Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed*
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The book starts kind of slow, it feels that after 4 hours I'm still in a phase that introduces the characters — and there is A LOT of them: many unhappy couples with nonfunctional relationships with their children. The book starts with death of a parish councillor and that incident seems to have some kind of effect to almost everybody in the little town of Pagford.
The writing has it's moments, I've spotted some clever lines, but the story hasn't blown my mind yet. At this point it feels to me that the plot is kind of all over the place, but maybe I'm just impatient. Anyway, so far the experience has been only ok for me, definitely nothing special, in fact, very ordinary and even a bit boring. I'm not going to give up listening to it though. Maybe I feel differently about it later on...
The narrator of the audiobook, Tom Hollander, is pleasant to listen to and he does a good job with the large range of characters he is reading.
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It's very nervewracking to jump genres. You never know a - whether you will have an apptitude for a different genre, or b - whether readers will like your work in that other genre.
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I'm sure you are right about that, Josh.
And when you are J. K. Rowling the jump must be even more nervewracking. I can't say that I wouldn't have certain kind of expectations when starting to read her brand-new book after Harry Potters — even though it's in a totally different genre. And while listening to the The Casual Vacancy I had a feeling that also J. K. Rowling herself wanted to underline the fact that the new book is as far from Harry Potters and their genre as possible.
Josh wrote: "I have a deep and abiding affection for The Professionals, but it's really hard to see Larton in canon. It's more like...The Irish RM meets The Professionals. ;-)"
Coincidentally, I read the stories "The Palest Ink" and "The Wish I Wish Tonight" from the Professionals-fandom, written by someone with the pseudonym JGL over the last three days.
I liked them a lot(and that's no wonder, considering who wrote them^^).
I've only watched a small number of episodes of the TV show but still have the feeling that I know the circumstances that lead to the story in "The Palest Ink". Was Doyle's car crash and all that something that actually happened in one of the episodes or is it just that I mix something together in my mind that is from another show?
Calathea wrote: "Was Doyle's car crash and all that something that actually happened in one of the episodes or is it just that I mix something together in my mind that is from another show? "It's been a while since I read 'The Palest Ink' but I can tell you that as far as I can remember Doyle didn't have a car crash in The Professionals. He escaped from a car bomb once - maybe you're thinking of that? The way they drove you would have expected a few more car crashes though ;)
Hambel wrote: "Calathea wrote: "Was Doyle's car crash and all that something that actually happened in one of the episodes or is it just that I mix something together in my mind that is from another show? "It's..."
Hm, maybe I made it up in my head or saw something in another TV show? The pics I had in my mind were so clear that I thought I had seen it somewhere. Or maybe it's proof how good he writes. ;)
Calathea wrote: "Or maybe it's proof how good he writes. ;)"You'll get no argument from me there :)
I braved the Scary Place (the shed where stuff is being stored while Hubby is in Afghanistan -- usually it's in the attic but neither of us is comfortable with me going up & down a ladder alone) & hauled out the Christmas stuff. I guess it's time to start searching out new favorite holiday stories & digging up the old favorites! If I can find it, I have somewhere a big red basket that I fill up with all the kids' Christmas picture books; I'm thinking about wrapping them individually & unwrapping one a night to read as a sort of an advent calendar thing.
Tracy wrote: "I braved the Scary Place (the shed where stuff is being stored while Hubby is in Afghanistan -- usually it's in the attic but neither of us is comfortable with me going up & down a ladder alone) & ..."So funny, I was just thinking I crave holiday stories :)
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How lovely! :)
Tracy wrote: "I braved the Scary Place (the shed where stuff is being stored while Hubby is in Afghanistan -- usually it's in the attic but neither of us is comfortable with me going up & down a ladder alone) & ..."That's a lovely idea :)
Anne wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I braved the Scary Place (the shed where stuff is being stored while Hubby is in Afghanistan -- usually it's in the attic but neither of us is comfortable with me going up & down a la..."I get my fill of winter weather by reading holiday stories. :D
Johanna wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I can find it, I have somewhere a big red basket that I fill up with all the kids' Christmas picture books; I'm thinking about wrapping them individually & unwrapping one a night to r..."Thanks! I can't really take complete credit for it; I saw a similar idea somewhere on Pinterest. :D
Karen wrote: "Nudged by several posts, I read books 2 & 3 of Amy Lane's "Knitting" series, How to Raise an Honest Rabbit and Knitter in His Natural Habitat. I'd read The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing C..."I din't mind this at all in
, since I felt it was a nice tale of redemption. However, I felt the violence in
was unnecessarily over-the-top, and the consequenses skimmed over far too lightly. It's really nice to blithely say that a person needs 8-10 operations get healthy again. But so little was made of that, you'd think it was a stay at the spa instead of the hospital. Not fun or realistic.
Calathea wrote: "Coincidentally, I read the stories "The Palest Ink" and "The Wish I Wish Tonight" from the Professionals-fandom, written by someone with the pseudonym JGL over the last three days. I liked them a lot(and that's no wonder, considering who wrote them^^)."
I keep thinking that I have to set aside time to read them, but not having them in my computer under TBR complicates things... Anyone having them as a nice PDF document? *wiggles eyelashes*
Antonella wrote: "Calathea wrote: "Coincidentally, I read the stories "The Palest Ink" and "The Wish I Wish Tonight" from the Professionals-fandom, written by someone with the pseudonym JGL over the last three days...."I've got 'The Palest Ink' as a pdf. The Pros Big Bang fics were converted to Word docs, mobi, epub and pdf documents. You can find them all here in a zip file.
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Oh good! I'm glad to know someone else on here has read it. I bought it to try out James B's work, but have yet to read it.
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I like her werewolf stories because they have a kind of sinister/dark edge to them.
I have also star..."
I enjoyed the first two books in the Feral series. The third was good, but very awkward the way it was written simply because what happens in book three is also happening behind the scenes in the first too books, but the reader doesn't know that. So book three references things that happened in the first two books.
Other than that awkwardness, I enjoyed her werewolf series. And having read those, and needing more shifter stories, I stumbled onto Andrea Speed's books.
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was unnecessarily over-the-top, and the consequenses skimmed over far too lightly. It's really nice to blithely say that a person needs 8-10 operations get healthy again. But so little was made of that, you'd think it was a stay at the spa instead of the hospital. Not fun or realistic.That pretty much sums it up for me as well, particularly juxtaposed with the cute chapter titles. Some odd choices, not that in that it was a sweet/dark read — I enjoy my chile/chocolate/ginger as does Anne — but the violence and its impact seemed both disproportionate to the story and too easily glossed over.
Hambel wrote: " You can find them all here in a zip file."Thank you very much, dear Hambel, now I've got as well ''The Palest Ink'' on my computer!
Jordan wrote: "Now why doesn't my library have this on DVD while I'm on vacation with nothing else to do as soon as Nano's over? "And why don't you live closer to me so I could lend you my copies? :p
Antonella wrote: "Hambel wrote: " You can find them all here in a zip file."Thank you very much, dear Hambel, now I've got as well ''The Palest Ink'' on my computer!"
You're welcome. I love the lads :)
Johanna wrote: "Josh wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I've now listened to 4 hours of The Casual Vacancy audiobook (the whole book is 17 hours 55 minutes). And since I promised to "report" back to you guys what I would thi..."And yet originally she insisted she was going to bring it out under an alias, the fact she didn't means it was decided to use the Potter fanbase...
Finished latest Harry Dresden book - Cold Days - and it was very, very good. Not the best in the series, but still... Things are slowly progressing towards the promised apocalypse and, naturally, getting more complicated. But, hey, things were never simple with Harry. ~_^
Lady*M wrote: "Finished latest Harry Dresden book - Cold Days - and it was very, very good. Not the best in the series, but still... Things are slowly progressing towards the promised apocalypse and, naturally, g..."It is out!? How could I miss this? Thanks for the heads up, Lady*M!
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Calathea wrote: "It is out!? How could I miss this? Thanks for the heads up, Lady*M!"You are welcome. Have fun. ^^
Johanna wrote: "The first book of the series remains my favorite, but this one with the Thanksgiving theme was entertaining too."I loved ''Faith & Fidelity'', and a bit less the other books.
Now I've read the blurb of ''Cherish'' and it didn't sound particularly appealing. Is it adding something to Matt & Evan's story?
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Nothing radical and new happening strictly between Matt and Evan... their relationship is pretty solid, but the struggling is happening between Miranda (the oldest daughter) and Evan/rest of the family. It's mostly family drama during the Thanksgiving. Miranda is dating now and her boyfriend and his parents are invited to Evan's and Matt's — and that causes some problems.
It wasn't as good as Faith & Fidelity. Just like you, I loved that one.
I read and loved Wight Mischief by JL Merrow. Now re-reading Muscling Through for the fourth? Fifth? time. I got sucked into it again on the preview in the back of Wight Mischief. I love that story.
Susinok wrote: "I read and loved Wight Mischief by JL Merrow. Now re-reading Muscling Through for the fourth? Fifth? time. I got sucked into it again on the preview in the back of Wight Mischief. I love that story."I keep seeing the blurb for 'Muscling Through' but not actually going through with buying it. If you're re-reading for the umpteenth time then maybe I ought to try it.
Hambel wrote: "I keep seeing the blurb for 'Muscling Through' but not actually going through with buying it. If you're re-reading for the umpteenth time then maybe I ought to try it."Oh yes, please! :)
Seriously, it is one of my favorite m/m titles. And it is a light and fun read without being over the top "Funny".
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Hambel wrote: "I keep seeing the blurb for 'Muscling Through' but not actually going through with buying it. If you're re-reading for the umpteenth time then maybe I ought to try it."Oh yes, plea..."
Well, it is pay-day...
Susinok wrote: "Seriously, it is one of my favorite m/m titles. And it is a light and fun read without being over the top "Funny"."Done :)
Hambel wrote: "Susinok wrote: "Seriously, it is one of my favorite m/m titles. And it is a light and fun read without being over the top "Funny"."Done :)"
Annnd now it's time to read it :)
Susinok wrote: "I read and loved Wight Mischief by JL Merrow. Now re-reading Muscling Through for the fourth? Fifth? time. I got sucked into it again on the preview in the back of Wight Mischief. I love that story."I have read most everything by JL Merrow and loved them all, but for some reason has never tried Wight Mischief, so please tell, it is as good as the rest?
It's a bit off-topic, but I am only now reading this article:What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostics Guide
I am both a Delayed Onset Reader #1 and a The Cross-Under. My too-old-for-you book was Roots: The Saga of an American Family, I was under 10 for sure, probably 8.
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "It's a bit off-topic, but I am only now reading this article:What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostics Guide
I am both a Delayed Onset Reader #1 and a The Cross-Under. My too-old-for-you b..."
I am both of those with a whiff of Bibliophile as well :).
Anne wrote: "Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "It's a bit off-topic, but I am only now reading this article:What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostics Guide
I am both a Delayed Onset Reader #1 and a The C..."
There's an addendum!!!
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Anne wrote: "Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "It's a bit off-topic, but I am only now reading this article:What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostics Guide
I am both a Delayed Onset Reader #..."
My old cat Rafael was definitely among the ones described in the addendum:)
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "It's a bit off-topic, but I am only now reading this article:What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostics Guide
I am both a Delayed Onset Reader #1 and a The Cross-Under. My too-old-for-you b..."
Before the advent of ebooks I was a definite Bookbuster. Also a bit of a Chronological Reader -- I rarely fail to finish a book, I'm always reading something, and I prefer to read complete series (and always in order). Also Delayed Onset #1, in that I purchase books that I may never read (but I will always be reading SOMEthing). I used to be a Cross-Under and Multi-Tasker, but not much these days. And nonono, NOT a Sleepy Bedtime Reader! One of my biggest problems is that reading keeps me AWAKE!! LOL. Oh, and from the addendum -- very much an Audiobook Listener, and definitely an All-the-Timer. Heck, I listen to books while waiting for a movie to start in the theatre!
Question: now I've gotta know what "BEA" is. In the addendum, that's their recommendation for Book Swaggers. I wanna be a Book Swagger!!!
Plainbrownwrapper wrote: "Question: now I've gotta know what "BEA" is. In the addendum, that's their recommendation for Book Swaggers. I wanna be a Book Swagger!!!"Wild guess: BookExpo America
I am The Hopelessly Devoted and The All-the-Timer/Compulsive/Voracious/Anything Goes Reader too.Books, always, everywhere, anytime.
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "I am The Hopelessly Devoted and The All-the-Timer/Compulsive/Voracious/Anything Goes Reader too.Books, always, everywhere, anytime."
lol - that absolutely sums me up. So many books and still I want more. My tbr pile is more like a mountain range but that's partly because I end up re-reading old (and new) favourites :)
Anne wrote: "Susinok wrote: "I read and loved Wight Mischief by JL Merrow. Now re-reading Muscling Through for the fourth? Fifth? time. I got sucked into it again on the preview in the back of Wight Mischief. I..."Yes, I think it is. Enjoy!
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Hambel wrote: "Susinok wrote: "Seriously, it is one of my favorite m/m titles. And it is a light and fun read without being over the top "Funny"."Done :)"
Annnd now it's time to read it :)"
I'm sure you'll love it!
Sarah wrote: "Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "I am The Hopelessly Devoted and The All-the-Timer/Compulsive/Voracious/Anything Goes Reader too.Books, always, everywhere, anytime."
"So many books and still I want more. My tbr pile is more like a mountain range but that's partly because I end up re-reading old (and new) favourites :) "
Me too - both Emanuela's original description and Sarah's addendum.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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That's how I feel, they start off a cute story then there's an overload of angst. While I'm happy with there being some issues I feel Lane tends to throw in too much angst like there has to be a dramatic end. That and after reading his book I don't like Aiden! The covers are adorable :) but I doubt I'll be buying more Lane.