What are you reading in August 2020?

[Shel, Moderator]

I can't believe it is August already! Let us know what you're reading right now!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I finished The Kif Strike Back by C.J. Cherryh, 8/10. Comments are in the Pride of Chanur folder. Then I took a quick detour out of genre for another Jack Reacher book by Lee Child, The Midnight Line, also 8/10. Kind of a different take on the opioid epidemic.

Now starting the most recent Invisible Library book, The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman. Supposedly there are 2 more books in this series yet to be written/published, so I will have a bit of a wait before wrapping it all up.

[Mary]

The Invisible Library series is interesting because the overarching story is subtle.

Thus far.

[MadProfessah]

Hmmmm I wanted to like the Invisible Library series but I really wasn’t impressed with the first book.

On the other hand I think the Great Library series by Rachel Caine, even though it’s clearly YA is a lot of fun and am looking forward to reading Book 5 (Sword and Pen?) soon!

[Mary]

The Princess Who Forgot She Was Beautiful by William David Ellis

[Shel, Moderator]

I'm waiting for my copy of The City We Became to come from the library, but I had another of Jemisin's waiting on my kindle so I finished The Fifth Season last night. It might be my favorite book of 2020 so far. When fantasy writers pay attention to science it makes me swoon! There is so much GEOLOGY in here, and I have a degree in Earth Sciences, so it made my science nerd heart happy. And the characters, and the way the three storylines merged in a totally unexpected way, and the revelation at the end that I had sort of predicted but that explains so much, and the depictions of love in so many diverse forms, and racial differences where the pale-skinned folks are not the ones in charge, and I am immediately going to download the next two in the trilogy!

[Gabi]

@Shel: This was exactly my reaction as well. Geology and pedology were my minor for my biology diploma and I was so thrilled to see Jemisin use it in such an interesting way.

[Mary]

The Vikings: From Odin to Christ by Martyn Whittock

[Random]

I recently realized that I bought The Fifth Season quite a while back and never got around to it. In fact I had completely forgotten until I was browsing through my library.

Anyway, looks like its going to be next on my list now I have given up on Cloud Atlas.

[Mary]

Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn by Amira El-Zein

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

My latest reads:
The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman, book 5 in the Invisible Library series, 9/10. It will be hard to wait for the rest of this series to be written & published.
Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, 5/10. Dated, and it read like a disaster movie script.
Lady of Darkness by Diana L. Paxson, book 2 in the Westria series, 7/10. Some unexpected plot developments—it will be interesting to see where this series goes now.
Chanur's Homecoming by C.J. Cherryh, book 4 in the Chanur series and the wrap-up of a 3 book arc within the overall series. 10/10. More comments in the topic about this series.

[Mary]

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

[MadProfessah]

@Random where did you give up on CLOUD ATLAS? I think the middle (longest) story is completely skippable. Read the ones before and after and CLOUD ATLAS is great!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Mary wrote: "Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia"

What did you think of this? Did you read our recent discussion book by her, Gods of Jade and Shadow?

[Random]

MadProfessah wrote: "@Random where did you give up on CLOUD ATLAS? I think the middle (longest) story is completely skippable. Read the ones before and after and CLOUD ATLAS is great!"

I officially gave up at the start of the 3rd section. I only got that far because I forced myself.

See, I have this thing. If something in a book can be skipped, it means it should never have been there in the first place. I find the idea revolting.

Working on The Fifth Season. Haven't had a lot of time for it lately as we've got a release push here at work and its meant long hours and way too many numbers in my head to be able to concentrate on much of anything.

What fascinates me is how one of the POV characters is in second person. Its been an interesting experience so far and I'm curious where she's going with it.

[Shel, Moderator]

I just finished the second Broken Earth book, The Obelisk Gate, and though it suffers a bit from middle-book-of-a-trilogy syndrome, I still rated it 5 stars. The second person narration continues and begins to make more sense (which is as vague as I can get without spoiling anything), and a new POV character is added with a fascinating story. I have book 3 handy, but first I want to finish We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, which I've been reading for a virtual anti-racist education conference this week, and The Human Division for the group series read.

I'm also reading the Percy Jackson series to my 9 year old, and we are on the fourth book The Battle of the Labyrinth. It's great fun!

[Kateblue]

Random wrote: "See, I have this thing. If something in a book can be skipped, it means it should never have been there in the first place. I find the idea revolting.."

So true. Authors should never leave in something because they like it. If it's not necessary to the plot--save it for the NEXT book! Don't turn the current book into a Rube Goldberg contraption! Which is what some of the fiction I read today reminds me of.

I figure we all know who Rube Goldberg was, but here's some fun stuff, anyway. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-te... I think some people have too much time on their hands!

[Random]

Kateblue wrote: "I figure we all know who Rube Goldberg was, but here's some fun stuff, anyway. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-te... I think some people have too much time on their hands!"

I haven't thought about Rube Goldberg machines for years. Its also a perfect representation of one of our projects at work, millions of parts each of which must do their tasks correctly at the right time in order for everything to work, but no one group of parts knows diddly squat about any of the others.

Sound insane? IT IS!

Have been sending youtube videos of various Rube Goldberg machines to coworkers while I eat lunch. :D

[Random]

Oh, and large portions of the machine are blocked by brick walls so if something fails, you're never very sure where it actually failed. All you know is the ball didn't drop into the bucket like it should have.

[Mary]

Kathi wrote: "Mary wrote: "Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia"

What did you think of this?

I'm liking it thus far. Less magic than Gods. Conceivably none.

[Christine]

I didn't finish Probability Sun because my digital library loan expired; I've put another reserve in. Finally the library is working again (although we can't go inside) and I have BOOKS on my shelf. I just finished reading An Ember in the Ashes which i enjoyed twice: it's a book, I loved the story
Next up is The Tea Master and the Detective

[Michael]

Currently reading Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

[Shel, Moderator]

I wasn't feeling up to tackling something new, so I decided to re-read some short stories - am finishing up The Birthday of the World and Other Stories and then I'll get to The Human Division next!

[Random]

Shel wrote: "I just finished the second Broken Earth book, The Obelisk Gate, and though it suffers a bit from middle-book-of-a-trilogy syndrome, I still rated it 5 stars. The second person narration continues and begins to make more sense (which is as vague as I can get without spoiling anything), and a new POV character is added with a fascinating story."

I just finished The Fifth Season and enjoyed it quite a bit. I did pretty good guessing early on that (view spoiler)[ we were looking at 3 entirely different points in time. (hide spoiler)] And not much later I figured out that (view spoiler)[that it was the same person in each time frame. Tonky, however, completely took me by surprise. Who the narrator of the 2nd person POV also took me by surprise. (hide spoiler)]

I'm starting the The Obelisk Gate at some point today, depending on how my schedule behaves itself. I've already got book 3 loaded and ready to go once I finish the second.

[Shel, Moderator]

The Stone Sky will be my next read after I finish The Human Division! I can't wait to hear what you think of The Obelisk Gate, be sure to let me know :)

[Renee]

I have discovered my library can only by visited by appointment. I wish I had known. Because of this I am rereading books I already own I am currently enjoying a re read of The Hobbit. I forgot how good this book is.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Mid-August reading:
Past Tense by Lee Child, 8/10. Interesting look into the past for Jack Reacher.
Was by Geoff Ryman, 9/10. A powerful story, bleak and hopeful in turn, unrelentingly realistic, then suddenly whimsical. The characters are damaged and dysfunctional, yet heroically coping with circumstances beyond their understanding and control, and separated from others by seemingly unbridgeable chasms, yet quixotically making intense connections. Jonathan the actor, Dorothy the orphaned pioneer, and Frances the singer weave the main storylines, supported by key secondary characters who, along with The Wizard of Oz, help tie the threads together. What is past or present? What is history/realty or imagined/fantasy? What is home?
The Human Division by John Scalzi, 9/10. Comments in our Series folder for this book in the Old Man’s War series.
Silverhair The Wanderer by Diana L. Paxson, 7/10. “The Wanderer” is apt; this third book in the Westria series takes the reader all over. Silverhair has many adventures, growing and maturing as he ages, learning hard lessons yet never quite achieving the changing goals he and others set for him. As a music lover, I appreciated the emphasis on the power of music and song.
Chanur's Legacy by C.J. Cherryh, 10/10. Comments in the folder about The Pride of Chanur.

[Mary]

Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World by Larry W. Hurtado

[Lindsey]

I've had a non-fiction heavy month with Hillbilly Elegy (excellent), 12 Rules for Life (ranged from good to terrible), A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children (solid all-in-one resource), and Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It (phenomenal, all Makers should read it!). I also read Get a Life, Chloe Brown for IRL book club.

Now I'm listening to His Majesty's Dragon, which is a lot of fun so far. I should also probably get back to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes soon.

[Renee]

I am readingWarm Bodies The book was recomended by my teen age niece. Its a fun interpretation of Romeo and Juliet featuring humans and zombies

[Shel, Moderator]

I finished The Human Division yesterday and will put my comments in the spoiler thread. I wavered between three and four stars but ended up rating it 4 because it ended strong.

Now I am on The Stone Sky to finish off the Broken Earth trilogy. I'm also still reading the Percy Jackson series to my fourth grader and we are on the final book The Last Olympian.

[Christine]

I read The Tea Master and the Detective which is bit mystical for me, but I did finish (it's a novella so short). I got The Tea Master and the Detective back from the library and enjoyed it; looking forward to the third book. Now I'm reading Salvation Day

[Mary]

Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar by Robert W. Lebling

[Random]

Shel wrote: "The Stone Sky will be my next read after I finish The Human Division! I can't wait to hear what you think of The Obelisk Gate, be sure to let me know :)"

Just finished The Obelisk Gate and I enjoyed it quite a lot. Yes, it does have a little of the second book syndrome as its doesn't really give us much of a resolution, but we really have learned a lot more than we knew at the end of the first book.

(view spoiler)[We still haven't gotten great details on the different factions among the stone eaters, and that's an itch in the back of my head. Steel clearly is at odds with what Essun is trying to do, catch the moon, and yet it sounds like that's the very things he wants Nassun to do. or did it sound like more like he wants to try to destroy the earth with the moon instead? That doesn't quite make sense to me either. (hide spoiler)]

[Shel, Moderator]

I just finished the third book The Stone Sky last night. Your spoilery questions get answered and then some :)

I am taking a break from the genre and am about to start a free kindle first pick from last month, Find Layla. I'm still waiting impatiently for my ebook loan on The City We Became, it's not looking likely that it will come in before the end of the month in a few days!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Late August reading:
Blue Moon by Lee Child, 8/10, likely the last Jack Reacher book I’ll read. The author is turning over the series to his brother, I believe. The body count was amazingly high in the unnamed city where it takes place. But the story itself hung together well and I was more intrigued than I expected to be.
Katherine by Anya Seton, 10/10. This book reminded me why I used to love historical fiction—an up close and personal story of 14th century England, well-researched but more importantly, well-written. Nearly 600 pages and I was never bored. Seton brought her characters to life and crafted an excellent tale, never dry, never pretentious.
Next up is one of our September Books of the Month—A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay.

[Christine]

Last night I finished Salvation Day which I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend; now I'm about to start Timebound