What is distracting you from your Chunkster right now? (a.k.a. what else are you reading?)

[Everyman]

Or, you can just copy the URL from the web browser and paste it into a post, just using straight Windows or Mac copy-and-paste functions.

[Loretta]

And if background info is just plain text, I'll sometimes copy and paste it directly, provided it doesn't contain spoilers. Then I'll usually just say something like "Taken from the Wikipedia page on ___" and provide a link.

[Liz]

I'm going back & forth between The White Queen & our group read of Vanity Fair.

[Ellen]

I'm trying to focus on The Crimson Petal and the White but I keep getting distracted by easier reads like White Elephant Dead and Slash

[Bookworm Adventure Girl]

Ellie wrote: "I'm trying to focus on The Crimson Petal and the White but I keep getting distracted by easier reads like White Elephant Dead and Slash"

I am with you.
My goal this weekend is to get caught up with Crimson Petal and the White, plus stay caught up with Vanity Fair. I also want to finish Between a Rock and a Hard Place which I put on the back burner while I finished other books in April.

[Ellen]

I'll be thinking of you this weekend-as my inspiration. I really want to get caught up with Crimson Petal. I wish I weren't so easily distracted!

[Kristi]

Jolene wrote: "I also want to finish Between a Rock and a Hard Place which I put on the back burner while I finished other books in April."

That is my husband's FAVORITE book...he's read it roughly 6 times...loves it!

[Ellen]

I'm still getting distracted-When Christ and His Saints Slept & Zen and The Art of Murder: A Zen Moses Mystery. I'm so stressed about my job I can hardly even concentrate on these. Not that When Christ & His Saints Slept is a light read, but it's much easier for me than The Crimson Petal and the White.

[Bookworm Adventure Girl]

Kristi wrote: "Jolene wrote: "I also want to finish Between a Rock and a Hard Place which I put on the back burner while I finished other books in April."

That is my husband's FAVORITE book...he's read it roughl..."


WOW!!! Has he seen the movie? I followed Aron's story since it first happened and am watching James Franco (the actor who played Aron) as I type this on Inside the Actor's Studio.

[Bookworm Adventure Girl]

Ellie wrote: "I'm still getting distracted-When Christ and His Saints Slept & Zen and The Art of Murder: A Zen Moses Mystery. I'm so stressed about my job I can hardly even concentra..."

No harm in reading what you are enjoying. I actually don't mind Crimson Petal and the White. I just need to do it! So far, I haven't read anything this weekend, however it's not over yet.

[Ellen]

Thanks Jolene. Your comment picked up my spirits. Amazing how I can even make something I love - reading - something to feel guilty about!

[Shea]

Liz wrote: "I'm going back & forth between The White Queen & our group read of Vanity Fair."

Liz, I am reading "The White Queen" also. It is for a discussion group at my local library. At least it is a distraction I don't feel guilty about :-)

[Liz]

Shea wrote: "Liz, I am reading "The White Queen" also. It is for a discussion group at my local library. At least it is a distraction I don't feel guilty about :-)..."

How are you liking it? I'm having a hard time getting into it. I've read other books by Philippa Gregory & liked them quite a bit, but this one is just not doing much for me so far.

[Bookworm Adventure Girl]

Ellie wrote: "Thanks Jolene. Your comment picked up my spirits. Amazing how I can even make something I love - reading - something to feel guilty about!"

I have done it to myself many times. I am staying caught up with Vanity Fair and still have not picked up "Crimson" yet this weekend. I will get to it though. Hope you are enjoying your reads.

[Shea]

Liz wrote: "Shea wrote: "Liz, I am reading "The White Queen" also. It is for a discussion group at my local library. At least it is a distraction I don't feel guilty about :-)..."

How are you liking it? I'm..."

I have only read the first two chapter so I can't really say yet. I was focused on finishing "Emma." I will let you know in the next couple of days.

[Kristi]

Jolene wrote: "Kristi wrote: "Jolene wrote: "I also want to finish Between a Rock and a Hard Place which I put on the back burner while I finished other books in April."

That is my husband's FAVORITE book...he..."

He did see the movie, he snuck out of work early the day it came out and went to see it. Loved it too, and then we had to buy it. He also got the shirt...

[Bookworm Adventure Girl]

Kristi wrote: "Jolene wrote: "Kristi wrote: "Jolene wrote: "I also want to finish Between a Rock and a Hard Place which I put on the back burner while I finished other books in April."

That is my husband's FAVOR..."

He sounds like the ultimate fan. I am still reading the book and loving it. Seeing the movie twice was good enough for me. I will let you know what I think when I am finished.

[Jason]

Greetings everyone!

I just read Don't Breathe a Word and really enjoyed it.

This is my first time reading Jennifer McMahon and really enjoyed myself.

The book is one of those page turners where you can't wait to find out what happens.

If you're interested I reviewed this title on my blog and can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-5j

[Shea]

Yesterday I read "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Future" by Michael J. Fox in one sitting. I read it on my Nook and it was only 69 pages! It was kind of refreshing to begin and end a books so quickly. It was light and laugh out loud funny.

[Carolyn]

I'm reading The Lives of the Mayfair Witches by Ann Rice.
"The Witching Hour" was a "chunkster", very detailed. I'm just starting "Lasher". Can't seem to put it down. What an author!

[Jason]

Hi everyone!

I just finished A Hard Death: A Novel

A solid 4* mystery/suspense read. I really enjoyed the story being told through a forensic pathologist's eyes.

Fast paced with interesting characters, grit, and suspense that I found I wanted to keep reading.

If you're interested I reviewed the book on my blog and it can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-5q

[Ellen]

I just got a book I won on Library Think: by Rikki Ducornet. I'm a big fan of Ducornet & I'm very excited about winning this.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

The Pickwick Papers, Room, and a reread of A Game of Thrones are three of my current distractions.

[Jason]

I just finished A Conflict of Interest and even though it is a debut author, Mitzner's writing will no doubt cement him into the world of legal thriller writers.

Fast paced, full of twists and turns, and completely engrossing. A solid 4* read.

If you're interested I reviewed the book on my blog and it can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-5y

[Ellen]

I'm actually focused on my chunkster and

[Jason]

I just finished Tabloid City: A Novel and have to say that it was amazing!
Easily a best book of 2011 for me.

The story has something for everyone - it's somber, exciting, fast paced, and a great read.

I think what won me over on this book was Hamill's characters. They stayed with me long after I put the book down.

You're welcome to read my review here: http://wp.me/TRJE

[Ellen]

Right now, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Also some cozies I'm in the middle of and 2 giveaway wins: one from Goodreads and one from Librarything

Also one from a Goodreads friend which has high priority.

And I also promised to write & post a review of another friend's stories.

I'm just a little over-extended!

[Heather]

I'm not rerading a chunkster right now as I think I've joined a bit late to catch up with the 2 that you're on. Hopefully I'll start with you all when there's a new one on the go.

I'm currently reading Frankenstein - Mary Shelley. I'm enjoying it but it's taking me ages to get through even though it's not a long book!

[Jason]

I just finished A Drop of the Hard Stuff the new Matthew Scudder novel by Lawrence Block.

A quick and enjoyable enough read. Scudder takes on a case that is personal to him. Interesting characters and of course detective work.

As always, if you're interested, you can read my review here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-63

[Tasha]

Here's my distraction:

[Kristina]

Tasha wrote: "Here's my distraction:
"

That book is on my TBR list for this year. Let me know what you think of it!!

[Tasha]

I will Kristina.. I'm liking it alot!

[Jason]

Just finished The Sisters Brothers: A Novel and really enjoyed it. Gave it 4* because it has a little of everything.
Dry humor, great characters, grit, emotion, and plain good storytelling/writing.

If you're interested my review can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-6d

[Kristi]

Jason wrote: "Just finished The Sisters Brothers: A Novel and really enjoyed it. Gave it 4* because it has a little of everything.
Dry humor, gr..."

I've been looking at this book for a little while, i think I may have to go pick it up now...thanks for the review!

[Liz]

I've recently been distracted by Last Sacrifice, Seers of Light, & now Family Blessings. I'm almost finished with the last one, then it's back to the chunksters! :)

[Loretta]

I'm about 2/3 done with A Clash of Kings, which I'm loving. What a great series.

[Liz]

Loretta wrote: "I'm about 2/3 done with A Clash of Kings, which I'm loving. What a great series."

I was thinking about nominating A Game of Thrones for the contemporary chunkster, but thought people might be tired of this genre after reading The Lord of the Rings. I've really been wanting to start this series.

[Loretta]

Liz wrote: "Loretta wrote: "I'm about 2/3 done with A Clash of Kings, which I'm loving. What a great series."

I was thinking about nominating A Game of Thrones for the contempora..."

I don't think the problem is with the genre; I think the problem might be doing a multiple-book series (i.e. it's hard to just read GoT without continuing on to the rest of the books). People are usually good about reading one book, but then when it continues, discussion starts to lag...

[Jason]

@Kristi - If you do please let me know what you think. It really was a good read!

[Jason]

Just finished Before I Go to Sleep and while a good read, I wouldn't say it was the most outstanding thriller that it's purported to be.
One thing the author does well is create characters that make the reader guess where their true intentions lie.
A 3* read for me. If you're interested in reading more, my review can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-6E

[Kristi]

Jason wrote: "@Kristi - If you do please let me know what you think. It really was a good read!"

I put it on hold at the library...can't wait to read it!

[Jason]

Hi everyone!
I just finished Alice Bliss and WOW. This is a gem of a book. A coming of age tale that is so moving.
I had a reading first with this book, in that I actually cried during the final scene. It was 2am and there I was sitting on the edge of the bed with sobbing tears. Never had it happen before.
But Alice is a moving young woman.
A def. and rare 5* read for me.

If you're interested my review can be found here: http://wp.me/pTRJE-75

[Kristina]

Jason, You sold the book to me. I put it on my TBR list.


I am currently reading . This is a fantasitc book so far.

I also am reading . This was recommended to me by a friend. So, I will keep you posted.

[Jason]

@Kristina - it is quite the read. Seriously, I was not a pretty sight last night reading it lol

[Bob]

When I realized I was reading Vanity Fair too quickly to stay with the group schedule, I decided I'd better leaven it with some other type of reading. The idea of alternating between books is a relatively new concept for me. Usually, when I pick up a new book it's because I've either finished or given up (at least termporarily) on the last one.

At first I thought I would do sort of an alternating fiction-nonfiction thing. I picked up Peter Gay's Freud: A Life for Our Time. That held my interest for a while, but I found that it was actually slower going than Vanity Fair. I still intend to finish it, but I decided I needed something lighter.

Then I found a bunch of Michael ConnellyMichael Connelly thrillers in my son's bedroom (I use it as an office while he's away at college). They really grabbed me. I'd never read him before. In addition to the gripping plots, I like his Marlowesque (or maybe Lew Archeresque) detective character (H. Bosch) and his detailed descriptions of police procedure and politics, journalistic processes, and criminal behavior. I also like the way his characters reappear in later books. I wasn't too impressed with his accounts of legal procedures, though. My only other criticism is that some of his plots have one too many twists, i.e., the last twist doesn't always seem to make sense in terms of consistency with what came before. But great reads overall. It was hard to convince myself get back to Thackeray after these page turners.

After I ran out of Connelly thrillers, I picked up Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar and read it through last weekend, after finishing the next installment of Thackeray. This was a bit of a disappointment. It moved right along, and I really enjoyed being immersed in 1930s Manhattan Jewish middle class life. But I had very little sympathy for the male lead, Noel Airman - I didn't get what was so attractive about him. He's basically a charming, but self-absorbed ass who's so full of himself that he can't be bothered to make the effort to hold down a job. In addition, he and other characters have a habit of pontificating endlessly. At one point, we are forced to read, verbatim, a 20-page letter from Noel to Marjorie. Why? Thackeray was actually a relief after this disappointment.

Now I've returned to nonfiction. On my next break from Vanity Fair I started reading No Simple Victory: World War II in Europe 1939-1945. So far it's good.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

Pox: An American History -- it's even better than I expected

[Ellen]

Well, I'm reading 2 chunksters-and one keeps distracting me from the other! The Pillars of the Earth (which I love) and The Crimson Petal and the White (which I don't but is part of a 12+2 challenge for another group so I feel obligated to finish).

[Loretta]

I'm reading , which I'm really, really enjoying.

[MountainAshleah]

Ellie wrote: "Well, I'm reading 2 chunksters-and one keeps distracting me from the other! The Pillars of the Earth (which I love) and The Crimson Petal and the White (which I don't but i..."

I read TCPW years back and just remember being sooo disappointed. Memory may fail me (it's like a colander), but I so dislike novels set in a different century/decade populated by characters with modern sensibilities. I think the heroine was just a bit too worldly for me, but then again it's been a long time. Just something about that book I didn't like.

[MountainAshleah]

I am listening to The Book Thief on CD. A daring effort, and quite good so far. the narrator is particularly adept, and for books on CD, the narrator's skill is incredibly important, at least for me. The Book Thief