review. Ugh.
I'm trying to decide - stick it out a little longer or just give up and write a review stating it wasn't for me. Maybe I'll try to get 1/3 through and see how it is then. Of course, it's taken me hours to get through 6% today due to procrastination. I'll need to tap some determination and motivation to get there any time soon.
I hate when that happens, Kristie. I think if you wouldn't finish if it weren't from NetGalley, then you shouldn't finish it.
I might, Sandra. It's true that I'm only reading it because it's a review at this point. Funny thing, after procrastinating most of the day I told myself that I would give it a chance and read for 45 minutes until my husband got home. He came home early. lol
I have just finished Dune. It was fantastic. It's taken me so long to read it though, stopping and starting for challenges and buddy reads plus i have less time to read recently. Feels good to finish it. Now on to The Android's Dream for the group read and it will likely fit for the movie challenge too.
I finished reading The Devil Aspect. It was intense, dark, and rather disturbing. The narration by Julian Rhind-Tutt was excellent. I need something light and fluffy to counterbalance this book. I'm not sure what that will be just yet.
I've decided to read Stephen Fry's Victorian Secrets. It's 7.33 hours long so should fit in nicely between now and Friday.
I finished The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise. I thought the plot was pretty slow, but the characters were interesting. I'm giving it 3 stars. I've started Early Riser finally, and I'm liking it so far. It's sort of weird like most of this author's work, but it's good.
Today I'll start Prayers for Rain for the Kenzie and Gennaro buddy read. I wasn't a big fan of the book before this one so I'm hoping this one goes better.
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo is terrific! Millions of readers and the Pulitzer Prize people weren’t wrong. Unforgettable characters and a great read!
5+★ Link to my review
I finished the Land of the Living. It was a quick ride...Finished it in two days (would be one but I had to go to work and cook and sleep...:P)Now I am thinking in starting Magpie Murders...I heard really good comments about it....
Wildgoose wrote: "I finished the Land of the Living. It was a quick ride...Finished it in two days (would be one but I had to go to work and cook and sleep...:P)Now I am thinking in starting [book:Ma..."
I've heard good things about Magpie Murders too and hope to get to it soon.
I honestly don't know the titles of any of the books I've read recently. Been on a non fiction and great courses thing. Let's see one was about redefining reality. That may have been the title. One was about the final Indian war and laying the smackdown on the Comanche. Seems like something else was in there. I don't know then I went all in and binge read the millennium series all the way to book 5 I think then book 6 is coming out soon. I'll say after the author died this new author didn't miss a beat. The language is spot on. He may be a bit less graphic on the violence and I don't see that as a bad thing lol
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
The Ten Thousand Doors of January (other topics)Kim (other topics)
The Game (other topics)
The Darkest Night (other topics)
The Ten Thousand Doors of January (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jeanine Cummins (other topics)Laurie R. King (other topics)
Graham Brack (other topics)
Rosario Lázaro Igoa (other topics)
Alice Hoffman (other topics)
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My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2757059154