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 and why? 2015 version
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Janice, Moderator
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Jun 07, 2015 08:57AM
ROFL! Been to Africa recently? I haven't had enough coffee yet apparently.
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Finished Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner. A fascinating read - my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
@ Janice,I guess I need to go to the library to look up the SK comment or see if Amy has the book.
I have not read the Dark Tower series.
Seems to me though, that if you hold out for that moment in everything you read, you could be disappointed a lot. Maybe I am taking what you meant out of context though.
The second Hollows story did wander around a bit, but I am very interested to get the third book to see where the pictures take the story. I hope the author can wrap it all up well and not leave things hanging and too many questions unanswered.
Finished the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy with Blood Magick. Nora Roberts is an excellent romance writer, for those out there who like romance. I don't generally go for them, but read book 1 for a challenge or something and was hooked enough to finish the trilogy. These books are each easily readable in one day.Now I'm reading the latest in one of my favorite mystery series set in Laos: Six and a Half Deadly Sins. I love the humor and the slice-of-life feel for a country and politics I knew little about.
Cherie wrote: "@ Janice,I guess I need to go to the library to look up the SK comment or see if Amy has the book.
I have not read the Dark Tower series.
Seems to me though, that if you hold out for that moment ..."
There are times when I'm reading a book where I feel so connected to it and am enjoying it so much that I feel like I'm on a high. When I finish the book, my body hums. These are obviously 5 star reads for me. When I read SK's comment about a book being the ecstasy of perfect recognition, I finally found an explanation for that emotion I feel in those special books. I certainly don't hold out for that moment in each book. That's a special moment that only certain books are going to create.
After I finished reading Hollow City, I couldn't quite put my finger on why it felt like there was a disconnection. Because I'd just read SK's fabulous description, it made sense to say that I didn't recognize this book. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me.
I like "ecstasy of perfect recognition." I know that feeling well. And you want to tell everyone to READ THIS BOOK, IT'S AMAZING!
Yes! It makes perfect sense, Janice and I do understand the feeling. You come to the ending of a story and you are not ready to let it go. It is so real for you and you want to hold onto the words just a little longer to make the feeling last. I totally get it. Yes, this my five star feeling as well. :0)
Just finished Silver Borne and started River Marked. I'm determined to kill off this series! :)
I was just looking at my GR homepage and noticed the "recommendations" box had some slightly unusual recs for me..."Because you read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, a few recommendations in Fantasy:
The Dream Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione"
Wow Big Brother Good Reads, who woulda thought of making a connection between middle-grade fantasy and adult/smutty fantasy. From Boy Wizard to sultry "dream hunters." Thirteen year-old best friends to "sensual-pleasure-hungry" demon-slayer.
I don't know if this is the strangest recommendation ever, or GR is genius... because even though neither of those books were on my TBR, they just might be now. LOL.
In the past couple of days I've finished The Monkey's Raincoat and Stalking the Angel, the first two books in the Elvis Cole series. I'm usually a slow reader but I enjoyed them so much I couldn't put them down. Not great literature by any means but fun. The second one was better than the first. On to the next one, Lullaby Town. The books I put on hold for the Toppler are all on the way to the library.
I keep adding Nero Wolfe books to my current challenge level, although I do not need them for the points. They seem to be the only thing I want to listen to while I am trying to finish my last print book. I have finished Before Midnight, Curtains for Three and Black Orchids in the last week.
Debra wrote: "Finished the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy with Blood Magick. Nora Roberts is an excellent romance writer, for those out there who like romance. I don't generally go for them, but read ..."Sorry Debra - I totally panned Blood Magick :-)
I finished World After, book two of the Penryn & The End of Days trilogy, yesterday and started listening to End of Days, the final book in the trilogy, this morning. I'm enjoying it so far, but I smell trite YA plot devices ahead: the heroine does something stupid that leads to massive misunderstanding that can be solved with some simple communication. I hope that isn't what is about to happen, but I'm afraid it is.
KimeyDiann wrote: "I finished World After, book two of the Penryn & The End of Days trilogy, yesterday and started listening to End of Days, the final book in the trilogy, this morning..."I just picked up the second book from the library, so will be reading it shortly. Quite liked the first one.
I'm quite enjoying Desecration. It is fiction but could totally see stuff happening that is mentioned in the book.
Enough: Finding More by Living with Less for a book club challenge. Finding the book hard to read though, so it's very slow going.Also reading, The Scions of Shannara for my series killer. Now this book i'm having a hard time putting down, which means lack of sleep for me, lol.
KimeyDiann wrote: "I finished World After, book two of the Penryn & The End of Days trilogy, yesterday and started listening to End of Days, the final book in the trilogy, this morning..."Whew, End of Days didn't take the turn I was afraid it was going to! I like this series because it doesn't have so many of the YA clichés.
I am reading the Kiss of Deception, because I've read plenty of good reviews about it, the cover is flawless and the summary seemed really interesting and it is!
I decided to start Stone Mattress: Nine Tales before the toppler. Since it's short stories it will be easy to stop.
I finished The Miniaturist, which was great. No idea what to read next though. I don't think I can finish my challenge read before the toppler starts, but it might be wise to do so...
Thrashing my way through the Lorien Legacies: The Lost Files. Started with 9 on my list, two of which I had previously read and found that 2 more had been released since the beginning of the year. FYI: just in-case anyone is interested in the series.
When I started reading the Lorien Legacies, The Lost Files really confused me because they told stories about things that were not in the full length novels. Some are better than others, but they are all less than 100 pages. They all have excerpts from the novels after the story (and a couple have two). I killed off the Lorien Legacies with 5 books, but there will be a 6th book released later this year. I will read it as a stand alone at some point. Same thing for the 12th Lost File story.
Just finished A Fine Balance, which was a GREAT read. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.I'm starting now The Narrow Road to the Deep North for the monthly read, and I should start taking a look to The Calligrapher's Daughter, which is the pick for my book club this month, in order to have it finished on time.
I'm still in the queue for The Miniaturist
Bo wrote: "I am reading the Kiss of Deception, because I've read plenty of good reviews about it, the cover is flawless and the summary seemed really interesting and it is!"Hey Bo! Welcome to our group. :)
I finished The Miniaturist. I'm almost tempted to read it again between now and the toppler, but I think I've analyzed it to death and it's time to move on. So, I'm going to start The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry even though I won't finish it before the toppler starts.
I loved the Storied Life of AJ Fikry!! I hope you like it, Janice :-)
AJ is good even though not my usual read. Glad I read it
Janice, it's a very quick read. You'll probably finish it before the toppler. It's also very enjoyable.
I finished The Preachers Bride by Jodi Hedlund. A fictional look at the life of John and Elizabeth Bunyan. John wrote Pilgrim's Progress while imprisoned. The book is a great look into the political/religious working during that time. There is a sub story of how the two fell in love."Do you not think we would be wiser to cherish each moment we have as God's gift? I would say 'tis better to love and be loved, if only for a day, than to have not loved at all."
Not Amish fiction as I had thought, but a story based on the puritans of England - John Bunyan's wife Elizabeth. Very interesting to think about life and times when our religious freedoms were not guaranteed.
Was on my TBR list
I'm reading James Baldwin Giovanni's Room novel. Really wonderful. He knows what it's like to be an outsider. Do you?
I'll be starting Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin today. Have seen a couple of 5 star reviews by people on my friends list so am hoping it'll be a great read.
I finished The Fair Fight which I rated 3 stars but my actual rating would be 3.5. I enjoyed the writing style (which has drawn comparisons to Sarah Waters and I can see why) and I thought the two main female characters were interesting and likeable. However, I felt that the book dragged quite a bit at times, particularly in the first half, and I found one of the main male characters to be incredibly frustrating which is why it lost a star and a half. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I'm at a bit of a loose end now as I don't want to start another book before the toppler. I might have to dip back into The Plantagenets and read another chapter or two of that (which is no hardship as it's a brilliant book).
I have been helping at my kids day camp this week so my reading has been slow going. I hope to finish some of these before the toppler.I am currently reading:
Last Train to Istanbul: A Novel
I was originally planning to read this for the monthly challenge, but found out it didn't qualify. However, I had already bought it so I am reading it anyway. It is an interesting book, but a slow read. It is not as much of a story as I thought. It seems a little more like a documentary that includes stories than a novel.
Reading to my kids:
Mary Poppins
Reading for the Series challenge:
The Uglies Trilogy
I am reading the first book in this trilogy.
Im starting The Convictions of John Delahunt by Andrew Hughes today.
I read Sherlock: The Hound of the Baskervilles and Affinity for the toppler. I really enjoyed both. I am now starting another book for the toppler, To Kill a Mockingbird. I can't believe it has taken me this long to actually get around to reading it!
I m reading The Heart of Darkness by J Cronwell. Im enjoying it very much
I've been in Toppler mode and reading short, fast books. They have all been entertaining, so far. Murder on the Orient Express
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened
The World According to Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man and His Street-wise Cat
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Currently reading The Giver and found that the copy I got from the library is missing 10 pages! Was so mad last night. Picking up another copy today.
Just realized Getting Off doesn't have ADULT as a genre, even though it's all about sex, sex, sex, and killing. So, I'll have to find something else to read!
How was a walk in the woods, Debra? I have it on my TBR :) mostly because I live in Virginia and was curious about them :)
Lisa wrote: "I am now starting another book for the toppler, To Kill a Mockingbird. I can't believe it has taken me this long to actually get around to reading it! "Amazing story. Enjoy!
Stephanie wrote: "How was a walk in the woods, Debra? I have it on my TBR :) mostly because I live in Virginia and was curious about them :)"I really enjoyed it. The author is quite funny and so is his side-kick. The only hard parts is when he talks about all the flora and fauna going extinct due to pollution, hunting, logging, and other reasons due to mankind's stupidity!
Debra wrote: "I've been in Toppler mode and reading short, fast books. They have all been entertaining, so far. Murder on the Orient Express
[book:Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Fl..."
Debra! Where did Murder on the Orient Express fit into the Toppler? I'm curious because I wanted to read it, but put it aside for Toppler week. I probably wouldn't be able to finish it in time now, but I'm still curious and it might be worth a try. :)
Lisa wrote: "I read Sherlock: The Hound of the Baskervilles and Affinity for the toppler. I really enjoyed both. I am now starting another book for the toppler, [book:To Kill a..."
I still have To Kill a Mockingbird on my TBR too! I need to push it up my reading list.
Kristie wrote: "Debra! Where did Murder on the Orient Express fit into the Toppler? I'm curious because I wanted to read it, but put it aside for Toppler week. I probably wouldn't be able to finish it in time now, but I'm still curious and it might be worth a try. :)"It fits under Mystery Anthony Award and is a quick, easy read. I think you'll enjoy it. The only thing I didn't like was the stereotyping of certain nationalities. But they did that back in the day a lot more than now.
Thanks! I agree about the stereotyping. I think you see that a lot in the older books.
In the middle of Misery for toppler read. Watched the movie so I know that it is all smooth sailing now that I've passed the "ankle" scene. The main reasin I've avoidedthis book was that part but I survived. Cold chill. Brrr
Eww...the ankle scene...yikes
It'd be an Oscar book too wouldn't it?
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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