What Are You Reading: May 2015

[Sacramento Public Library]

May Day!
May Day!
May Day!
Someone out there doesn't have a good book to read this spring! Help them out by sharing your last great read.

[Cat]

I've got several books going at once, which is my M.O. On audio I have The Third Plate by Dan Barber, about food sources and the future of food. It's this year's One Book for Sac Public Library, so I thought I'd get a jump on it. For fun I'm listening to Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae, a cozy knitting-related mystery. And I'm reading the newest book by Jessica Day George called Princess of the Silver Woods, a retelling of Red Riding Hood. I'm enjoying each one and not getting any TV time in at all!

[Susan]

I am dearly trying to finish Lianne Moriarty's What Alice Forgot. Normally her books are such quick reads but this one has been very slow going for me. I think perhaps I am a bit overwhelmed with a lot on my plate. Anyway, I might be irresponsible tonight and finish it. I am enjoying it!

[Francie]

I just started Sarah Waters' "The Paying Guests" and am enjoying it a lot so far (I've read about 100 pages). I read "Fingersmith" a while ago and in Ashland just saw the play adapted from that novel. Such fun! Next on my to-read pile for May is the 2nd in Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series. Both of these books are from the library reserve list so need to be returned without the option of renewal. Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" is next on my list--unless one of the books I still have on reserve becomes available.

[Susan]

Finished What Alive Forgot yesterday, read I Work at the Public Library last night (hysterical!!), and am now a good ways in to Eeny Meeny. I am loving it! Very similar in style to Jo Nesbo books or the Millenium Trilogy.

[Teresa]

I just finished reading which was awesome

[Casey]

Just started The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. My first try at a Murakami novel, but I hear it is great.

[David]

Currently reading for this months Steampunk discussion.

[Teresa]

Just finished Garment of Shadows by Laurie King on audio. Love to listen to Jenny Stirling! Her British accent makes any book interesting and the King books about Sherlock Holmes wife are always fun to read. I take them along walking the dog and always end up walking farther than I expected. I guess I can say that both the dog and I appreciate the books!

[Teresa]

Casey wrote: "Just started The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. My first try at a Murakami novel, but I hear it is great."

I've been working my way through Hard Boiled Wonderland by Murakami. To say he is a fantasist is such an understatement!

[Francie]

I just finished Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (book #2 in Outlander series) and really enjoyed it! I'll start Laurie R. King's O Jerusalem this afternoon. I, too, find her Mary Russell books fun to read!

[Teresa]

I've been wanting to read Gabaldon but have just had too many in my list. Is there a good one to start with? I just finished B.A. Shapiro's The Art Forger on audio. I didn't like the protagonist much but listening to all that lovely information about art was great and it made me want to go to the museum and look for forgeries.

[Francie]

Teresa wrote: "I've been wanting to read Gabaldon but have just had too many in my list. Is there a good one to start with? I just finished B.A. Shapiro's The Art Forger on audio. I didn't like the protagonist mu..."

Start with Outlander--but be prepared to get hooked. Gabaldon' sa wonderful storyteller, and it's hard to put down one of her books once you've started. Enjoy!

[Kristi]

Just today I finished Strapless: John Sargent Singer and the Fall of Madame X by Deborah Davis. I thought it was rather interesting, and I learned a little about art history in the process. Now I'm getting ready to dive into Cutting For Stone which I've heard is great. Also, in my car I've been listening to The Grapes of Wrath. Yes I've read it at least twice before in high school and college, but it's been many years and WOW is this audiobook really blowing me away. It's absolutely wonderful and I'm so glad to be revisiting this story.

[Danette]

I'm reading The 39 Steps to my children.

[Chip]

Well, for starters I'm reading Medicare for Dummies (guess which birthday I'm celebrating this year). I was looking for Cornish folk tales (my maternal grandfather's family was from Cornwall) and came across Rosemary Sutcliffe's Tristan and Iseult. Silly me - being only aware of an opera by Richard Wagner, I had always thought these two were German!

[Sacramento Public Library]

I've just finished The Martian by Andy Weir. The voice of the protagonist was funny and down home although I didn't care much for the content. I think someone who is technically involved would love it though - it spoke strongly to the technical side of a trip to Mars.

[Glee]

Sacramento Public Library wrote: "I've just finished The Martian by Andy Weir. The voice of the protagonist was funny and down home although I didn't care much for the content. I think someone who is technically involved would love..."

I loved The Martian. I would agree with Tabitha that the audiobook was a definite plus. I am, however, a nerd, and I loved all the technical stuff.

[Chip]

Wow - I really didn't like Rosemary Sutcliffe's Tristan and Iseult and I still haven't quite figured out why. The language of the storytelling seemed forced, like it was trying to create some sort of archaic "atmosphere" without getting beyond a third-grade vocabulary level. And, though I have to admit I don't know the history of the original folktale, it seemed very contrived. It really left me unsatisfied.

I also have set aside Medicare for Dummies having gleaned most of the information I needed to decide which options to go for. The book was highly repetitive, but I think that's because the book wasn't really meant to be read cover-to-cover. So when you jump into a specific chapter, the information you need is there... but it's also in another chapter that you might also jump into. I highly recommend this book to anyone approaching Medicare!

Now I'm about 50 pages into Goliath, the final book in Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy. (I'm reading it as part of SPL's "Steampunk Challenge" for May.) Great fun - I had forgotten how much I enjoyed these stories. Can't wait to see how he wraps it all up!

[Teresa]

Just finished Unbecoming by Rebecca Scherm on audio and liked it for its unconventional character. This girl was not a winner - she was a thief, a user, and well, a thief. She manipulated people, thought only of herself and still it turned out to be a tender love story. I'd encourage it if only for the suspense. I kept expecting her to turn around!

[Cat]

I finished Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear yesterday and really enjoyed it! Thanks to whoever suggested it! I enjoyed the adventure, the Western setting, the steampunkiness, etc.

[Brendle]

Cat wrote: "I finished Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear yesterday and really enjoyed it! Thanks to whoever suggested it! I enjoyed the adventure, the Western setting, the steampunkiness, etc."

Oh! Was it my recommendation that you saw? I recommended it a couple months ago in this very space. But even it if wasn't mine, I am going to choose to be delighted that someone else enjoyed it as it really was a lot of fun. I am finding genre bending books such as this one are some of my very favorites these days...

[Cat]

Brendle wrote:

Oh!..."
Yes, the genre-bending was very appealing. And seriously - I want that sewing machine!