What Else Are You Reading in 2019? Showing 851-900 of 3,237

[Sarah]

Finished The Priory of the Orange Tree. It's labeled "Adult" but it really feels like New Adult.

I gave it three stars because it did have some high points (and I was being generous) but there was just not enough content there to carry all 800 pages. It felt like it was trying to fill in every last time gap so that there was no jumping around in the story but it wasn't necessary. The characters and their relationships felt pretty flimsy too which was probably the biggest issue.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Haha Andy that's a lot of caveats!! But I understand, sometimes it's fun to revel in something even if it's very clearly of an era or not something we'd pick up if it was written today.

Sarah, there does seem to be some bloat to the hyped fantasy books, doesn't it? It feels a bit to me like the "throw the essays down the stairs" method of grading.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Jacqueline wrote: "There are a lot of books that are YA in one country and adult books in others. I’ve also found differences between booksellers. One will have a book in the general SFF section and the other will ha..."


I've also found books which are labelled or marketed as adult which "feel" very YAish to me. One example is Poison Study. And I remember there was this big stink over Warm Bodies because people were calling it YA and the author got all in a twist about it. (It certainly read YA to me, personally.)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I keep desperately hoping someone will coin a phrase for that YA feeling so that YA can go back to meaning "appropriate for a tween/teen audience" instead of being hacked to describe that style with purple prose and a fixation on romance and protagonists who are the best in the world but no one likes them etc etc.

I feel like it's a subgenre at this point and it's a beloved one, so it should have some sort of name.

[Sarah]

Allison wrote: Sarah, there does seem to be some bloat to the hyped fantasy books, doesn't it? It feels a bit to me like the "throw the essays down the stairs" method of grading. "

So much bloat! I feel like the hyped ones are always 500+ pages.

I actually have a few super long reads plotted for the next few months. The Stand was supposed to come off hold like 4 days ago, and then Chuck Wendig releases Wanderers in July, and I'm really hoping one of them satisfies my need for an epic.

[Travis]

Allison wrote: "I keep desperately hoping someone will coin a phrase for that YA feeling so that YA can go back to meaning "appropriate for a tween/teen audience" instead of being hacked to describe that style wit..."

This seems urgently necessary and yet, for reasons I don't really understand, very unlikely. I also want a clear category for books that (a) feature adolescent protagonists and (b) have been written with an adult audience in mind.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Travis wrote: "Allison wrote: "I keep desperately hoping someone will coin a phrase for that YA feeling so that YA can go back to meaning "appropriate for a tween/teen audience" instead of being hacked to describ..."

YES!

[Beth]

Alondra wrote: "Currently trying to get my series under control; but have all intention of starting A Darker Shade of Magic this weekend."

That would be a great weekend read. It's fun!

Sarah wrote: "So much bloat! I feel like the hyped ones are always 500+ pages."

This one's a standalone, right? Got to get everything into the one book, y'know. ;)

On to my own reading, I'm currently finding myself midway through a bunch of things. The main one is The Onion Girl, which is my first Charles de Lint. So far (about 100 pages in to a 600+ page book), a little slow.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Honestly, I feel like YA should be broken up anyway because there's younger YA, which is more tween oriented, and older YA, which is more older teens into NA (early 20s territory) and I get tired of people picking up a YA book for their "kids" and then whining that it has mature themes...

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Also, a lot of people lump together MG and YA and call MG books YA all the time, which makes me twitch.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Agree on both counts, Colleen!!

Beth, I hope Onion Girl turns out to be a pretty sort of flow at least. I liked the one book I read of his, and want to read more!

[Beth]

Allison wrote: "Beth, I hope Onion Girl turns out to be a pretty sort of flow at least. I liked the one book I read of his, and want to read more!"

It ain't bad! The contemporary-to-fantasy ratio is slightly too high for my taste, is all.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Beth wrote: "Allison wrote: "Beth, I hope Onion Girl turns out to be a pretty sort of flow at least. I liked the one book I read of his, and want to read more!"

It ain't bad! The contemporary-to-fantasy ratio ..."

Mmm, that's fair.

[CBRetriever]

Travis wrote: "I also want a clear category for books that (a) feature adolescent protagonists and (b) have been written with an adult audience in mind."

yes, The Name of the Wind, Assassin's Apprentice, and The Dragonbone Chair fit in that category

and @ Beth, that's the 8th book in a series, I'm not sure I would have started with that one. Maybe Moonheart would be a good one

[Randy]

Beth wrote: "We Are All Completely Fine: this was the first Daryl Gregory I'd read, and it's excellent. It's a combination of horror, character study and reflection on trauma. A minor warning: this novella has some body horror in it. It never lingered on that content long enough for this fairly squeamish/sensitive reader to put it down or skim, so as such things goes, it's probably mild.."

Catching up a bit ...

Just an fyi: There's a prequel: Harrison Squared. It was, justifiably, marketed as YA, but is quite readable, and frequently funny and thoughtful, sometimes simultaneously.

I'm currently reading The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, in which Theodora Goss gathers the daughters of certain noted Victorian gentlemen ( and one pre-Victorian gentleman) for an adventure of their very own. Naturally, Holmes and Watson make an appearance because even Victorian fantasy can't be written without them.

[Kaa]

Sarah wrote: "Finished The Priory of the Orange Tree. It's labeled "Adult" but it really feels like New Adult.

I gave it three stars because it did have some high points (and I was being genero..."

Grr, that's disappointing. I guess maybe I'll put this off for a little longer. I was really looking forward to it, but I just don't have the energy for unnecessarily long books right now.

[Beth]

CBRetriever wrote: "and @ Beth, that's the 8th book in a series, I'm not sure I would have started with that one. Maybe Moonheart would be a good one "

The suggestion is appreciated, but it's a buddy read, so it's the one I'm gonna read! ;) The large number of secondary characters do feel more like callbacks than fully-fleshed people specifically developed for this book...

[Jacqueline]

Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor series in in that category too. Written about a tween/teen but definitely written for adults.

[Sarah]

Kaa- you might like it!

I know you said you liked the lore of The Raven Tower and this is chock full of lore.

Just for me- I feel like I’d rather focus on character actions/interactions.

Although- lore wasn’t what held those last 200/300 pages back now that I’m think of it.. yeah maybe you should wait.

[Kaa]

Sarah wrote: "Kaa- you might like it!

I know you said you liked the lore of The Raven Tower and this is chock full of lore.

Just for me- I feel like I’d rather focus on character actions/interactions.

Althoug..."

Lore is good, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it in the Raven Tower if that had been 800 pages long... I'll probably wait and see if it shows up as a BR or group read in any of my groups.

[Gabi]

I finished The Terror, and I'm impressed. Utterly captivating while simultaneously full of well researched historical facts (and quite some gory scenes where I could have lived without the detailed facts ;) )
Totally recommendable is the audio-version narrated by Tom Sellwood. He is fantastic! He lives the story.

[Travis]

Kaa wrote: "Grr, that's disappointing. I guess maybe I'll put this off for a little longer. I was really looking forward to it"

Me too. That and The Ruin of Kings have both looked super promising, so it's a bummer to hear it's falling short...

[Travis]

CBRetriever wrote: "yes, The Name of the Wind, Assassin's Apprentice, and The Dragonbone Chair fit in that category"

Thanks! I really loved the first two of those, so I think I'll push the third up to sometime soon.

[Alondra]

Sarah wrote: "Finished The Priory of the Orange Tree. It's labeled "Adult" but it really feels like New Adult.

I gave it three stars because it did have some high points (and I was being genero..."

Yikes, that doesn't sound good. I already had misgivings about adding it. I think I will hold off.

[Karen]

I just started listening to Into the Drowning Deep. Only on chapter 2 so can't really say more than it's not bad so far.

[Alondra]

Karen wrote: "I just started listening to Into the Drowning Deep. Only on chapter 2 so can't really say more than it's not bad so far."

I loved the last 1/3rd of Rolling in the Deep. I didn't care for any of the characters; but the mermaids were awesome. Very different than what has been portrayed.

[Trike]

Alondra wrote: "Karen wrote: "I just started listening to Into the Drowning Deep. Only on chapter 2 so can't really say more than it's not bad so far."

I loved the last 1/3rd of Rolling in the Deep. I didn't care for any of the characters; but the mermaids were awesome. Very different than what has been portrayed..."

I don’t know if I consider you fortunate or deprived for missing out on 80s schlock monster movies. These mermaids are straight out of Humanoids from the Deep.

[Kaa]

I'm at a conference this weekend and the hardcover of Trail of Lightning was too large to bring, so no updates on my feelings about it or YA yet. Instead (in addition to devourering The Mere Wife), I started Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach in the hopes that it is time travel more to my tastes than the other group book.

[Alondra]

Trike wrote: "I don’t know if I consider you fortunate or deprived for missing out on 80s schlock monster movies. These mermaids are straight out of Humanoids from the Deep..."

Are you serious?? ……. I love good, old b-movies. I am definitely checking that out.

I will still take these murderous mermaids, though.

[Michele]

Allison wrote: "I keep desperately hoping someone will coin a phrase for that YA feeling so that YA can go back to meaning "appropriate for a tween/teen audience" instead of being hacked to describe that style with purple prose and a fixation on romance and protagonists who are the best in the world but no one likes them etc etc..."

Oh god yes, that would be so nice.

[Trike]

Alondra wrote: "Are you serious?? ……. I love good, old b-movies. I am definitely checking that out."

Humanoids from the Deep aspires to being a B movie. 😂 It’s available for free on YouTube. Enjoy!

[CBRetriever]

Kaa wrote: "I'm at a conference this weekend and the hardcover of Trail of Lightning was too large to bring, so no updates on my feelings about it or YA yet. Instead (in addition to devourering The Mere Wife),..."

This was one of the reasons I bought a Kindle. I can carry almost 300 books with me anywhere and it weighs less that a small paperback

[Alondra]

Trike wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Are you serious?? ……. I love good, old b-movies. I am definitely checking that out."

Humanoids from the Deep aspires to being a B movie. 😂 It’s available for free on YouTube. Enjoy!"

Oh Gawd, this doesn't sound good; but I am a complete nerd and have nothing better to do than read, garden, work, read, garden, work.

[Faith]

My review of Delta-v by Daniel Suarez:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kaa]

@CBRetriever: Yeah, I usually read on my phone but the waitlist at my library was MUCH shorter for the physical book than for the ebook, so that's what I went with, on this one occasion.

[Pam]

Read Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1398214749.

[Kirsten]

Just finished Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente yesterday. Such an inventive read!!

[Anisha Inkspill]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I re-read Beowulf in a different translation and was interested in the changes between the two I read. It's fun seeing what sticks out to translators and poets.

This was a set up for reading The Mere Wife, whose title and blurb do not do it justice. This book is FANTASTIC. If you like mythology, feminist allegory and stunning prose, this needs to be on your radar. I really don't have words for how good this was.

I also read and enjoyed The Vela, which I thought did a decent job showcasing each of the writer's talents.

I'm almost done with Assassin's Apprentice, which is everything I was promised! Such a fun epic fantasy, I'll definitely be reading on.

But not immediately. Now is for The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and getting a head start on next month's reads which I KNOW is cheating, you can waggle your finger. Too great, can't wait.

[Beth]

Cloud Atlas:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Women & Power: A Manifesto:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Truro Bear and Other Adventures: Poems and Essays:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Travis]

I reread The Scarlet Letter, which is a richer and more magical book than any of us gave it credit for being if we only read it in highschool. I mean, one of the chapters is titled "The Elf-Child and the Minister," and I think we're meant to interpret "elf" quite literally.

Along with some others in the group, I reread Beowulf. I chose the Tolkien translation, which is in prose instead of verse but still manages to *sound* beautiful. That was in preparation for The Mere Wife, which is everything Allison says it is. I just loved it and can't stop thinking about it.

I also read The Dragon Keeper, which by far is my least favorite of the Elderlings books. I'll definitely keep going in the Ran Wild Chronicles, though, because I suspect some of my dislike stems from the publisher's decision to split what should have been one book into two.

Now I'm reading The Dispossessed as part of the yearlong Le Guin challenge. One chapter in and WOW!

I'm also really looking forward to the buddy read for Servant of the Underworld.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Travis wrote: "I reread The Scarlet Letter, which is a richer and more magical book than any of us gave it credit for being if we only read it in highschool. I mean, one of the chapters is titled "Th..."

Oh, I'm so excited to hear what you think of the Dispossessed!!

[Andy]

I just finished The Black Company. The characters and setting were great. Some other things didn't agree with me as well, but it was enjoyable enough overall.

[CBRetriever]

Andy wrote: "I just finished The Black Company. The characters and setting were great. Some other things didn't agree with me as well, but it was enjoyable enough overall."

I bought the 3 book compilation and I'm not exactly thrilled with it. It's not bad, but I wasn't exactly thrilled with it. I love Django Wexler and Joe Abercrombie, so it's not the continual war that's the problem. The second book is more interesting so far.

[Andy]

CBRetriever wrote: "I bought the 3 book compilation and I'm not exactly thrilled with it. It's not bad, but I wasn't exactly thrilled with it."

I hear you. I learned about it as one of the April rereads. I'll chime in there; discussion starts tomorrow.

[Phrynne]

Pam wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "I read Breaking the Lore by Andy Redsmith because it was described as being perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch. It turned out to h..."

Thanks Pam. Somehow an errant little letter d had attached itself to the end of the link. This is the right one:)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Pam]

Phrynne wrote: "Pam wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "I read Breaking the Lore by Andy Redsmith because it was described as being perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch. It tur..."

Thanks Phyrnne.

[Pam]

Read a utopian/dystopian novel from the nineties with a difference - Starhawk's The Fifth Sacred Thing - and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2783199523.

[Bobby]

I finished Changing Faces by Sarah Lin, which is a LitRPG novel. It was a lot of fun and had an interesting twist on the genre so it felt more engaging than some others I've read.

I also started Spinning Silver to get ahead on the group read. I keep falling behind on the group reads, but I really wanted to read the ones in May, so I'm starting early. I'm already about 15% into it and it's great so far.

[Sarah]

Pam wrote: "Read a utopian/dystopian novel from the nineties with a difference - Starhawk's The Fifth Sacred Thing - and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...."

I have had this on my list forever. I really need to get around to it.