What are you reading right now?

[Genesis]

Let us know what you're reading right now, and how you like it so far.

[Genesis]

I'm reading Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson. There are elements that remind me of Neuromancer by William Gibson, and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, but it also has it's own feel. I really like a couple of the characters and am interested to see where it goes.

[Allen]

I just finished reading The First Girl Child for my book club. It’s kind of like a Norse version of Children of Men, in which a curse prevents women from being born and how it impacts their society.

I also finished reading a Star Wars novel called Alphabet Squadron (so name because of the different ships flown by the pilots) and it was really good because it had nothing to do with Jedi or the legacy of the Skywalkers. It’s a story about fighter pilots running skirmishes against the Imperial Remnant right after the Battle of Endor. I hope there will be more books!

[Erica]

I’m reading All the Ways We Said Goodbye, by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. While also juggling two other books: Unravel Me, by Tahereh Mafi, and Dark Age, by Pierce Brown. All The Ways We Said Goodbye has a similar format as in The Huntress by Kate Quinn and The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff. It follows three women: Aurelie, Daisy, and Babs, who have a link to a legendary hotel. It’s a historical fiction set in France and in two time periods: WWI & WWII. Still learning about each individual and keeping track as each chapter alternates to a different character.

- Erica

[Sarah]

Talking to Strangers- almost finished and I can't put it down! I feel like Gladwell makes these sweeping statements that I want to argue, but he has some amazing points. Very interesting book. Great non fiction choice when you are sick of reading bios!! :)
Bad Blood- just started this one for book club and I honestly cannot believe what is happening so far!! Good to read while reading Talking to Strangers from a psychological standpoint. I watched the documentary "The Inventor" which was equally astounding.
The Lost Book of Adana Moreau- weird fiction in a good way. Just started so I'm hoping it comes together soon.

[Gale]

I’m almost finished with My Dark Vanessa. I don’t love it but it’s moving quickly. Just finished Bad Blood. Surprised to come across the name of someone I know who worked there. I’ll be following her trial!

[Sarah]

Erica wrote: "I’m reading All the Ways We Said Goodbye, by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. While also juggling two other books: Unravel Me, by Tahereh Mafi, and Dark Age, by Pierce Brown. All T..."

Do you like All the Ways? Is it worth reading?

[Erica]

Sarah wrote: "Erica wrote: "I’m reading All the Ways We Said Goodbye, by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. While also juggling two other books: Unravel Me, by Tahereh Mafi, and Dark Age, by Pierc..."
Hi Sarah, I am enjoying and so far its worth reading. It's my first taste of these authors writing.

[Allison]

I'm reading House of Earth and Blood, which is the first in Sarah J. Maas' newest series, and her first book for adults (instead of teens). It's so good!

I'm doing a readaloud with my 9-year-old daughter of Restart by Gordon Korman, which has some thought-provoking themes about bullying. We're taking turns reading to each other, which is a great learning-at-home activity.

I'm also listening to Rebel by Marie Lu on audiobook. I loved Marie Lu's Legend trilogy- great dystopian for teens- and this is a surprise fourth book in the series!

[Genesis]

Gale wrote: "I’m almost finished with My Dark Vanessa. I don’t love it but it’s moving quickly. Just finished Bad Blood. Surprised to come across the name of someone I know who worked there. I’ll be following h..."

Oh, wow, that would definitely make for a more compelling read!

[Suzanne]

I am reading Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb.It is very interesting, well written, and provides a bit of therapy, as she, a therapist, relates her experience with her clients, and her own therapist.
I'm also reading a Faye Kellerman book, Grievous Sin, which I am still getting in to. This is the first book I have read by her, and I'm not sure how I feel about her writing or characters yet. Since it is an audio book, it could be that the reader is a bit off-putting.
And I just finished Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler. It was silly and light, but a fun and satisfying read, based on Taming of the Shrew.

[Claire]

I'm reading Nothing to See Here, by Kevin Wilson. It's a short book, my favorite kind, and I'm almost done. I have a feeling I know how it is going to end but I keep reaching for it because the main character is hilarious and the story is truly unique. If you are looking for a quirky and funny book, this one is for you!

[Heather]

I just read the All For the Game trilogy by Nora Sakevic. Twice. Then I read the final book again. Send help.

[Coralie]

I'm in the middle of three books: Les Misérables, Jane Eyre, and the original Dracula. I have to say is hard for me to get through parts of them because they are sort of dry. However, I'm pushing through because I know that they are good stories besides those parts that are a little boring.

[Sandy]

I'm just about finished with the new Cassandra Clare book "Chain of Gold," the first book in her new Shadowhunter trilogy "The Last Hours." So far so good, but I have to say that my favorite Shadowhunter series is her "Infernal Devices" trilogy.

[Courtney]

I just finished "Dear Sweet Pea" by Julie Murphy and it was just lovely! It's a middle grade book about Sweet Pea, a 7th grader who is dealing with her parent's divorce, navigating best friends and ex best friends, and all the feelings that go with it.

[Thomas]

I am rereading Wallace Stegner's Angle Of Repose. His use of language is incredible. The main character is trapped in a wheel chair. Somewhat like our current "stay in place."

[Allison]

Coralie wrote: "I'm in the middle of three books: Les Misérables, Jane Eyre, and the original Dracula. I have to say is hard for me to get through parts of them because they are sort of dry. However, I'm pushing t..."

Wow, the classics! I read a children's version of Dracula when I was nine and it traumatized me for months afterwards. I was SO scared of vampires! It's good that you're reading it a more appropriate age!

[Genesis]

Coralie wrote: "I'm in the middle of three books: Les Misérables, Jane Eyre, and the original Dracula. I have to say is hard for me to get through parts of them because they are sort of dry. However, I'm pushing t..."

That's a lot of classics to read all at once! All worth reading, but maybe not all together. ;-) I found Les Mis in particular to be a bit of a slog - long stretches of political/historical background between the plot and character development.

[Sharon]

I just starting listening to Janet Evanovich's "Twisted Twenty-Six" and it is laugh out loud funny. I've listened to the entire series: yes, this is the 26th. I love her characters, I feel like I know them all and the books are set in Trenton, NJ.

[Gale]

I love Stegner’s books! Angle of Repose was such a great read. My favorite is Crossing to Safety. Maybe because I’m older now.

[John]

Over the past year I have lazily skipped out on opportunities to read "The Rise of Athens: The Story of the World's Greatest Civilization" by Anthony Everitt AND "The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History" (of which I am very interested in reading now) by John M. Barry after checking out both books from a library and allowing them to sit untouched in my home for the duration of the initial loan period (one of which I think I actually renewed and still didn't read). Well, I recently took my library's advice and checked out an ebook during this lockdown. Unfortunately, the library's online collection (Southern California Digital Library) does not have either of these titles available 😕. I was still lucky enough to find another book I was interested in "Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the Bloody Fight for His Kingdom" by James Romm. As much as I enjoy reading historical books I have this big hang up with them while growing to be a cynical old man in thinking, "How in the heck does this author know the interior thoughts or the private conversations of people that he never met and that lived hundreds if not thousands of years ago?" Well, Romm does a very good job in the introduction of citing his historical sources, explaining his research methods and how he crossed referenced his sources with contemporary sources from the same time period, and assuring his readers that he did not just "make things up" as he went about chronicling historical events. With that assurance in mind I have really enjoyed these first few chapters and expect to have a pleasant experience with the book by the time I wrap it up. I know there a plenty of people, including some who have posted here, that have this incredible talent for getting through multiple books at the same time. Well I must lack the amazing attention span or solid memory skills that those of you possess, so I embarrassingly admit that I am doing this one book at a time.

[Allen]

Coralie wrote: "I'm in the middle of three books: Les Misérables, Jane Eyre, and the original Dracula. I have to say is hard for me to get through parts of them because they are sort of dry. However, I'm pushing t..."

I couldn't even get through Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. Even with zombies, I couldn't wade through the extraordinarily dry prose of the book!

[Genesis]

Allen wrote: "I couldn't even get through Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. Even with zombies, I couldn't wade through the extraordinarily dry prose of the book!"

You're killing me, Allen! Jane Austen is so witty and fun! You need to imagine the narrator's voice as someone like Emma Thompson - someone with warmth and humor, and the ability to slip a verbal knife in your ribs so deftly that she's gone before you even notice.

[Lauren]

It won’t let me reply directly to John from my phone! I just want to say, John, that there is zero shame in reading only one book at a time. Everyone reads at their own pace. I wish I had the patience to read one book at a time - to really dive into it without the distraction of other stories. I think it’s an amazing attribute to be able to focus on one book, one story, and just immerse yourself in that!

[Sarah]

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali. Love strory (kind of) in Iran during the 50s. But jumps to U.S in present times. So far it's pretty good!

[John]

Hello, Lauren. I just wanted to drop you a "Thank you" note for giving my ego and my reading skills a boost of encouragement through your words. BTW, I am very much "immersed" in my current book.

[Allen]

My book club just picked The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, so I'm stoked to finally give that a read. I've heard good things!

[Sarah]

Allen wrote: "My book club just picked The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, so I'm stoked to finally give that a read. I've heard good things!"

This is my favorite Fantasy novel! Admittedly overly-long in some places but in a wonderful kind of way. You'll be frustrated though that Rothfuss hasn't written the conclusion and it takes him years to write a new book. It's like starting a new favorite Netflix series only to find out it was canceled after season 2!

[Lauren]

John wrote: "Hello, Lauren. I just wanted to drop you a "Thank you" note for giving my ego and my reading skills a boost of encouragement through your words. BTW, I am very much "immersed" in my current book."

Of course! I think that's why I tend to re-read books a lot. I tend to read too fast and lose some details. I envy your ability to focus so intently.

[Sandy]

I recently finished reading "Chain of Gold" by Cassandra Clare (new Shadowhunters trilogy) and loved it!

I'm switching gears to my other favorite genre - sci-fi- and am re-reading the Red Rising series (by Pierce Brown) to get me up to speed for his newest book, Dark Age (#5). I just finished Red Rising (#1) and have started Golden Son (#2).

Red Rising started off as a trilogy (there are now 5 books in the series), but the first three are a complete story if you don't want to invest in a continuing series (there's nothing worse than waiting for the latest book to come out in a series!).

When I first read Red Rising in 2014 I couldn't recommend it enough. Set in a dystopian future (in space and all the fun tech and gizmos that entails!) with rebellious characters creating social upheaval the story draws you in and keeps you reading late into the night. Having just finished it I'm happy to say it's still one of my top sci-fi recommendations!

[Lauren]

Sandy wrote: "I recently finished reading "Chain of Gold" by Cassandra Clare (new Shadowhunters trilogy) and loved it!

I'm switching gears to my other favorite genre - sci-fi- and am re-reading the Red Rising ..."

LOVED Chain Of Gold!! I revisited The Infernal Devices and am now on Ghosts of the Shadow Market because I never read many of the short stories within it. I may be immersed in the Shadowhunter world for awhile!

[Jillian]

I've just started Sorcery of Thorns. Its a young adult fantasy about a girl who lives at the Great Library where all sorts of magical books are housed. Some of the books are evil and can turn into Maleficts (scary book monsters that bleed ink!). Her mentor gets killed mysteriously and she is blamed.

I've heard its really good and a fun book thats all about, books!

[Allen]

When taking breaks from Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind, I've been rediscovering my interest in Japanese manga. I picked up Shattered, a collection of short stories by my all time favorite horror writer/illustrator/purveyor of the best nightmare fuel, Junji Ito. I'm excited to dig into it and see what'll make me keep the lights on for the next few days.

[Lauren]

I just got The Betrothed by Kiera Cass on my kindle and I'm excited! Her previous series The Selection is one of my favorite YA cheesy romances and so I'm hoping that this one is just as cheesy!

[Allison]

Lauren, I can't wait to hear what you think of The Betrothed! I feel like it could be the cheesy fun read that's a perfect distraction in times like these.

I just started reading the sequel to one of my favorite YA books, Darius the Great is Not Okay. This one is called Darius the Great Deserves Better, and so far, it's delightful. I've got an advance copy-- look for it in August!

[Sandy]

I'm currently getting caught up with Murderbot - and fun, sci-fi short story series by Marhta Wells. The newest, first full-length story, Network Effect was released on May 5th and I can't wait to read it. Murderbot is just misunderstood - he just wants to power down and watch some vids - he'd do great with the stay-at-home orders...

[Allen]

Since May is Star Wars month, I've been taking this chance to finally read through the New Canon of Star Wars books. When Disney purchased LucasFilm for FOUR BILLION DOLLARS in 2012, all of the books, comics, games that were written up to that point were no longer considered "canon," which gave Disney a clean slate to work with as far as what happened in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. That's a discussion for another post but so far I've read:

Star Wars Aftermath by Chuck Wendig
Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig
Han Solo: Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older
Bloodlines by Claudia Gray

I'm starting both Phasma and the third and final Aftermath book (Empire's End). I've been listening to the audiobook versions of the Aftermath trilogy and it's been fun because they were recorded as semi-productions (music, voice actors, sound effects).

[Allison]

Allen wrote: "Since May is Star Wars month, I've been taking this chance to finally read through the New Canon of Star Wars books. When Disney purchased LucasFilm for FOUR BILLION DOLLARS in 2012, all of the boo..."

Fun, Allen! I enjoyed Bloodlines on audiobook-- the narration and production quality was phenomenal. Sound effects, theme music... it was very Star Wars!

[Lauren]

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is finally out and I'm diving back into the world of Panem!

[Bobbie V.]

I'm reading "In the Country of Women" by Susan Straight. It is a memoir about the strong women in her family.

[Jean]

I am reading Lisa Wingate’s newest historical fiction novel “The Book of Lost Friends” and it is excellent!! I am recommending it to everyone, especially my teacher friends.

[Jean]

I'm almost done with The New Husband by D. J. Palmer and I'm having trouble putting it down! It's been a long time since I've read a novel that I put everything aside to read. It's not a literary masterpiece by any stretch, but it is a riveting psychological thriller that is easy to read (no brainer) if you're into that sort of thing:).

[Lauren]

I'm taking a break from my typical dystopian YA to read "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America". I'm admittedly a bit ignorant when it comes to history, especially in regards to racial injustice, and so I'm trying to educate myself on past events so I can better understand today's events.

[MichiganMarie]

Sharon wrote: "I just starting listening to Janet Evanovich's "Twisted Twenty-Six" and it is laugh out loud funny. I've listened to the entire series: yes, this is the 26th. I love her characters, I feel like I k..."

I have read all of Evanovich's books; many are laugh out loud funny. I loved Grandma Mazur. Her new book should be out this fall. From: Marie