What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed* Showing 7,451-7,500 of 13,523

[Jordan]

Interesting in a good way? The blurb makes it sound like exactly the kind of thing I love to read and write.

[Becky]

Jordan wrote: "Interesting in a good way? The blurb makes it sound like exactly the kind of thing I love to read and write."

Definitely in a good way. The way the society was set up, the caste system, the whole hermaphrodite caste... it was all just very interesting. I'm not sure how else to describe it without going into details and dropping spoilers.

[k_b]

Just received my paperback copy of Irregulars in the mail. The cover's so glossy... and the book's in near-perfect shape.
Right now I'm picking up the book, cracking it open an inch, and then putting it back down because I don't want to get too many fingerprints on it or bend the spine.

...No, I'm not weird.

[Josh]

Tracy wrote: "Josh wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I have so many books I need to read but I don't know where to start because part of me is craving a good, sweet, sappy Domestic Harmony story to make me believe that Ever..."

I love non-fiction. I'm reading a lot of it right now. This is up next.

[Josh]

Sprite123 wrote: "Just received my paperback copy of Irregulars in the mail. The cover's so glossy... and the book's in near-perfect shape.
Right now I'm picking up the book, cracking it open an inc..."

It's nice, isn't it? Beautiful to look at -- and so far most people seem to enjoy all the stories.

[Sara]

Sprite123 wrote: "Just received my paperback copy of Irregulars in the mail. The cover's so glossy... and the book's in near-perfect shape.
Right now I'm picking up the book, cracking it open an inc..."

Same here. My reasoning is that I know I'm not going to be able to sit down and read uninterrupted in the next few days, so I'm saving it. Also, it's shiny :D

[Anne]

I admittely mostly read fiction when relaxing, but once in a while I find a non-fiction book I enjoy. I love myths and legends and fairytales and how stories start and how they wander across the world. I am immensely interested in everything related to the human race, what we feel, how we interact, how society works, both historically and in modern times. (I am actuallly an alien from Proxima Centauri on a secret research mission to find out everything about homo sapiens.) One of the most fascinating non-ficitonal books I have read recently is Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies.

Another was called something like A time travellers guide to medieval England. Very fun.

[Jordan]

Becky wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Interesting in a good way? The blurb makes it sound like exactly the kind of thing I love to read and write."

Definitely in a good way. The way the society was set up, the caste sy..."

Awesomeness! No worries about spoilers. I'm going to be reading it ASAP, so I think I can wait. ;-)

[K.Z.]

Anne wrote: "I admittely mostly read fiction when relaxing, but once in a while I find a non-fiction book I enjoy. I love myths and legends and fairytales and how stories start and how they wander across the wo..."

Another fascinating medieval history book (not exactly fun, though) is The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time.

[Johanna]

Last few days I've been so absorbed with too much work and not enough time to read Manna Francis that I haven't even had time to stop by here. Anyway, somewhere between long working days and too little sleep I've fallen in love with Manna Francis' brilliant writing... and Toreth and Warrick, of course. I guess I've read about 20 of the short stories after Mind Fuck by now and it's safe to say that I've become a fan of her work. :) So, if there still is someone out there who hasn't read her books... please do yourself a favor and don't wait any longer. ;)

[Johanna]

Anne wrote: "One of the most fascinating non-ficitonal books I have read recently is Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies."

This is nice to know! This one I have in my iPad already - so no need to go shopping for it. :)

[Anne]

Johanna wrote: "Last few days I've been so absorbed with too much work and not enough time to read Manna Francis that I haven't even had time to stop by here. Anyway, somewhere between long working days and too li..."

Okay, so now I have to put these books in my TBR read pile :)

[Sarah]

Josh wrote: "I started Harper's last night. I'm only about 5% of the way and my God she captures the cold and the wet and the weariness. It was a relief to snuggle into the warm..."

I agree Josh. I just finished this book and it was lovely. The weather and the scenery play a big part in the feel of the story. Nature provided me with a stormy afternoon to begin the book and I had to get a blanket even though it was probably 80 degrees outside!

[Jordan]

Johanna wrote: "Last few days I've been so absorbed with too much work and not enough time to read Manna Francis that I haven't even had time to stop by here. Anyway, somewhere between long working days and too li..."

lol, I was just looking at those on my Kindle the other day, thinking I need to get back to them one of these days. There's just too many books to read in the world. But don't anyone stop writing on my account! lol.

[Jordan]

I just read Once a Marine today. Literally, started it this morning, took a break to edit and hang out with friends for the afternoon, came home, and finished it. Fantastic read. Light and fluffy, but realistic at the same time. Loved it.

And I've come to the conclusion that cat people are all a lot alike. I started comparing the people I know in real life to the characters in this book. It kinda made me laugh.

Reading about an M/M Romance author trying to make a career out of writing was kinda fun too because I could easily relate.

So... in the end, I highly recommend it.

[Josh]

I've stopped reading and have reverted to watching Joan Hickson's Miss Marple over and over and over again. I have no idea what this means -- I wake up with the theme music playing in my ears. :-D

I do think that Christie is very much underappreciated -- not by readers, but by literary (i.e. competing mystery authors)critics. I've been considering her work and there is really an amazing body there. Ha. Talk about the body in the library!

[Josh]

Lou wrote: "I gobbled up Christie as a teenager, but I now I can't stand it. Too unrealistic. I feel the same about CSI."

The thing that is not unrealistic about Christie are the motivations. Those are actually quite realistic. The modus operandi is often artificial, but the motives (to me the most important part of any mystery novel) are always solidly grounded. And here is where Chandler had it wrong (about Christie). Because if you look past the tricks and contrivances, her characters are compelled by the very same passions as Hammett's or Chandler's or Browne's or any other hardboiled author.

[Jordan]

Oh The Wire... makes me think I should borrow the third season. I do love the grittiness of that show. Heck, maybe I should just buy it.

But I do love CSI. I only started to watch it because I discovered my favorite small-time actor was on it, and I wouldn't miss an episode. Well, also because I'm sure he's in a slash relationship with another guy on the show. lol. I know they do the investigating wrong, but I just suspend disbelief these days, or try to find out where they went wrong if I'm in the mood. Really, I'm there for the relationships, and because I love the characters. And the fact that you get so little personal info about them when they're not working makes it more interesting to guess what goes on off screen, you know? It's the only show I watch religiously. Everything else I could care less about, and I don't get the chanel that The Wire's on, so that let's that out for regular viewing.

I do, however, want to catch NYC22 when that premiers next week. It looks pretty interesting. I so need to write more about patrol officers than detectives. They're the ones who get all the real action. lol.

Only having rabbit ears helps to keep my television viewing waaaay down. lol. Otherwise I'd be glued to TruTV all day.

[Dev]

I love Sherlock, but I think that's mostly because the relationship between Sherlock and Watson is so fun to watch - and both actors are incredibly talented (and um, well, sexy).

[Jordan]

I'm wondering why I stop reading books right before they start to get interesting. This has happened to me a lot lately, it seems.

The latest... or not so latest... over a year ago I started reading Phantoms by Dean Koontz, one of my all time favorite authors. I just wasn't feeling it, even though it was well written and gripping. I just forced myself to pick it up again the day before yesterday and now I can't put it down! And it has me wanting to read everything else by him RIGHT NOW. ... which doesn't help when I'm still dying to read Amaranth & Ash and a pile of other M/M books including The Irregulars and The Rifter series.

Just so odd.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Jordan wrote: "I'm wondering why I stop reading books right before they start to get interesting. This has happened to me a lot lately, it seems."

I do it many times. When I'm not feeling a book, I start something else. Reading a book on when I'm not liking it feels a disservice to the book, because I can't help being crankier if it doesn't deliver that day :)

[Candice]

I finished Scrap Metal last night before I went to sleep. Is it just me, only now getting my head around what she does, or has this writer gotten ever better? I've read most of her stuff and liked all of it very much. But her prose just flew in this story. She blew me away.

[Karen]

Candice wrote: "I finished Scrap Metal last night before I went to sleep. Is it just me, only now getting my head around what she does, or has this writer gotten ever better? I've read most of her stuff and liked..."

It's not just you, Canice. This book was so beautifully written. I wanted to find out what happened, but also didn't want it to end. I felt Harper Fox had crafted something above and beyond, hitting all the right notes — the way I felt when reading Come Unto These Yellow Sands. (That doesn't happen often for me.)

[Vivian]

Josh wrote: "I started Harper's last night. I'm only about 5% of the way and my God she captures the cold and the wet and the weariness. It was a relief to snuggle into the warm..."

Ooh, I've been ogling that book for a while now. The guy is a linguist! Talk about reading to experience self-insertion. :P

[Stephanie]

"First You Fall" by Scott Sherman. I'm 45% thru. So far it's a fun, entertaining read. It's about a hustler who becomes a part-time sleuth.

[Jordan]

Stephanie wrote: ""First You Fall" by Scott Sherman. I'm 45% thru. So far it's a fun, entertaining read. It's about a hustler who becomes a part-time sleuth."

Oooohhh, that's such a great book! I loved it!

[Stephanie]

Jordan wrote: "Stephanie wrote: ""First You Fall" by Scott Sherman. I'm 45% thru. So far it's a fun, entertaining read. It's about a hustler who becomes a part-time sleuth."

Oooohhh, that's such a great book! ..."

Yeah, I'm really enjoying it. Freddy cracks me up! And of course, how could you NOT love Kevin! But his mom; Oi Vey! That woman is nuts!!

[Becky]

I liked First You Fall, too. I'm looking forward to Second You Sin, once I get some more of my TBR read up. Sherman has a short story, The High Price of Pest Control, that was free on Amazon briefly, and is still free for Prime members.

Right now I'm reading A Private Gentleman and loving it. I'm at 64%, and while I have no doubt that these two will get their happily ever after, I can't imagine *how* all these problems will get worked out.

[Karen]

I also read First You Fall and Second You Sin in the past month — original characters, amusing and hot sex, + very funny descriptions of Kevin's clients. The mom is over the top, but somehow works. Looking forward to the next one.

[Jordan]

Becky wrote: "I liked First You Fall, too. I'm looking forward to Second You Sin, once I get some more of my TBR read up. Sherman has a short story, [book:The High Price of Pest Control|1350048..."

A Private Gentleman looks really interesting... I might have to add that to my wish list of books I'm planning to buy once I finish editing my WIP. Oiy...

[Stephanie]

Karen wrote: "I also read First You Fall and Second You Sin in the past month — original characters, amusing and hot sex, + very funny descriptions of Kevin's clients. The mom is o..."

I'm just starting "Second You Sin." So is there going to be a 3rd installment? And if so, have you heard when it might be out?

[Stephanie]

Becky wrote: "I liked First You Fall, too. I'm looking forward to Second You Sin, once I get some more of my TBR read up. Sherman has a short story, [book:The High Price of Pest Control|1350048..."

Hmmmm, Private Gentleman looks really good too. I'll check that one out. Also, reading "The High Price of Pest Control" is what prompted me to buy Scott's books in the first place. I LOVED that story. That arrogant condo owner was a great character. And the story was so amusing!!

[Candice]

I watched Color Me Lavender last night--It discusses the gay image in older films and also the sometimes veiled m/m romances in film. It was interesting for the most part.

What got and held me was a segment on Randolph Scott and Cary Grant. I had "heard" about Scott being gay, but I had no idea that these two had a decade long affair, hardly hidden at all. They are a GORGEOUS couple. There's a portrait of the two of them in particular--head shot, in profile, one behind the other--very intimate and, to me, moving. (I'm not positive that one was shown in the movie. I went on line and saw a bunch of pics.)

Am I the last to know?

[Jordan]

WOW Candice, nope, you're not the last to know. That pic sounds fricken amazing! I love pics like that. Did you find it online in all those pics?

This sounds like a movie I should probably check out.

[Jordan]

Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)

[Becky]

I know I'd heard about the unlikely roommates story. But until I went looking just now I didn't realize how significant the relationship was.

[Candice]

Jordan wrote: "WOW Candice, nope, you're not the last to know. That pic sounds fricken amazing! I love pics like that. Did you find it online in all those pics?

This sounds like a movie I should probably check out."

I got the movie from netflix. You know, I've got the cheapest plan w/them, about $10 a month off my credit card and I get all the movies I want, keep them as long as I want and the exchange when I send one back to get another only takes a couple of days. There was a nice collection of pics in the film and I rec it, just for that segment really.

For a larger group of pics, I just went online under their names. These two are my current fascination. I'll get over it, probably by the time I finish reading this bio of Cary Grant: A biography by Marc Eliot. --It's good, too, by the way. Not sensationalized, overwrought or judgmental.

(I checked out others, but most denied his bi- or homosexuality. And frankly, you can't look at those pictures w/out knowing. Cary, in a couple of them, looks at Scott with unalloyed adoration.)

[Josh]

I've always found those photos fascinating. But same sex roommmates were not at all uncommon in Golden Era Hollywood. In fact, they were not uncommon anywhere. I think there is no conclusive proof -- and perhaps this is what Grant and Scott took pains to ensure. Or perhaps there is no conclusive proof because there is nothing there but close friendship.

We can't ever know for sure.

[Jordan]

I asked my library to buy a copy of the movie and put it on hold for me. It might take awhile, but I'm in no rush. lol. I would do Netflix, but that would require me borrowing movies more often than I do to make even $10 a month worth it. If you borrow movies all the time (or tv shows) that's a great price. I don't, so borrowing from the library works for me. And, as will be the case with this DVD, I'll be the first to borrow it. Can't beat that!

Reading into their relationship and seeing that particular pic, I think inspired me for this upcoming week's writing exercise/assignment I'm working on. How sweet is that? lol.

[Karen]

Stephanie wrote: "I'm just starting "Second You Sin." So is there going to be a 3rd installment? And if so, have you heard when it might be out? "

Sorry, I have no information. I'm assuming it will be a series, but couldn't find anything about #3 on Sherman's blog. There was a longish gap between the first and second. Maybe it's difficult to find the perfect alliterative for "third." ;-)

[Becky]

Karen wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "I'm just starting "Second You Sin." So is there going to be a 3rd installment? And if so, have you heard when it might be out? "

Sorry, I have no information. I'm assuming it wil..."

I was reading through his blog, and Nov of last year he said that book 3 is written and will be out within a year. No title or specific date, but Second had only been out a couple months at that point, so he probably didn't have any firm info to share yet.

[Josh]

Lou wrote: "I've had a huge crash on Cary Grant since I was a little girl. Not even because he's so handsome, but for his sense of humor.

Somewhat on topic: there's an excellent documentary The Celluloid Clo..."

Yes! I've seen that. It's fascinating.

[Charming]

Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

Send it to me and I will post it.

charming.euphemism at gmail.com

[[deleted user]]

Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

I found this one, although it's staged, it sure implies more than friendship:

[Candice]

Cris wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

I found this one, although it's staged, it sur..."

It sure does, Cris. (It's beautiful. Thanks for posting it.) And I disagree with you, Josh. The fact that men typically boarded together in those days doesn't explain the tenor of these pictures. Not to me, it doesn't. I have a friend as dear to me as anyone on the planet and she and I have lived together a couple of times. But I would not want pics of us taken that clearly imply what these do about Cary and Scott; because, of her and I, it isn't true. If the homey pics were commissioned by a studio or agent, I don't believe for a minute that this was their intent. The studios, from what I read, were trying like crazy to counteract exactly what this image and their life together in general so clearly suggested.

[Anne]

Cris wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

I found this one, although it's staged, it sur..."

A beautiful picture, full of tenderness.

[Anne]

Unlike others, when I am on vacation I read less than usual. I have been travelling to visit family on the West Coast, a lot of driving, Norway is very LONG, a lot of family, cooking and eating and some skiing, very little reading.

The little I have managed is part of a Suzanne Brockmann binge (Tall, dark and dangerous, oh my!)and the start of the latest BDB, which I enjoy, I like those of J R Ward's books that are a little complicated with complex people in them, not all black and white but shades of grey.. But no worries, I am soon going back to more m/m, there are a few waiting on my Kindle as always.

[Jordan]

Candice wrote: "Cris wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

I found this one, although it's..."

I agree. I've lived with my best friend for awhile and no way in hell would I want pics of us like that to be taken. We weren't like that.

[Josh]

Cris wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

I found this one, although it's staged, it sur..."

But then the fact that it was staged is so...puzzling. It's one thing if they're private photos. But these were from a shoot for Ladie's Home Journal or something, right? So what on earth were the ladies supposed to make of that?

My favorite photo is the one where they're in silhouette and one of them is lighting the other's cigarette. It's on my About page on my website.

[Candice]

Josh wrote: "Cris wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Found it! Too bad I don't know how to post pics to the forum. :-( It's a really great pic of them, and as you say, very intimate. :-)"

I found this one, although it's s..."
Yeah. That one is a jim dandy. I think they were young enough to think they could get away with hiding in plain sight. And for awhile, they did.

Obviously, you're right about there being a different sensibility in those days, or those pics would have created an instant scandal. And we can't know what went on in their house after everybody left.

However, have you heard about the studios insisting they begin to be seen to date women that the studio was happy to provide? That Scott flat refused (which I admire) and which Grant finally agreed to only on the condition that Scott come, too. Is that a riot, or what?