What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed* Showing 4,801-4,850 of 13,523

[Antonella]

Care to elaborate on the lack of edits?

[Cheryl]

Antonella wrote: "Care to elaborate on the lack of edits?"

Well, there were the overly detailed descriptions of every person who walked into the story, even if all they did was nod or grunt to one of the MCs in passing. I was seriously paying attention to these at first, thinking that since this character was getting so much attention he's surely going to do more than check some IDs, but nope, that was it. The paragraphs often had a meandering feel to them, like they could have used a little polishing or simple restructuring, but mostly it was the parenthesis. Good Lord, the parenthesis. They're all over the place. I found them to be very jarring. For one, they seemed to change the tone of the narrative. Perhaps they would have worked better from a first person point of view with a more conversational narrative, but in this story it often felt like the author inserting herself to annotate or explain further what Roan was thinking. It was like someone elbowing me in the ribs and asking "get it? get it?" every couple of pages. The information in the parenthesis was often unnecessary or redundant and could/should have been cut completely. The example that stands out in my mind as something that should have been edited out is this one :

"You couldn't blame another person for someone else's suicide (unless they crammed pills down down their throat or forced the noose around their neck), as that was a personal choice."

OK, what? If you force someone to take a fatal dose of pills or if you hang someone, that's not suicide, not even assisted suicide, that's murder. Remove the parenthetical thought from the sentence and you've got a strong statement, a sign of the struggle between logically accepting your ex-boyfriend's death was not your fault and the guilt that all survivors feel when someone they are close to commits suicide. In a first person point of view I could maybe, maybe accept this as stream of consciousness thinking, but here it just felt like the author was adding to Roan's thoughts. At best it could have been " You can't blame yourself for another person's suicide. It was their own choice, unless you crammed the pills down their throat or slipped the noose around their neck, (but then that's not really suicide, is it?).

In some cases it just could have been worked into the paragraph with just a little bit of sentence restructuring and a few well placed commas, or even just left as is, as a regular sentence without the parenthesis. Why does Roan's wishing for a better radio station or his intolerance of the smell of pesticides have to be in parenthesis? It felt to me like the author was picking and choosing random sentences that should have just been normal parts of the story's mood, setting, and world-building and putting them in parenthesis.

Some of this could just be my personal preference and reading style, but I can't recall seeing so many parenthesis in another published work. That in itself may be why they stood out so much in this one. I do want to read at least the next story in the book, and perhaps the rest of the series, because it's an interesting world and I was getting quite invested in the characters. I think I just need a break from the writing style first, and that's not really a good thing in a series.

One or two other little things that raised questions about the story in my mind, but I don't want to give away any spoilers for those who are going to read the book. And they're the kind of thing that often raises eyebrows in a murder/mystery kind of book but maybe you just suspend your disbelief and accept them, or maybe the editor should have asked the author to clarify or explain further. I find once a book jars me out of the story, suspension of disbelief plummets into basement.

[Antonella]

Cheryl wrote: "Well, there were the overly detailed descriptions of every person who walked into the story, even if all they did was nod or grunt to one..."

Hi, Cheryl!

Thank you so much for the detailed answer! I had just noticed some explaining that could have been avoided. Bur all together I did like the series.

Of course, English is not my mother tongue, so I suppose I miss a few things. Still, I found the series much better than other similar books.

About the murder/mystery aspect: I'm one who reads such books despite them being mysteries. I remember it took some persuasion from my friends to made me read the Adrien English Series ;-).

[Cheryl]

Antonella, I'm in the same boat regarding mysteries! I've noticed lately that I'm not as opposed to reading mysteries as I once was. In fact I'm considering reading the Brandstetter series and The Larton Chronicles, and I didn't even add "even though it's a mystery novel" in my head like I usually do. I give Josh and Jordan Castillo Price credit for that.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Cheryl wrote: "Antonella, I'm in the same boat regarding mysteries! I've noticed lately that I'm not as opposed to reading mysteries as I once was."

I spent a long time refusing to read anything but mysteries, so it's funny that we all found authors that could make us read the same books despite or because of the genre. It must be the writing :)

[Antonella]

Cheryl wrote: "I'm considering reading the Brandstetter series and The Larton Chronicles, and I didn't even add "even though it's a mystery novel" in my head"

Ok for Joseph Hansen, but the only mystery I remember in ''The Larton Chronicles'' is that Robert (ex-policeman) is now a mystery writer. Or did I read it too long ago..?


Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "It must be the writing"

Of course! After my teens I wouldn't touch a mystery/thriller with a ten-foot pole. Only exception Chandler and Hammett. This remind me I haven't add yet hammett to my books ;-)...

[Liade]

Antonella wrote: "the only mystery I remember in ''The Larton Chronicles'' is that Robert (ex-policeman) is now a mystery writer. Or did I read it too long ago..?..."

Not too long ago - The Larton Chronicles are not The Larton Mysteries.

Edited to add, and to avoid confusion: there's no such thing as The Larton Mysteries

[Cheryl]

Antonella wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "I'm considering reading the Brandstetter series and The Larton Chronicles, and I didn't even add "even though it's a mystery novel" in my head"

Ok for Joseph Hansen, but the only my..."

Oh, maybe I assumed the mystery part of The Larton Chronicles! I had only given them a quick glance because they were mentioned in the book of the month thread.

Yes, the writing is definitely key. I often tell people that I'll read anything as long as it's well written, but a straight-up mystery does seem to be out of my reach. I need a strong romance or sci-fi/fantasy element in there somewhere, and if that element happens to be two hot guys making out with each other, all the better!

[Ayesh]

Finished The Book Of Daniel by Z.A.Maxfield; best St.Nacho's by far :D
Now reading Cowboy Obsession by Sineth Killiri ...

[Antonella]

Hi, Bella! That's good to know, then it must be really excellent because the rest of the series is great.

I'm procrastinating buying it, because if I buy it, I'll start to read it and on one side I should work, on the other side I'd like to reduce the huge amount of unread books I already own.

The world should stop till I finish, then the authors I love could go on writing ;-)

[Ayesh]

Antonella wrote: "Hi, Bella! That's good to know, then it must be really excellent because the rest of the series is great.

I'm procrastinating buying it, because if I buy it, I'll start to read it and on one side..."

I know what u mean... I have this huge TBR list and it's growing everyday... but there're few authors whose new books I finish immediately :D

And about Cowboy Obsession --- that's some poor poor poorly written book which totally ruined my mood :[

[Candice]

Cheryl wrote: "I started reading Andrea Speed's Infected series. There are two stories in the first book and I made sure I finished the first one to give things a fair chance, but I'm not sure I'll be reading th..."

Cheryl, I made the silly mistake of buying all three books in the "Infected" series and, then, couldn't make it through the first book. I may look at it again, but the writing just took me out of it. I liked Roan's and his lover's characters; they were an appealing mix, but it was too easy to put down.

[Candice]

Sagajo wrote: "I decided to read Bear, Otter, and the Kid since it was talked about on jessewave the other day. Really interesting story. The characters are kinda OTT but I think it is a pretty am..."

Sagajo, On your rec, I got Bear, Otter, etc. I'm about halfway through, and what a smart review you did. At any rate, my reading is similar to yours. I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I like the narrator's voice, the let-it-all-hang-out -ness of it. On the other hand, it's sometimes overcooked. It comes across like a parody of itself now and then. Yet, lots of moving and enjoyable reading there. Thanks.

[Cleon Lee]

I am reading Hellcop 1 & 2 for inspiration last night. Awesome awesome fic!! I want to fangirl the authors and write Hellcop fanfic. LOL. The books need to be turned into a series, it'll be much more interesting (and HOTTER, pun intended) compared to many supernatural TV series out there.

[Candice]

Sagajo,
Re Otter, Bear, et al. P.S. You did say it was too long. Holy TMI Batman! The first half was difinitely better than the last, wasn't it? Wow. Somebody needs to get that author to a ruthless editor, fast.

--Because every once in a while he/she wd come up with something so clever or witty. It's not like he/she doesn't have talent. I just don't have that much patience.

[Sagajo]

Candice wrote: "Sagajo,
Re Otter, Bear, et al. P.S. You did say it was too long. Holy TMI Batman! The first half was difinitely better than the last, wasn't it? Wow. Somebody needs to get that author to a ruthl..."

I LOOOOVED the first part (though it could use some trimming). The narrative and characters are so special. It's like a contemporary story with fantasy characters. The author lost me a bit with the laywer meeting (way on the ridic side) and the fight with Otter, it felt a bit like a 2nd wind when I as a reader were already done. That part of the book should have been trimmed.

I felt the book had a lot of author no-no's but still worked. It had lots of flashbacks but mostly managed to be interesting (they could edit some here though), it had LOTS of narrative but it also somehow worked. It had a kid that was not a kid (not popular in m/m). But yes, to be a really good book it needed an editor and DSP is not a good publisher for that. I still recommend it though and I have re-read scenes lots of times.

[Candice]

Sagajo, Agreed. Re The Kid. He reminded me of Charles Wallace in Wrinkle in Time. Did you ever read that? CW was only about 5. However, he worked for me, whereas Ty, towards the end of the book, did not. Of course, I was a lot younger when I read Wrinkle--but Ty became too wise for me to believe in. I guess CW seemed otherworldly fm page one so I was I was with him all the way.

If you haven't read Wrinkle, it's a childrens' story, but pretty wonderful. Might give it a look.

[Sagajo]

Candice wrote: "Sagajo, Agreed. Re The Kid. He reminded me of Charles Wallace in Wrinkle in Time. Did you ever read that? CW was only about 5. However, he worked for me, whereas Ty, towards the end of the book, ..."

Oh, sounds interesting! I will definetely try it. I agree that Ty was not believable as a kid but I kinda suspended belief on his character and considered him something that only exists in this weird book. He was more like a nosy wise old lady, heh.

[Cheryl]

Candice wrote: "Cheryl, I made the silly mistake of buying all three books in the "Infected" series and, then, couldn't make it through the first book. I may look at it again, but the writing just took me out of it. I liked Roan's and his lover's characters; they were an appealing mix, but it was too easy to put down.
"

This is why I almost always buy new authors on Fictionwise during a big sale, and only one book per author. It's a shame. I'd love to support the authors and the publishing houses directly, but I can't buy ten books a month at full price when I'm only going to finish three of them.

[Calathea]

Candice wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "I started reading Andrea Speed's Infected series. There are two stories in the first book and I made sure I finished the first one to give things a fair chance, but I'm not sure I'l...
Cheryl, I made the silly mistake of buying all three books in the "Infected" series and, then, couldn't make it through the first book. "

This shows (again) how different readers are. :-) I, for example, love the Infected-series by Andrea Speed. I find it interesting that you should mention the characterisations as one of the weak points, because that was something for me that made the whole thing come alive, especially as it was told in Roan's sarcastic voice.

[[deleted user]]

I had to stop by and mention . Finished it on Monday and I am still thinking about it. Ben Monopoli is a very gifted writer. Lovely lovely writing. This book has some hints of magic realism, that made it very special. I can't say enough good things about both his books.

[Josh]

Cheryl wrote: "Antonella wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "I'm considering reading the Brandstetter series and The Larton Chronicles, and I didn't even add "even though it's a mystery novel" in my head"

Ok for Joseph Hanse..."

No mystery in the Larton Chronicles! Just a very quiet, humorous take on romance in an English village.

That doesn't sound too thrilling, I guess, and the book will probably not be to everyone's taste, but I think a lot of you will really enjoy it.

(I hope.)

[Josh]

Candice wrote: "If you haven't read Wrinkle, it's a childrens' story, but pretty wonderful. Might give it a look. ..."

A true children's classic. If you missed it the first time around, treat yourself to it now. The whole series holds up quite well to an adult reading.

[Tracy]

A Wrinkle in Time is one of my go-to comfort reads, although so far, I'm having no luck with getting my oldest child to read it. Of course, she kept Eragon in her room for <24 hours and assured me that, "Yes, Mommy, I really *did* read the whole thing." (I'm calling bullsh*t on that, but...what can you do?)

[Sagajo]

Lauraadriana wrote: "I had to stop by and mention . Finished it on Monday and I am still thinking about it. Ben Monopoli is a very gifted writer. Lovely lovel..."

Oh it's out now? I'll have to check it out!

[[deleted user]]

Sagajo wrote: "Lauraadriana wrote: "I had to stop by and mention . Finished it on Monday and I am still thinking about it. Ben Monopoli is a very gifted..."

It is, came out about a week ago. It is just beyond good. I'm still thinking about it. Took me forever to write a review, I just couldn't come up with words.

[Blaine]

Lauraadriana wrote: "I had to stop by and mention . Finished it on Monday and I am still thinking about it. Ben Monopoli is a very gifted writer. Lovely lovel..."

I keep hoping Ben Monopoli will start putting his books up somewhere not B&N or Amazon.
B&N always nag about the billing address having to be in the US (but not up front, no, after you start ordering it), and Amazon ... well ... I don't have a kindle and I don't want to read it on my netbook.
*sigh*
I'd love to read both his books, but with so many other books on my list, I keep skipping them.

[[deleted user]]

Blaine D. wrote: "Lauraadriana wrote: "I had to stop by and mention . Finished it on Monday and I am still thinking about it. Ben Monopoli is a very gifted..."

Oh that is too bad that you can't get them. Ben's writing is some of the best stuff I've read in a while. Bump them to the top of your list. You won't regret it.

[Jordan]

I haven't been to this thread in AGES! Wow... well, anyway...

I just picked up this book from my library. lol, I was doing a book search for a patron the other day and accidentally came across this title: The Future Is Queer. I HAD to check it out, of course.

I'm barely into it, but it looks interesting, though it's not M/M Romance, I have a feeling there will be bits of it here and there. It's an anthology of short stories set in the future but based on the past and present of gay culture and politics. The first story has clones in it, but that's as far as I know right now.

If anyone else has read about it, let me know what you thought. I was shocked to see it in the library, I guess because the title is awesome, it incorporates sci-fi and LGBTQ issues, and I wasn't even looking for it. It wasn't even remotely close to what I was looking for, which always makes surprises kinda nice.

And now I will add it to my currently reading book shelf!

[Cheryl]

Calathea wrote: "This shows (again) how different readers are. :-) I, for example, love the Infected-series by Andrea Speed. I find it interesting that you should mention the characterisations as one of the weak points, because that was something for me that made the whole thing come alive, especially as it was told in Roan's sarcastic voice.
"


I don't recall naming characterizations as a weak point. The main characters themselves, their voices, their habits and idiosyncrasies, their backstory, their development were all pretty OK. Maybe Paris was a little bit of a Mary Sue, but it worked in the book and made it all the more fun when he showed his fangs, so to speak. It was more the narrative style. Perhaps you mean the physical descriptions of the characters? I found the book to be overly descriptive as a whole, of both people and places, and often wondered why inconsequential characters got as much description as the main characters. But I guess some people enjoy that and want to know exactly what everyone looks like and what they are wearing. I thoroughly enjoyed Roan's voice and his gruff manner. I just think the book could have been so much better with a bit more editing and a special vacuum to suck out all of the parenthesis.

Yes, readers can be very different, and that's what makes book clubs so much fun! I often find myself one of the few dissenters in a sea of 5 star reviews, but you have to take my opinion with a grain of salt. After all, I also think that Saturday Night Fever was one of the greatest movies ever made, so take my entertainment advice at your own risk!

[Cheryl]

I started A Red-Tainted Silence last night and had to put it down after a few chapters. Way too emo and way too insta-love for me. The writing was very good, I was completely engaged in the story in the first chapter and so excited to be reading this book, then the main character started crying and entered a two-year long depression over a guy he had never even met, only seen in a high school production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. So, yeah, not the book for me.

I was feeling kind of bad after that, thinking maybe I'm just not a very good reader since I seem to finding so much at fault with books that so many others loved. I was thinking maybe I needed a break from romance, or from m/m stories, or maybe even from fiction! I was going to
stick with just re-reading stories I already love, but I decided to try one more book.

Hooray for Breaking Cover! I felt like Goldlocks, first the book with the great storyline and the distracting writing style, then the book with the clean, polished writing but the atrociously melodramatic plot, and now, at long last, the story that's just right! Good, clean writing, no parenthesis, plenty of drama, characters I like and find interesting, and so far even the six year old has only cried once! Kage Harper, you have restored my faith in reading!

*ETA
I'm such a mo-mo. When I bought the book, I had intended to buy Life Lessons, the first in the series. I *never* read books out of order. I think it speaks to the writing that I've gotten about 25% through the book without realizing what a doofus I am. I fell right in with the characters, and things that were mentioned in the past (the car accident, how Tony became involved in Ben's life) that I wanted more background on I was able to just push aside for now and keep enjoying the story, assuming all would be explained at some later point in the book. Well, duh, it was all explained in the first book!

[Kaje]

Cheryl wrote: "Hooray for Breaking Cover! I felt like Goldlocks, first the book with the great storyline and the distracting writing style, then the book with the clean, polished writing but the atrociously melodramatic plot, and now, at long last, the story that's just right! Good, clean writing, no parenthesis, plenty of drama, characters I like and find interesting, and so far even the six year old has only cried once! Kage Harper, you have restored my faith in reading!..."

Wow, that's about the nicest thing anyone has said - thank you! (Although the six-year-old may cry more than once, but under the circumstances I guess he's entitled.)

[Cheryl]

No, thank you!

And yeah, the kids totally entitled to a lot of tears. I fully expect him to do some more crying. A lot more, if he's anything like the six year olds I know!

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

I like today's quote very much:

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
— Frederick Douglass

[Yvonne]

Cheryl wrote: "I started A Red-Tainted Silence last night and had to put it down after a few chapters. Way too emo and way too insta-love for me. The writing was very good, I was completely engaged..."

Cheryl you're not alone. I'm sure I wrote a review about
A Red-Tainted Silence being filled with excessive melodrama & ridiculous amounts of crying by both men. If you had continued it would have only gotten worse. That's why I like to read or skim the best & the worse review written for a book because I'm not always in agreement with the majority.

[[deleted user]]

Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "I like today's quote very much:

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
— Frederick Douglass"

It's a good one!

[Kaje]

Lauraadriana wrote: "Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "I like today's quote very much:

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
— Frederick Douglass"

It's a good one!"

Conversely it's scary when you overhear stuff like, "I haven't read a book in years..." I guess reading happens in the electronic media too, but one has to wonder.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Kaje wrote: "Conversely it's scary when you overhear stuff like, "I haven't read a book in years..." I guess reading happens in the electronic media too, but one has to wonder."

When someone tells me with pride that they don't read, I tell them not to worry, because I am one of those who make their statistics balance in the end, lol


I remember the day I realized I could read and I was able to make sense out of the letters, it was a moment I truly felt liberated :D I was going to school with my mom, I looked at a billboard and told her "mom, that's Caffé Roversi, right?" and then I searched all the billboards and read everything. I had a few problems with "Telefunken". Lol, it's incredible what you remember :D

[[deleted user]]

Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Conversely it's scary when you overhear stuff like, "I haven't read a book in years..." I guess reading happens in the electronic media too, but one has to wonder."

When someone tel..."

Yeah, I was just talking to someone the other day that told me he's never read a book unless he HAD to for school. I honestly didn't know what to say. I know I can get ranty, so I just said 'oh well...umm ok' and changed the subject :O)

The first 'grown up' book I read was The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I still have the copy :O)

[Kari]

My dh reads the Bible and a non-fic book I rec'd to him a couple yrs ago. That's it. He'll read if me and the kids are doing a read-along (sometimes, we pick books and take turns reading a chapter each night we don't have an activity/meeting), but...Not a reader, the hubs, but that's okay. I knew that going in. Same as he knew I could be persuaded to run only when chased (and then only maybe).

[Blaine]

Lauraadriana wrote: "Yeah, I was just talking to someone the other day that told me he's never read a book unless he HAD to for school. I honestly didn't know what to say. "

My husband's not much of a reader. I guess I read for two :) lol
He's only read two thing (not counting the books he had to read for school), The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
And he read the last couple of books of HP in English as well (reading English takes a bit more time for him).

I know he's not a reader. He has his hobbies, I have mine. Not to mention he still supports my writing :)

My children are a mix. They're not the most prolific readers, but they do enjoy a book (though youngest is completely addicted to manga/anime). And they remember what they read, which is very frustrating, because I have trouble remembering what I read.

[Sagajo]

Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Conversely it's scary when you overhear stuff like, "I haven't read a book in years..." I guess reading happens in the electronic media too, but one has to wonder."

When someone tel..."


Telefunken!

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Lauraadriana wrote: "The first 'grown up' book I read was The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I still have the copy :O)"

You won't believe it, but my first "grown up" book was Roots by Alex Haley, I was 8. I remember watching the series on TV and wanting to read the book. I borrowed it from a cousin. I haven't thought about it in a while. I think that's why I still read slave-themed books. I like mammoth books :D

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Sagajo wrote: "Telefunken!"

:-D

I will always support Telefunken. I don't know what they're manufacturing nowadays, but they hold a special place in my heart ;)

[[deleted user]]

Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Lauraadriana wrote: "The first 'grown up' book I read was The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I still have the copy :O)"

You won't believe it, but my first "grown up" book was Roots by Alex Haley..."

I was 8 when I read Sherlock Holmes! It was a Birthday present.

I love Roots! Have you read The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill? It's great. I actually just read The Kitchen House for my online book club and it was awesome too.

[Snowtulip]

Cheryl wrote: "I started A Red-Tainted Silence last night and had to put it down after a few chapters. Way too emo and way too insta-love for me. The writing was very good, I was completely engaged..."

Cheryl, I have those periods as well, where I think I'm going to give m/m a break. So glad you found a great book. The last period I had like that The Lonely War helped me escape the m/m funk that I was in. Hooray for good books!

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Thanks for the recs, LA!

[[deleted user]]

Snowtulip wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "I started A Red-Tainted Silence last night and had to put it down after a few chapters. Way too emo and way too insta-love for me. The writing was very good, I was com..."

It's a good thing to take a break...I've got two books lined up for this week I'm looking forward to them.

[Darkm]

Cheryl wrote: "I started A Red-Tainted Silence last night and had to put it down after a few chapters. Way too emo and way too insta-love for me. The writing was very good, I was completely engaged..."

I've started this one yesterday as well and It's too emotional for me too. I am doomed though because I can't leave a book unfinished.

[Cleon Lee]

Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Kaje wrote: "Conversely it's scary when you overhear stuff like, "I haven't read a book in years..." I guess reading happens in the electronic media too, but one has to wonder."

When someone tel..."

Now see, this is one of the things I can't wrap my mind with. Pride themselves for not reading? I get that not everyone likes reading, but priding themselves for not reading?