What Did You Just Finish, What Are You Reading Now & What Books Have You Brought Home Recently? (Spoilers Possible) Showing 851-900 of 1,086

[Florence (Lefty)]

Petra X wrote: "Then I think you will so much enjoy Life Everlasting. It's probably his shortest, although maybe One Man's Owl: was, not sure about that. But he links philosophically life as a naturalist and our o..."

That makes me happy:) Look forward to reading your review.

[Petra X]

I wrote a review, GR swallowed it. I cursed (a lot) and need to a) remove the curses and b) rewrite the review.

[Cheryl S.]

Received a book from PaperBackSwap today entitled "The Orchard" which is a memoir written by a woman who saved her family's orchard business during the Great Depression. Think it will go to the top of my "2B Read" pile.

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Currently reading Bed & Breakfast by Lois Battle, the December group read for my Southern Lit Lovers group here on goodreads and enjoying it so far. Not a full on light Christmas read, but rather a Southern family novel that happens to take place around Christmas.

[Petra X]

Just finishing off Paradise General: Riding the Surge at a Combat Hospital in Iraq and then on to something new.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Petra X wrote: "I wrote a review, GR swallowed it. I cursed (a lot) and need to a) remove the curses and b) rewrite the review."

You type your reviews directly into GR?? Your a trusting soul...Write it in a word doc then cut and paste into GR. Save your sanity:)

[Petra X]

I know, but half the time I don't mean to write a review, just a few lines.

[Miriam]

Good idea Florence! I had quit writing reviews after GRs ate a few of mine!

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Interesting! I've never had goodreads lose any of my reviews!

[Florence (Lefty)]

Miriam wrote: "Good idea Florence! I had quit writing reviews after GRs ate a few of mine!"

Added bonus, Word has got spell check:) Get back on that reviewing horse Miriam...

[Florence (Lefty)]

Jo wrote: "Interesting! I've never had goodreads lose any of my reviews!"

You have lived a blessed life then. Happened to me a few times already and I've only been on this site since July. Could be something I did wrong but I'm not about to admit it:)

[Miriam]

I think the problem is for folks using laptops. We accidently hit a "back" button and it deletes everything. It just happened to me now responding to a post. The back button (back arrow) is right next to the shift and easy to hit on flat keyboards.

[Cheryl S.]

Am reading "Still Alice" which is a novel about a women suffering from early onset Alzheimers and it's depressing the heck out of me. It's my Book Club book read for Dec. Don't know why we chose such a downer for the holiday season.

[Petra X]

I really enjoyed Still Alice and didn't find it depressing. I read Losing My Mind: An Intimate Look at Life with Alzheimer's by Thomas deBaggio after Still Alice and that was very sad - that was a real-life diary of his progress through Alzheimer's. If I reread Still Alice now, I think it would depress me too.

[Cheryl S.]

Petra X wrote: "I really enjoyed Still Alice and didn't find it depressing. I read Losing My Mind: An Intimate Look at Life with Alzheimer's by Thomas deBaggio after Still Alice and that was very sad - that was a ..."

It was depressing but I'm glad I read it. During my working years I dealt with many patients with Alzheimers, some of whom I'd known for years before they became ill. It is just such a tragic disease.

[Petra X]

Terribly. My Uncle died from it. He was a famous (in his profession) doctor and so the medical staff went to extraordinary lengths to prolong his life even when he didn't want them to. He really suffered horribly. A terrible disease.

[Cheryl S.]

Now I just finished "Bushworld" . Talk about going from one extreme to another! Now I'm reading "The cellist of Sarajevo" which seems good so far.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Cheryl S. wrote: "Now I just finished "Bushworld" . Talk about going from one extreme to another! Now I'm reading "The cellist of Sarajevo" [bookcover:The Cellist of Sarajevo|2475251..."

Hello Cheryl - author of 'The Cellist' lives in Vancouver, same as me. Didn't have this on my radar, glad you posted it.

[Petra X]

The Woman Who Decided to Die: Challenges and Choices at Edges of Medicine is my handbag book. Medical ethics. Very interesting.

[Kimberly]

Miriam wrote: "I think the problem is for folks using laptops. We accidently hit a "back" button and it deletes everything. It just happened to me now responding to a post. The back button (back arrow) is right n..."

I use a desktop and GR has eatten one of my reviews . . . when I clicked "post." I was so disheartened, I didn't try to recreate the review. I will have to begin writing reviews in Word first.

[Cheryl S.]

Just finished "Flying Changes" which is a sequel to "Riding Lessons" which I have not read. "Changes" stands alone quite well and was an enjoyable read. Then I read "The Orchard" by Adele Crockett Robertson which is a memoir about a women who struggled to preserve her family's apple farm during the Great Depression. In comparison kind of puts my gardening problems in perspective.

[Miriam]

Cheryl, just finished Rez Life: An Indian's Journey Through Reservation Life and thought you might enjoy it too. It is written by a man, part Indian, who is from Minnesota and focuses a lot on the MN reservations, as well as general information. Very easy read, even when he is talking about legislation relating to Indians.

[Petra X]

I'm reading Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love which is the backstory to all those little Chinese girls people from the West adopt. It's heartbreaking to see that the Chinese government with its policies on land grants and extra food distribution on the birth of a boy child only together with the one-child policy have set the scene for the murder of new-born baby girls (which is expected and never prosecuted). Those who can't bear to 'do' (as the euphemism goes) their daughters, or pay the midwife to do so, abandon them. As the orphanages have become an important business resource for the Chinese, selling the little girls to Westerners, there is less need to murder them and that in a very small way is a good but unbelievably sad thing.

[Elena]

I have been getting ebooks and just finished "Orange is the new black". I put a brief review in the regular section here. It is a memoir about a college educated woman who ends up in min. Security federal pen.

[Cheryl S.]

Miriam wrote: "Cheryl, just finished Rez Life: An Indian's Journey Through Reservation Life and thought you might enjoy it too. It is written by a man, part Indian, who is from Minnesota and focuses a lot on the ..."

Thanks for the tip. I will look for it. In our area we hear a lot about the fishing rights of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibway so this sounds quite interesting.

[Miriam]

Cheryl, that is one of the things that the book explains the legality of.

[Cheryl S.]

Just finished "Pearl Harbor" and found it very interesting. It contains pics I have never seen before and is historical fiction. Quite gripping in parts and well worth the read if you have an interest in this era. Now I'm reading "Through a Glass Darkly" which is 18th century historical fiction. Too soon to tell how much I will like it.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Kimberly wrote: "Miriam wrote: "I think the problem is for folks using laptops. We accidently hit a "back" button and it deletes everything. It just happened to me now responding to a post. The back button (back ar..."

That's awful Kimberly, wasted effort writing to just have it eaten. I know it's an extra step using word but I think it's worth it. Don't know if anyone else noticed, GReads was really misbehaving yesterday, kept going down out of capacity. A weird one, when I'd try to add book/author suggestions pulled up had strike-through text and didn't work. Oh well, better today.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Right now I'm reading Last Night in Twisted River

Haven't read John Irving for years, it's like running into an old friend, really enjoying it.

[Kimberly]

I've begun doing that, Florence--writing my reviews in Word. I just finished reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and am now reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I stopped reading fantasy about 10 years ago because I got tired of the quest themes. These two books are so refreshing, I might actually look at other fantasies. Thank goodness the genre has moved beyond Tolkein knock-offs. It's like rediscovering fantasy all over again.

[Petra X]

I ought to write reviews in Word but I never know if I am going to write a review until I start - all are spontaneous. And then once I get going to get interrupted is fatal, I just never finish them. Even getting up to make a cup of coffee screws me up. But the GR monster being a hungry one, I do lose a certain number and then never rewrite them.

My Challenge this year is to write 100 reviews.

[Cheryl S.]

Ended up really enjoying "Through a Glass Darkly" and will be reading the prequal and sequal.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Kimberly wrote: "I've begun doing that, Florence--writing my reviews in Word. I just finished reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo and am now reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I stopped rea..."

I haven't read fantasy in so many years, I'm feeling like I'm ready to give it another go. Find I'm attracted to the magical realism books I've read reviews on. Of the two does one stand out? Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children really appeals, gets such mixed reviews. Oops, your still reading it, perhaps you'll let me know...I'll check out Shadow and Bone

[Florence (Lefty)]

Petra X wrote: "I ought to write reviews in Word but I never know if I am going to write a review until I start - all are spontaneous. And then once I get going to get interrupted is fatal, I just never finish the..."

Great challenge Petra, hope you pull it off! I'm trying to review every book I read.

[Cheryl S.]

My favorite fantasy I've read recently is "The Sparrow" and the sequel "Children of God" by Mary Doria Russell. Actually I think they're a cross between science fiction and fantasy but I was enthralled and have shared them with a number of people.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Cheryl S. wrote: "My favorite fantasy I've read recently is "The Sparrow" and the sequel "Children of God" by Mary Doria Russell. Actually I think they're a cross between science fiction and fantasy but I was enthr..."

Thanks for posting these Cheryl, they do look really interesting. Appreciated

[Petra X]

I read a review of Parnassus on Wheels yesterday, so I downloaded it (it's out of copyright) and have been reading it all day today. Very out of my usual genre, but lovely nonetheless.

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

I just finished The Language of Flowers
5 of 5 stars. Caught me right from the start and I couldn't stop reading to see how it unfolded and how it would end. Very gripping. Emotional.

[Cheryl S.]

The title of my Memoir Book Club book for January is "The End of Life Book Club" . I've already told my fellow club members I won't be reading this book right now. I missed the last meeting to go to a hockey game and so wasn't able to participate in choosing the book for Jan. I think I would have opted for something else.

Just finished reading "Csardas" The story a four families in Hungary from before WWI to after WW2. Historical fiction I had read years ago and enjoyed just as much the second time around.

Now I'm reading "The Thirteenth Tale" for my regular book club. Had read this before as well but am enjoying the reread.

[Sheila]

Jo wrote: "I just finished The Language of Flowers
5 of 5 stars. Caught me right from the start and I couldn't stop reading to see how it unfolded and how it would end. Very gripping. Emotional."

I really enjoyed The Language of Flowers also. It is the perfect read for a obsessive gardener. :o)
Did you look up what your favorite flowers mean?

[Sheila]

Cheryl S. wrote: "The title of my Memoir Book Club book for January is "The End of Life Book Club" . I've already told my fellow club members I won't be reading this book right now..."

Not an appropriate choice for you given your current situation. :o( I am so sorry for your loss, Cheryl.

[Kimberly]

I'm reading Winterling now, by Sarah Prineas. Am enjoying it so far.

[Kimberly]

Florence, I finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I enjoyed Shadow and Bone just a bit more, because of the endings. Miss Peregrine's was written as a first book in a series and ends in an open-ended way. I think Shadow and Bone also begins a series, but the ending was more satisfying. Otherwise, both books are similar in enjoyment, and the photographs in Miss Peregrine's enhance the story.

[Cheryl S.]

Sheila wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "The title of my Memoir Book Club book for January is "The End of Life Book Club" . I've already told my fellow club members I ..."

Thank you.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Kimberly wrote: "Florence, I finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I enjoyed Shadow and Bone just a bit more, because of the endings. Miss Peregrine's was written as a first book in a series and e..."

Thanks Kimberly, I truly appreciate you letting me know.

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Sheila wrote: "Did you look up what your favorite flowers mean?"
..."

I'm a little afraid to since there are multiple meanings and I don't want to be disappointed LOL! Such a well written novel, the story had me from beginning right through the end.

[Cheryl S.]

Just about done with "A Trail of Fire" from Diana Gabaldon the author of the Outlander Series. I love that series and this book is what Gabaldon terms 4 "bulges" from the original series. It contains 4 short stories about characters who have come and gone during the series but have never been main characters. Usually I don't like short stories at all. If I commit to a character or plot I want to be with them or it for a while. However, since I'm already familiar with the characters in this series this book has been fun. Nevertheless, I can't wait until the next book in the Outlander series comes out some time later this year but "Trail" was a nice little fix to tide me over until then.

[Florence (Lefty)]

I'm reading , takes place where I live so makes it all the more enjoyable. It's about growing up as a Chinese Immigrant in Canada, really well done.

[Petra X]

I look forward to your review of the book Florence. It might fit in with my Chinese phase, Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love and Tombstone: The Great Chinese Famine, 1958-1962.

A month or two ago I read Ha Jin's A Free Life which was about the Chinese immigrant experience and a wonderful book.

[Cheryl S.]

Just finishing Dr. Zhivago . Read it many years ago and found I didn't remember much of the story. It drags a bit here and there and I have to be in the right mood to read this genre, but did enjoy it for what it is.