What Are You Currently Reading #3

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I (or Goodreads) has a bug where I can't use tags or insert covers.

But I can get the Foraging book from a library in our area, so thanks for the recommendation.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Unusually for me I am reading something hot off the presses.

I can't link to it, but if interested you can find on my profile.

Shameless by You Tube commentator Brian Tyler Cohen. So far giving me some much needed background to how the Republicans have turned into what they are now.

[Zellian]

Finally picked a physical book to read (even though I have some others that I pick up maybe one every couple of months).

Walking Home with Marie-Claire by Kirsty Murray

It's based in 70's Australia as the Labour Party gets voted in and Australian men get drafted for the Vietnam War, I'm about 20 pages in and reckon it'll be an alright read. Think it's more aimed towards the pre-teen audience.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I haven't finished Shameless but I usually have to intersperse some fiction with my non fiction reads.

So I am rereading The Harp in the South by one of my favourite NZ authors, Ruth Park. I read the prequel Missus earlier this year & although that book was disappointing, I'm still finding THitS south mesmerising with such vigorous, memorable characters.

[Zellian]

Escape from Bosnia: Aza's Story So I've just finished this book, it's about a New Zealand Air Force pilot who goes over to Bosnia to help the UN and meets local Aza, the thing that really struck me was this happened around the same time as I was born and I didn't even have a clue that this was going on.
These types of books aren't usually what I go for but I was given it from my Aunt at the beginning of the year and have finally picked it up. It's an easy read and not too graphic, plus it's interesting to see the New Zealand connection there. I only wish I knew what had happened up to now as Aza moved here to NZ and unfortunately left her family behind.

I also finished a Baby Sitters Club book, I could read those twenty thousand times and still enjoy them. My childhood books!

[Erica]

Sounds like an interesting read Zellian :)

I'm 2/3rds of the way through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I picked up a copy at apparently the "most beautiful bookstore in the world"...Livreria Lello in Porto, Portugal. I think I was one of the few people actually looking at the books haha. But I want to read James by Percival Everett which I understand is a retelling of Huckleberry Finn, and it said the Tom Sawyer book came first. I'm really enjoying it!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Erica wrote: "Sounds like an interesting read Zellian :)

I'm 2/3rds of the way through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I picked up a copy at apparently the "most beautiful bookstore in the world"......"

When did you go to Portugal, Erica?

I have just started The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne Du Maurier. Enjoying so far. DDM never just stuck to one kind of book - such a talented author.

[Erica]

I just left Porto today :) In Scotland for a week and then fly back to NZ.

I really need to read more DDM, I've only read Rebecca

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Erica wrote: "I just left Porto today :) In Scotland for a week and then fly back to NZ.

I really need to read more DDM, I've only read Rebecca"

Wow!

I loved Portugal but was only there for a week, many years ago.

Rebecca is wonderful, but My Cousin Rachel & The Scapegoat are also amazing books. The Scapegoat is very underated.

[P.D.R.]

I always loved 'Jamaica Inn' especially after Hitchcock made a film of it!

Nothing wrong with rereading your childhood favourites. I found myself chuckling through 'Sheep Pig' at the weekend.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

P.D.R. wrote: "I always loved 'Jamaica Inn' especially after Hitchcock made a film of it!

That was a good book. I couldn't finish it (or Frenchman's Creek) but gave both another try since being on Gr.

I did finish Frenchman's & gave it 3.5★, but it is my least favourite DDM, so far. Really didn't like the heroine.

[P.D.R.]

That's something I'm finding about many of the new novels. This trend for an unlikeable MC or turning the - especially the heroine - into a whining, blame everyone else person with no moral or spiritual balance. Yuk! Boring! Where's the real female who knows about sexually transmitted diseases, the scary rise in gonorrhoea and young women finding themselves sterile before they know they've been given it? Where's the male who thinks beyond his hormones? I'm hoping JK can show us that in Strike in the last volume! Show him finally growing up!

[Zellian]

Finished two books since I last posted on this thread, both ebooks from the Libby app. Honestly, it's so handy being able to get books out from Auckland Libraries through it.

First book I finished is Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines. It's a books based on people who seem to just start finding out they've got super powers and then the world goes into a Zombie apocalypse. Like most zombie based books they have their own name for them instead of zombies - exes. Heroes and civilians get together for their safety, we get a few before scenes and then back to the present which is great. The book had a lot of twists and turns, the writing was pretty good but I did get lost in some of the action scenes. The only thing that made me cringe is one of the relationships that happens is between a 17 and 20+ year old. The author does a lot of sci-fi based writing and has even done screenplays for things like Star Trek so I'll probably have a look at some of his other books and comics/graphic novels.

The other book I finished is In the Weeds by B.K. Borison, I read the first book after getting the recommendation from a lady at work. The series is not the usual smut fest that a lot of romance books seem to be heading in, there is some but it's not the whole basis of the book.
You can see she's added a bit more to this in regards to some of the intimate scenes but it's not so much that you're overwhelmed with it, I felt like the crisis for the two came up it was kind of "blah" feeling. It didn't feel like so much of a big deal but with how the male character is I guess it all sort of fits?
My favourite thing out of this book was the quiet representation from the male protagonist, it is never said but it seems like he has phonophobia - loud noises cause a lot of anxiety and stress for him. In the first book he has a real aversion for going into the small town and being around big crowds and this one really explains it.
I've already put the third book on hold, I'm just hoping I don't burn myself too much on these types of books when I finally get the copy.

I was thinking if I should just finish of the books I am still reading or pick a special book for my next start as the next book will be 100 for the year and finishing my challenge. I decided I'm going to pick something I really like so I've pulled out Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. I'm a big DC fan, a bigger Teen Titans fan and love all the artwork that Gabriel has released outside of his comics (I have a tattoo of Poison Ivy based on his art) so why not make it a big deal for my 100th book of the year!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I'm not quite finished but I think I have a new least favourite Du Maurier book.

I keep falling asleep reading The Flight of the Falcon this is making it very hard to follow.

[P.D.R.]

Back on my research and enjoying the Cave paintings.

[Zellian]

So I finished Raven, 100 books for the year read! I don't think I have read so many books since Primary where I would get 25 books out at a time, the poor old plastic bags slowly tearing under the weight.

I pulled out a couple of books on Libby from the Juvenile fiction section, just wanting to read something not too indepth for a bit and read through The Bad Seed Goes to the Library by Jory John
Easy read picture book, the illustrations are cute. The funniest part was watching Bad Seed go through what we all do when we find an amazing book from the library - I don't want to give it back!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm not quite finished but I think I have a new least favourite Du Maurier book.

I keep falling asleep reading The Flight of the Falcon this is making it very hard to follow."
Didn't really enjoy Falcon although it had a good ending.

The three-in-one book I got also has The House on the Strand I may read it before returning the book.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

& I'm now rereading The Royal Box by Frances Parkinson Keyes - which was the first murder mystery I ever read (I would have been around 11 at the time) So far I am enjoying it. It is much more character driven than British mysteries from around the same time.

[P.D.R.]

Samurai: An Illustrated History


'Samurai an illustrated history' by Mitsuo Kure
and

Minka: Traditional Houses of Rural Japan

'Minka traditional houses of rural Japan' by Chuji Kawashima

Want a glimpse of real Japan, not Hollywood's version?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

It was flawed but I enjoyed The Royal Box - it was such a page turner. I would love to discuss it some time, if someone else ever reads it. 4★

& I galloped through These Deathless Bones by Cassandra Khaw. Horror is normally not my thing at all, so it gives you an idea of the quality when I gave it 5★

[Anna]

I am trying to read 1984. I think I read it years ago and so much of what is going on now seems to be a bit like 1984. However, I only got a little way in and had to give it up because I have got too busy. I am so looking forward to publishing my latest book so that I can finish 1984 and then move on to some of the good writers I notice on Goodreads.

[P.D.R.]

I think I vaguely remember 'the Royal Box'. Sorry not to be more helpful, Carol. Think it was 'okay.'

'1984' still gives me the creeps!

'From A Far and Lovely Country' is another Mcall Smith gentle read. Don't forget birthdays.
From a Far and Lovely Country

[Zellian]

So I've set myself a new challenge for the rest of the year, to read books based off the alphabet.

I've finished my first book, Artemis by Andy Weir
I've previously read The Martian and enjoyed it, I've heard some conflicting opinions on the other books that Andy Weir has written but I really enjoy this.
Two things that I really liked about The Martian as well as Artemis is that the main character has a bit of cheek to hem and that the scientific stuff is broken down to be more understandable as well.
These books are what's pushing me into wanting to read a lot more space sci-fi books, a genre I haven't really read properly for a long time.

I've started Band of Gold by Deborah Challinor. A book that I happened to have on my shelf from somewhere from someone. I had no idea that the book is based around New Zealand and Australia, or that the author is a New Zealander as well! I'm 50 pages in and enjoying it, which is funny to me seeing as I always think I'm never going to enjoy historical books.
This is book three in the series and after I read this I might have a look and see if I can find a copy if the book continues to be as good as it is so far.

[Erica]

I have read the Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. And as someone who rarely reads sci-fi I really enjoy them! will have to pick up Artemis

[Amelia]

The Duke And I by Julia Quinn

[Zellian]

Band of Gold by Deborah Challinor is now finished, pretty interesting seeing as I usually try to shy away from the historical books.
Middle gets a little meh but overall I liked it. Will definitely look at reading the series I think.

Starting my book for C - City of Ashes Cassandra Clare
I was torn between starting this or Cross My Heart by James Patterson, who I've been enjoying a few books from lately.
Decided that since I have a BUNCH of crime/thriller books to get through I'd read City of Ashes instead.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I still have the 3-in-1 DDM so I read The House on the Strand & even though I don't like time travel much, this was a far superior book to The Flight of the Falcon.

The third DDM in this volume is The King's General I own a copy of this so will try to get to this one next year.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I've just finished In a Lonely Place - which makes me wonder why I don't read more Noir! Awesome tension, maybe went on a tad long, but still an easy decision to give it 5★.

[Zellian]

So just finished Pucking Around by Emily Rath, I have read a lot of Hockey Romance books the last few years and this is somewhere in the lower middle of liked pile. Nothing major stands out (maybe the fact that this is a crazy polyamory sort of romance) but it definitely isn't the worst one I've read. (That still belongs to the one that had those terrible, cringey nicknames for their... ahems).

I'm still working on my letter C book, gonna have a look through Libby and see if I can find a eBook that interests me.

[P.D.R.]

Just found four of the T kingfisher books in the library. She's brilliant and believable in her fairy tale fantasies. Just find her diffident heroines a bit irritating at times.

[P.D.R.]

'What moves the Dead' and 'Nettle and Bone' and 'a Sorceress Comes to Call'

Hurray I've found an author to enjoy!

[Zellian]

Finished two books yesterday and this morning, I'm currently sitting at 112 books read for the year woohoo!.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare - got a bit lost in some bits but I'm getting through it. I'm remembering a lot from the tv series which I had watched years ago now. I've got three and four and will probably read them next year so I don't interrupt my current letter challenge.

GILM!: Everybody's Saying It by Brian Corley - it's got pretty good reviews and ratings and it was alright for a shorter book but I wasn't overly taken by it. There's definitely some good points but I felt like the paragraphs were also a bit long? Maybe it was also because I wasn't as interested.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

We are having Steampunk in our town next month & the theme is Alice in Wonderland, so I am rereading. This book is a favourite of mine, but I haven't read since I've been on Goodreads.

[Zellian]

Just smashed through the Quarantine series by Lex Thomas, a teen/ya book about teens who are trapped inside their school after they get a deadly virus that kills young children and adults.
I haven't read a dystopian book for awhile so I'm assuming that's why I enjoyed it so much, it also didn't hold back on all the sensitive topics and how teens would really be if they were in this sort of situation. Murder, drug use, drinking and sex - I'd be recommending this to older teens for sure.
It's a three book series and I got through each book in about a day, I'm gutted that I've finished it but it's been a long time since I devoured a book let along series like that.

The Loners by Lex Thomas

[P.D.R.]

Have found a worthy read! 'The Porcelain Maker' Historical and a page turner. Like Sarah Freethly's spare style and the way she gives us an emotional story linked to the Dachau camp and today. Learnt a whole new stack of things re the camp and Hitler.

The Porcelain Maker

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Just read The Haunting of Hill House which was a perfect Hallowe'en read for me. I don't do extreme horror!

[Zellian]

Some books that I finished since I last updated on here.

The Diamond Girls by Jacqueline Wilson
Good quick read, took me a bit to get my head around some of the slang in it.

y Fine|35900387] Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
I found this book really odd at first, Eleanor made me really uncomfortable in the first third of the book but I warmed up as I got further into it.

The Fall of Tāne
Cool locally made graphic novel about NZ and Maori Gods, gotta find the first one to read.

[P.D.R.]

Still finding it hard to finish so many books. Still just enjoyed:
Pay Dirt

'Pay Dirt' by Sarah Paretsky another good one in the series.

Gave up on

Capture or Kill 'Capture or Kill' by Don Bently

[P.D.R.]

At last three good books!
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street: A bewitching tale of historical fantasy, magic, love and a clockwork octopusThe Watchmaker of Filigree street'

Really enjoyed the unusual original story and it's historically good as well as bring slightly fantastic.
Isle of Blood and Stone and the follow on 'Song of the Abyss


Isle of Blood and Stone

YA but NA and adult too.
Again highly original, excellent characters and a darn good story.
Very happy to have all three books on my shelves and thank the library for having them in the throw out box!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I have to mention the book I just finished - Sally on the Rocks

Could have used a bit of a prune & of course Sally (from a book written in 1915) couldn't be the free spirit she first appeared to be, but well worth a read. I found a copy at the Open Library.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

& I have just finished what is probably my best read of the year!

The Custom of the Country Wharton at her best is an amazing writer - & this is Wharton at her best!

I'm going to try to get toEthan Frome[ next year.

[Erica]

I've got this one on my bookshelf. I've never read any Edith Wharton, so I'll have to give it a try in the new year after your rave review Carol :)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Erica wrote: "I've got this one on my bookshelf. I've never read any Edith Wharton, so I'll have to give it a try in the new year after your rave review Carol :)"
Most of her books are wonderful - I found the two Vance Weston books very disappointing. There is a reason why they aren't as well known as most of her other works.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

& I'm reading The Misses Mallett: The Bridge Dividing with another group.

I've wanted to try this author for a long time. So far I'm really enjoying. I am finding her writing very perceptive.

[Zellian]

I've had ACL surgery almost two weeks ago, I totally thought I was going to read so much but in the end the medication made me too sleepy to try!

But I did manage to finish the two below books at least.
Girl of Shadows by Deborah Challinor
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

Girl of Shadows was pretty good, I read one of her other books a bit earlier in the year and was surprised by how much I liked the historical side of it. I always think I'm not going to like anything that's in an older period, I have a handful of her books so I'm definitely going to get through them.
I had won Icebreaker (and other books from the same author) and wanted to read this as part of my alphabet challenge before the end of the year, I obviously need to go back to school and learn my ABC's again because H comes after G!
It was an alright light hearted read, what you would expect a hockey romance books to be. The 'bad' guys really annoyed me and the 'good' guy was the hero but I wouldn't say anything really made it pop out to be great compared to the many other romance books I've read this year.

Now, I will fix my letter challenge and start H my goodness hahah.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Zellian wrote: "I've had ACL surgery almost two weeks ago, I totally thought I was going to read so much but in the end the medication made me too sleepy to try!

But I did manage to finish the two below books at ..."

I had to look up what ACL surgery was! Hope you are on the mend, Zellian!

I'm leading a Christmas read in another group - Murder for Christmas It will be my first audio/audible read from my Spotify account & I thought I would try to read the preview on Open Library first.

Don't recommend doing that. A small screen & even changing to single page view it was a struggle - for four pages! I mean why bother?

Will start the audio/audible later on today.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Zellian wrote: "I've had ACL surgery almost two weeks ago, I totally thought I was going to read so much but in the end the medication made me too sleepy to try!

But I did manage to finish the two below books at ..."

I've read & enjoyed Challinor before.

I've heard good things about Hannah Grace but I don't read much contemporary romance these days. The couple have to be in period costume for me to enjoy it!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I've been away staying at an old school bach with no internet so it was a good chance to catch up on some reading.

I finished off The Misses Mallett: The Bridge Dividing which was an excellent book & I hope the author (E.H. Young comes back into popularity. Some very perceptive writing.

Another group I belong to is going to be reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles so I've stolen a jump on them! I've read it before - & for once I remembered whodunnit. It is the first Poirot novel Christie wrote (although I have just found out she wrote an earlier short story with him in it. - must look out for it) Not her best but I still really enjoyed it - there is a bit of humour in Christie's early works.

& I haven't done the review yet, but The Blank Wall is a wonderful example of Noir. I got it on Amazon in a collection of four books. It was quite cheap when I bought it but last I looked it was very expensive.

So later on I will go back to Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan This is my first attempt at reading a full length book as an audiobook. Nothing wrong with the book (I don't think) but I don't like being read to & my mind keeps wandering. I may have less distractions now.

[Zellian]

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and that you're looking forward to New Years, here's some of the last books I've read this year.

This Winter by Alice Oseman - didn't realize this was part of the Heartstopper universe until I read it, I was just looking for a quick read. I haven't read the series yet but have watched the tv series.

Jesus vs. Santa: Christmas Misunderstood by Jason E. Royle - thought this may be a bit cringe as some Christian books are but it was lighter than I thought.

Secret Puck by Rebecca Jenshak - for a hockey/sports romance it was okay, it didn't have the super obvious conflict between them but it wasn't a stand out book from all the other sports romance books.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride - first half I wasn't connecting to but as I got into the second half it got better, found the first half I got muddled with the characters. Didn't realize I'd read other books by the same author which I loved so I'll probably give the second book a try.

Journey by Danielle Steel - I've got a bunch of Danielle Steel that was given to me and I haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I've now read a few now and found they all have the same premise, rich white people who have problems. The problems may all be different but it seems to be rich people problems in a lot of them. This one focused on domestic abuse, mention of physical before but also mental and financial abuse being the main issue. Will probably read more of them just to read them and pass on.

Maybe I'll finish another book this year, I've pulled out The Kite Runner but not sure if I can be bothered to finish it off with New Years around the corner!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I love the title Hold Me Closer Necromancer!